Chapter One: The two bosses

Former Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson stepped into the Murder Room. She looked around, finding all the familiar faces around among the people occupying the room. And a new one there as well, she had not seen before Then again, change was inevitable. Still, it felt like a home coming after her lengthy absence for her despite the minor changes in the place. It had been over a year since she had stepped into these premises, as her new assignment had taken her to D.C., the capital city. Even after the several promises of 'visiting', her interaction with this team had been limited to a handful of cases they had investigated together while Brenda had been working for the District Attorneys Office, and never in person anyway. But, it felt good to be back just the same.

A wide smile appeared on her face as Brenda walked closer to her former team.

It took a moment for the ever vigilant officers, but soon enough the Major Crimes team members noted the arrival of their visitor. Staring at her at first, not sure if she was for real, surprised and amazed at the same time. Then, smiles started creeping up on the familiar faces as they realised who the stranger was, the one and only Brenda Leigh Johnson, their former boss and friend in crime.

"Chief Johnson!" Provenza was the first one to get his ability to speak as he rose from his set to give his former Chief a big bear hug.

"Special Investigator Johnson now, Lieutenant!" She corrected Provenza a big grin on her face, "Glad to see you alive and kicking!" She added and squeezed him lightly after the fact.

"Well, it is really good to see you too. It's been a while!" Provenza replied, his face contorted, to what looked like a smile, which was rare, but this was a special occasion so, there was that.

"Yes, well, D.C. is pretty far away for dropping by for a coffee, a bagel and a chat." Brenda excused her absence with a smirk.

"Yes, Chief Howard informed us you were moving over there." Provenza nodded knowingly.

"Yes, well, glad you are all up to speed!" Brenda replied the smile soon fading at the mention of her husbands name.

Brenda felt a little awkward discussing Fritz with her friends and former colleagues. Despite their divorce being an amicable one, remaining friends and all that jazz. Brenda was still at odds with how familiar her old team had become with the now Chief Howard and how detached she had become with them in turn. But, this was not the time or place to explain things further. And, in her mind, it was need to know, what had happened between her and Fritz.

The others stepped closer to Brenda as well, each of them hugging their former boss and welcoming her back. When it was Amy Syke's turn, she opted to offer her hand in greeting instead to the former Chief of Major Crimes, whom of she had heard quite a few tales about. And not all of them nice either. But still, she could not but help to admire the formidable Chief of a woman.

"Sykes, Amy." The Detective offered.

"Yes of course!" Brenda took the offered hand and shook it."I have heard good things about you!" She added leaving the Detective looking surprised and curious of the hows, but deciding not to pry at this very moment.

After the pleasantries were over, Brenda was looking for the one who was missing.

"Isn't Captain Raydor around?" Brenda asked, her neck stretching tall as she was trying to peak around for any signs of the woman.

"She is upstairs visiting FID, her former team. There was an old case and they needed her input for it. She should be back soon." Flynn enlightened Brenda.

"OK, well then I will wait for her." Brenda said coolly, taking a seat at an empty desk nearby.

Provenza and Flynn exchanged wondering glances. To their knowledge, the relationship between the Captain and the Chief had not been what one would call friendly, not at all. Maybe polite was the best word to describe them in the last year they had worked together in the LAPD and a cooperative one at best. The twosome were wondering what the Chief could be wanting from the Captain now. Especially since the team had not been informed of any upon coming collaboration in the near future either with the former Chief.

"So, Special Investigator Johnson," Provenza used Brenda's whole title, but in an affectionate way, just for the heck of it, "What brings you back to our little corner of the world?"

Brenda smiled at the title used. "Call be Brenda, please." As the whole long title seemed, well off somehow, at least here. "Well, here's the thing." She paused thinking of how much she wanted to reveal to them at this point. "I had an offer I could not refuse, for several reasons actually, so I will be moving back to L.A." Brenda answered rather vaguely.

Provenza and Flynn exchanged glances again, it seemed to have become the practice for today for the two of them.

"So, anything we should be aware of?" Flynn was trying to dig for more information. He had a suspicion of this own as to what the position bringing their former Chief Johnson back was and hoped Brenda was a little more forthcoming with her revelation.

"Well, maybe." Brenda replied with a smirk and then, she did not offer anything more.

After all, she was not about to divulge any further details before she had a change to talk with Captain Raydor about it, and leaving the busy bodies she knew the two Lieutenants to be, stewing in curiosity was a bonus in her mind, even if she liked them both, still paybacks are a bitch, right?

"There is some fresh coffee, if I can interest you in a cup?" Provenza asked, "We can catch up while we enjoy the brew." He added, clearly wanting to pump more information out of her.

"That would be lovely!" Brenda was happy to be back with her old friends and team members, but if Provenza thought he could squeeze more out of her, well, he was wrong. After all, Brenda was a professional investigator, negotiator and interrogator, so, no dice for the two officers.

Brenda, Provenza and Flynn then left together for the break room for their cups of coffee.

Brenda had excused herself to freshen up in the ladie's room, leaving Provenza and Flynn to gossip before her joining them for a cup of java. As she had come almost straight from the airport to the LAPD offices, she wanted to be presentable rather than having something unexpected on her face or person. It had been known to have happened to her, once or twice, so leaning from her mistakes, she was headed to the restrooms first.

"I don't have a good feeling about this." Flynn told Provenza, "If the Chief, I mean Special Investigator..." Flynn paused for a minute trying to get all the titles straight, "If Brenda really is back, then she might just become our boss again."

His eyes darted all over the place, almost as if he was afraid of the cat fights, the hissing and the claws from before. Well, not that there really had been any, but still, in his mind, he had visioned the two women, having some naughty ass fights, clad only in a small bikini and also, there was some mud involved. So, he had a gutter mind, they all knew that, but heck, that was all he had at the moment, his precious daydreams after all, so anyone wanted sue him for those, then so be it.

"What on earth are you talking about?" Provenza looked at him like Flynn was talking gibberish or some fancy foreign language he did not understand.

"Well, I have heard some rumours," Flynn started in a lower register when Provenza cut him off mid sentence.

"Stop it right there. Until you have real facts, then we can talk. Before that, I would rather hear it from the horse's mouth, so to speak." He seemed furious, as he really had a soft spot for both the former Chief and the Captain too now.

"Fine, have it your way!" Flynn lifted his hands in the air in surrender. "I am just telling you, there may be some changes around here again and you'd better get used to them." Andy continued confident he had the best intel in town and knew better what was happening than anyone else around.

The three of them had chatted for a while, each of them recapping in short the happenings for the past year Brenda had spent in D.C. After she had left Major Crimes, she had spent two years in the District Attorney's office before getting her transfer to D.C. and being promoted to the rank of Special Investigator. As to the why she was back, she was not willing to divulge, much to Flynn's and Provenza's annoyance despite their continuing hinting and probing of the same. But still, it was nice to catch up with each other and have some idea what had happened and what was going on, mostly work wise as that was which filled most their lives, sadly enough.

Provenza had risen to get them some more coffee. He came back with the whole pot, refilling Brenda's and Flynn's cups before pouring some into his own. He was about to walk back to the counter when the break room door was suddenly yanked opened and the Captain popped her head inside much to all of their surprise.

"I heard you three of you would be here!" She was smiling widely, her whole face was basically lit up and, she was looking straight into Brenda while talking.

"Captain!" Brenda greeted her happily with a huge smile forming on her face.

Brenda then got up, walked a few steps into the direction of the door where Sharon as standing reaching the Captain quickly. Without any kind of warning, she then placed her hands around Sharon's waist, drawing her in an embrace and then, she kissed her, rather deeply too.

Provenza and Flynn were both staring at the display in front of them, mouth agape not sure if this was really happening or if they had been teleported to some alternate dimension or what. Maybe it was a joke played on them by the two ladies or then it was some sort of candid camera show. What eve it was, it was so totally and completely surreal of a situation to grasp at all. Provenza suddenly heard a loud thud from behind him. As he turned and looked at the source of the noise, he could see Andy Flynn, lying on the floor, his eyes closed and mouth still open. He had fainted of the sheer surprise of witnessing the event which had taken place between the two former advisories, as clearly, that is what they had been, but apparently, not so anymore.

Chapter Two: What happens in the break room, stays in the break room

Andy Flynn was lying on the floor, unconscious, drool running from the corner of his other three gathered around him, looking worriedly at the man lying on the floor. Provenza was on his knees, checking for Andy's pulse. After making sure he was still breathing and well, alive, with his pulse relatively fine, or as fine as it could be for Andy Flynn, Provenza nodded to Sharon and Brenda as he looked up at them, letting the two of them know Andy was alright. He then trend back to Andy and gave a light slap on his face, just so to revive him as mouth to mouth was not really the Lieutenant's thing, at all.

"Come on Flynn, wake up!" Provenza ordered his friend.

Andy was finally coming to. His yes wide he glared at his friend and then at the two women standing right behind Provenza, all three of them still hovering over him though.

"What the hell just happened?" Flynn asked confused as hell.

"You fainted Lieutenant." Sharon told him, a smirk on her face forming.

"Fainted? I don't faint!" Andy was none too happy about the terminology used for his recent, um, action.

"Fine, you passed out! Happy?" Provenza added with smirk, "Want some help getting up?" Offering his hand to Andy.

Provenza tried to aid Flynn back onto his feet, in what seemed to be an impossible task for the smaller man. Finally with the aid from both women, they managed to get the taller man up and standing. Andy was a little wobbly and shaken of the whole ordeal, not just the passing out but the kissing too. After all, it was somewhat of a twisted version of his own daydreams, but still vey much live version of that. Provenza, Sharon and Brenda all looked at him, worried he might faint again, as he looked rather nauseous, so they remained standing in a half circle close to him for support if needed.

"Are you sure you are alright?" Provenza asked again.

"I am fine." Andy was a little embarrassed, or really a lot, shaking the image of the two women kissing and all that.

The shock of seeing his former boss latch onto his current boss in a lip lock at that, had been a little too much for him despite all the, well wet dreams he had had of the two, or rather the thaw of them, but not wanting those details to pop up now, as the moment was way off, maybe for good. He was quickly thinking of a little white lie to cover his girlish reaction to the situation.

"I guess I should not have skipped my lunch today, makes one a tad queazy after all!" Andy tried to make a little joke to get out this predicament.

"Well, I am glad you are alright." Sharon smiled a little, not sure if the man really was alright.

"Yeah," Andy started, "I have some things to do..." He started moving towards the door, looking for a quick exit from the situation, "So I guess I will see you all later then? Chief, Captain." Flynn nodded to the two ladies. He was still using the term 'Chief', which seemed to be more of an endearing term more than that of rank. And besides, he was confused the hell out his mind, so what ever he said, he did not care, only to get the hell out of dodge as soon as possible.

"I'll catch up with you!" Provenza hollered after him as Andy was already out the door before finishing the sentence.

Brenda and Sharon prepared to leave also when Provenza blocked their exit mid stride. He was facing them both, he glared at them and then said sternly:

"You got some 'splaining to do, young ladies!"

Sharon and Brenda looked at each other, then back at Provenza. It was a somewhat humorous situation and then again not, as it really was none others business except the two involved. Still, they had agreed to tell the team, eventually. But, them finding out like this, well, it had happened so, there was that. And rest assured the whole team would know it soon too. Sharon spoke first.

"Well, it's quite simple really." She turned to Brenda, mouthing 'Help me!' only to receive a reply of 'You are on your own' back.

"Yes?" Provenza was looking forward to the explanation.

"Well, you see, the Chief and I," Sharon was trying to find the correct words for the situation at hand but she was kind of in the loss of words and was mumbling to be honest, "I mean my Special Investigator Johnson," Realising what she had just said, trying to correct it, "Brenda Leigh here, has me". Really? What was she babbling on about, some sexual innuendo?

Sharon really had her foot in her mouth now. She cleared her throat and paused trying to collect her thoughts and think of a smooth and politically correct way to explain what had happened. But there was none as they had just hugged and kissed so that was basically it. They were involved, which was the simple truth. So, why was it so hard to come out with that. She looked at Brenda again, who had a curious expression on her face now, clearly waiting to see how the Captain was able untangle her tongue from this web of a thing she had so neatly created.

"Yeah, no kidding, we both saw that." Provenza replied snidely. "Well, I am still waiting!"

Provenza was standing right there, tapping his other foot, arms crossed against his chest trying to act all menacing and that. Brenda was smirking and could hardly hold her laugh at this point. She was really amused of how the ever so articulate Captain Raydor had managed to choke up on her words and could not get a complete sentence out of her mouth.

Sharon was rolling her eyes and grinding her teeth. She needed to have a smooth answer for what had expired just minutes before between her and Brenda. She then took a deep breath to collect herself, then straightened her posture standing even taller than before, looking Provenza right in the eye and started weaving her tall tale for him.

"Brenda and I, "Sharon started again, this time more softly, "Have been on friendly terms for a few years now, and naturally, she and myself are very happy to see each other again after a lengthy break." What a load of bull that was!

Provenza looked at Sharon suspiciously, not buying one word into the explanation. Rather than arguing the case right now, he decided to let it slide, for now. But there would be a discussion, later. After all, friends don't lock lips like that, not with any friends he had, then again, there weren't that many people he was friendly with. Never mind, this was totally bull in his ears and the two bosses surely would need to explain themselves further later on.

"Naturally." He the simply replied looking each women in the eye before turning around and leaving.

Sharon let out the breath she had been holding after the door closed. She heard clapping from Brenda's direction and turned to look at her partner in crime.

"And the Oscar for best performance in a "how do I explain my ass out of this situation", goes to, drum roll, Sharon Raydor!" Brenda retorted and smiled widely. She was actually glad, that for once, it was the Captain who was in the awkward position rather than herself, but then again, she did not believe that her explanation had gone through with the Lieutenant either.

"Glad you had my back there!" Sharon said sarcastically as she sounded disappointed and then she pouted on top of that.

"Aw!" Brenda moved closer, "You know I have your back! Always! But you have to admit it, this was just too juicy a situation to let it slide?"

Sharon looked at Brenda, still a little hurt of her friend's actions, but she had to admit it, that more than once she had enjoyed Brenda being in a the tight spot trying to explain her way out of things. Sharon finally broke into a smile of her own.

"Agreed. But next time, you will be the one doing the explaining." She pointed an accusing finger at Brenda.

Brenda had a challenging look on her face. She was still unsure as to why the secrecy, which Sharon seemed to be upholding quite tightly at that. After all, they were both adults, single and well, they weren't working together anymore, so there was that too, so what on earth could have been wrong in them having a relationship was beyond Brenda at the moment. It had not seemed so hard when they had visited in D.C. not at all, rather the opposite. Sharon had been quite handsy with her in public as well as anywhere else.

Sharon tried to read Brenda, but was unable to do so.

"What?" Sharon asked briefly, trying to undermine the whole station they had just stepped out of, rather poorly at that, but still.

"I am wondering why keep this, us, a secret?" Brenda motioned at the space between them, and continued, "Why not just tell them what is really going on?"

"It's complicated..." Sharon tried.

Brenda was non too happy with Sharon's answer. They had been dancing to the same song a few times before, especially where Sharon's team was concerned and every time the debates had ended with Brenda yielding and agreeing to wait for the "coming out" announcement. This time, she decided it was time to put her foot down.

"Sharon, dear, there is absolutely nothing complicated about two women seeing each other, holding hands or kissing each other..." Brenda started when Sharon rudely interrupted her.

"There is a time and place for everything and today is not that day." This time Brenda did not let Sharon's argument bother her, not at all, rather like child wanting her way, she continued her ranting over Sharon's continued words.

"...Seeing each other naked, having hot passionate sex with each other in all the right and especially the wrong places." Brenda was singing her tune now happily, letting it all out in the process.

"Brenda, listen to me." Sharon tried to interrupt her.

"La-la-la," Brenda covered her ears with her hands, "Not listening to your non productive arguments any more. La-la-la." She continued like a petulant child.

"Fine." Sharon shut up. She knew there was no winning this fight and she also knew, it was time to come clean to everyone regarding their well kept secret. Even if it bothered the hell out of her to spill the tea on her personal life, which seemed to be coming less and less personal by the minute.

Brenda, who was still going on with the 'la-la-la' rant, stopped abruptly all noise and looked at Sharon wide eyed and quite surprised.

"Say what?" Brenda had not expected to win this argument this time either. Not so easily. Each time the topic had been discussed, it had ended in a stalemate at best of times or then, in the form of "we will tell them later."

"We, "Sharon pointed at them both, "We will tell the team, about us, soon." Sharon added, "Besides, I kind of get the vibe Provenza already suspected something more going on between us than a simple over enthusiastic hello."

"Well, he has always been the sharp one!" Brenda smirked. "But, hey, I bet he did not buy the heated lip lock between friends speech, not at all."

"Yeah. But, just not today. I want Andy to cool off first." Sharon said.

Brenda had suspected the good old Lieutenant Flynn had more of a concern for Sharon's welfare, than that of her just being his boss. She was about to confront Sharon regarding the issue when Provenza appeared back in the break room.

After his little incident in the break room, Flynn had stormed out from the team room completely, making some excuses of needing to take care of some personal business. Provenza was worried Andy might be doing something stupid and decided to have a little chat with the Captain regarding.

"Captain, we need to talk?" Provenza said.

"About?" Sharon asked him trying to play the fool.

"You know very well what about! Flynn just left in a hurry and I am worried he will do something very stupid!" Provenza half shouted.

"What exactly do you want me to do about it?" Sharon was unsure as to what Provenza wanted her to do. After all, Andy was his best friend, not hers.

"You need to talk to him, sooner than later. Set the record straight, no pun intended!" Provenza replied.

"What exactly do you want me to tell him?" Sharon wasn't sure today was the right time to let Andy down of all days, especially if he had gone off half cocked. She was only hoping he was on his way to a meeting rather than a bar.

"About you two." Provenza pointed at the two women standing in front of him

Sharon looked at Brenda then back to Provenza again, stammering again as she tried to explain.

"Well, we are..."

Brenda broke her off, as she was becoming more and more impatient about the whole deal.

"Oh for heaven's sake, The Captain and I are together." She stated matter of factually.

"Together as in romantically involved? As in dating? Hooking up? Doing the horizontal mambo?" He asked with all the euphemisms popping into his mind as he was still trying to comprehend the full meaning of the relationship between the two former adversaries.

"Yes, and yes." Sharon told him coolly then, finally gaining some semblance back from all the heat she was getting for this specific topic.

"And you haven't told us because?" Provenza was furious for being left out from such important information. Well, it was, in his mind, important after all. She was his boss and the other one was his former boss, so there.

"Well, it's really none of your or anyone's business." Sharon continued offended of the remark as she was trying to make good on spilling her personal life to an underling.

"What about Flynn?" Provenza was not giving up so easily.

"What about him?" Brenda asked curiously.

"Well, he thinks he is dating the Captain." Provenza responded matter of factly this time.

Brenda looked at Sharon, her hands going to her hips and eyes starting to squint and the fume was visible too, if one looked careful enough.

"Care to explain Sharon?"

"Um, there was a misunderstanding of sorts, but I thought that was all cleared up!" Sharon's eyes darted from Brenda to Provenza and back.

"Apparently not!" Provenza said, "Flynn still thinks you and him are dating! I told him this was going to back fire! Him and his stupid ideas!" Provenza ranted and started leaving when Sharon pulled him back. "Dating the Captain! What a delusional thing to think!"

"Lieutenant, I would prefer if this," She pointed to Brenda and herself, "Did not get out until I've had a word with Flynn or the others."

"Fine!" Provenza huffed and puffed when he left the room leaving the two ladies to glare at each other.

Chapter Three: Paybacks are a bitch

When Sharon and Brenda were finally alone in the break room, after Provenza had left for the second time around, Brenda, having cooled down somewhat from the most recent turned of events, inched closer to her lover and whispered in her ear.

"A fine mess you've gotten us into Captain! I will have to punish you for such behaviour!" Brenda added rather coyly.

"You are not my superior anymore, if anyone needs to be punished it's you!" Sharon slapped Brenda gently on her derrière, knowing what effect it would have on the other woman.

"Hey, no fair!" Brenda mock shouted, even if she was enjoying the contact.

There was just something titillating about getting slapped on her ass after all, especially by Sharon. Brenda knew this was hardly the time or place for any further displays of affection between the two of them. Especially almost causing a heart attack to Flynn, and anxiety by Provenza, but she really could not help herself. And, in her defence, it had been a few weeks since they had last seen each other and had any kind of interactions in person.

Brenda and Sharon had managed to establish quite the working long distance relationship for them. Utilising all means of communication devices in the process. Phone sex was a given thing of course, but the ladies had also dabbled in the fine art of 'video conferencing' during their long nights apart. Brenda, being the wild one in this relationship or so it seemed, most of the time, as Sharon had a surprise or two up her sleeve every once in a while too. Brenda had suggested to try to make a video call, instead of just calling on the phone and Sharon, being a bit of a prude, had declined at first. Brenda had finally taken matters into her own hands so to speak, while trying to persuade Sharon to a live session.

Brenda had started it all, by taking photos of her 'naughty' bits and sending them to Sharon over the phone. It was quite clean in the beginning, taking snaps of herself half-dressed and all, but then, she had escalated to sending actual nudes in various positions of herself to her lover. Since she had not received any objections or negative feedback regarding to whom thing, she had taken the next step. That was making short clips of her undressing herself, touching herself, nothing too revealing at first there either, at first that was. Finally she had made a full length video of herself masturbating and making herself come shouting out Sharon's name while doing so, quite the naughty girl she had turned out to be, as she liked to blame Sharon for that as well, even if she herself liked the fact. Brenda had been debating at length whether to hit send or not. She was a little worried that, if anyone else had intercepted the video for what ever reason, that it would be a minor scandal at best. After all, the media was full of stories related to hacking and all that. But then again, she had nothing to hide nor loose if shots of herself naked and in throes of passion would surface. Not regarding her personal life nor her position anyway. Well, maybe just a tad. But still she trusted that nothing like that would happen.

After three sets of videos sent to the good Captain, Sharon had finally agreed to do a live session. As apparently, the Captain had enjoyed the videos, even if she had not said so in so many words, but Brenda could tell they were most likely playing on loop at any given night in Sharon's bedroom. The live video call had been a little awkward at first though, but as soon as the women had forgotten they were having sex through a camera, rather than being in the same room, the situation had gotten very heated and in the end very, very rewarding. Ever since the first time, the ladies had been having video sex at least once a week in addition to their sexting and heated telcos every other day. And that was, in Brenda's mind, the very essence of a well kept long distance relationship. It was actually quite odd how they managed to find so much time for each other midsts of their hectic work lives, but they did. Brenda considered the very fact, that she spent more time with Sharon, albeit virtually, that she had in any previous relationship with any given partner at the time. Curious, she had thought at first. But then again, she knew the reason why after all.

So here they were now, without any distance between them. Apart from being in the wrong place, the timing off, and well, people around them at that, bursting in on them at any given moment being the possibility. Brenda felt herself extremely stimulated from the soft slap on her backside. Brenda had a fire in her eyes as she looked at Sharon. Sharon, knowing full well what that meant, backed away from Brenda. As Sharon moved backwards, she bumped into one of the tables, ending up cornered between the furniture and a very aroused former Chief.

"Brenda," Sharon started with a worried yet husky voice.

She kept looking at the door, expecting any of her team members to burst in at any moment. She did not want to raise any further questions, nor was she in a mood to explain her personal life further to anyone in the office. Also, them seeing her having sex on the coffee room table was not on the top of her list of choices to reveal her true self to her underlings.

"Yes?" Brenda asked innocently, her voice low as a whisper though.

Brenda had moved close enough for their bodies to be touching. She placed her hands on Sharon's hips, just enough, but without any pressure, getting an immediate response to the light touch, as Sharon's body shivered in anticipation. Brenda's hands started their own journey, as the mapped Sharon's sides at first, over her tummy and moving upward, ever closer to Sharon's breast, only halting their advance, when her hands were close enough to the soft globes, never touching but keeping them there in close range. And if Sharon was about to move, or even breath deeply, they would have touched. Sharon's breathing was shallow now, as she was anticipating the touch which never came, getting more aroused by each passing moment. Brenda bit her own lip, wanting so badly to touch, but, she was also feeling her evil coming on to play. Deciding then to take the teasing a little further, testing her own and Sharon's limits in the process, she managed to manoeuvre her hands around and up to Sharon's back instead.

"I don't think…" Sharon was not sure of what she was thinking anymore and what she had wanted to say in the first place.

Brenda's face was only inches away from Sharon's. Sharon was able to feel Brenda's breath on her face, on her lips, close enough to touch, but not quite. Brenda inched even closer, her lips almost touching Sharon's now. But Brenda did not kiss her. She moved her mouth over to Sharon's neck, inhaling her lovers scent, deeply, never touching though. She could hear Sharon's breathing becoming even more shallow as she continued hovering so close to her. Brenda trailed the neckline, never touching, until she was close to Sharon's ear. She was close enough to touch the delicate skin, when she heard Sharon whimper. Brenda smiled evilly and whispered into Sharon's ear:

"You still have some 'splaining to do, Sharon!"

Brenda had not been too pleased to hear about the so called tiny misunderstanding between Sharon and Andy Flynn. Not that she doubted there was anything going on between the two of them, romantically that was. No, she trusted Sharon and there was no doubt about that part. But as to why Sharon had let situation develop this far, was beyond her, let alone not telling Brenda what had been going on for seemingly a while.

Brenda was in 'that' kind of mood today, where she was not about to let things slide so easily, rather let the Captain suffer for her little dirty secret. Having Sharon quivering and totally aroused and then not letting her have her dues, well, that was the payment for keeping a secret from her. Even if Brenda did suffer herself a bit from the same situation, being aroused herself, she still thought it a small price to pay in having Sharon tormented in this way. Paybacks are a bitch after all!

Looking like a deer caught in the head lights, Sharon was totally aroused and very confused, "I um," was all Sharon had the time to try to explain to her lover that it wasn't her doing really, rather a simple misunderstanding at that. But then, she was even more surprised when Brenda changed her mind again, about the talk time and went for plan b instead. Brenda kissed Sharon, heatedly, passionately, deeply, her tongue darting inside of Sharon's mouth, taking control over the resident tongue there. Brenda may not have been the higher ranking officer any more, but she sure was in charge of what ever was going on in their relationship now, and, especially the sex part. And Sharon simply loved being taken control of, in the bedroom, or which ever room they did it.

Brenda could not control her own hands any more, which seemed to have a mind of their own. Both hands making their way to Sharon's breasts again. Quickly finding their target this time, not holding back any more rather grasping the round mounds fully, nimble fingers circling the erect nipples through the silky material of Sharon's blouse, elicit deep throaty moans from the other woman in the process. Brenda had always known she was a breast woman and with Sharon, she had proven the point further as she loved playing the the fleshy globes for long, long moments, having her lover come from doing just that a few times too.

Sharon was too far gone to make any kinds of objections, as to either the venue or the timing for that matter. She was enjoying the attention and did not want to stop anymore, come hell or high water, she was about to burst and Brenda was her only salvation as far as she could think. The rest of the world be damned if they dared to venture inside the break room now.

Brenda broke off her kiss with Sharon, only to trail down her lovers neck with her lips. Placing kisses and nipping off tiny soft bites on the bare skin along the way down further south. Brenda started opening the buttons of Sharon's shirt in a haste. Her fingers moving quickly, she managed to open the buttons and move the garment aside. Finally free to start her exploration on Sharon's breast, she started unhooking the offending bra, when...

"Ahem, Captain?" Amy Sykes poked her head into the break room looking a little embarrassed for interrupting what seemed, like a very personal moment between her boss and the former Chief Johnson she had just met. "Sorry to disturb you, um, both, but Captain, we need you in the Murder Room." Amy looked down at a the floor, a little flustered in surprising the two lovebirds in action, but then again, she wasn't too shy to have a peak or two, enjoying the whole scene a little bit too much.

Chapter Four: Coming out

After being rudely interrupted in the heat of a very passionate moment, Sharon and Brenda had been staring at each other and then glancing back at the doorway for what seemed a quite long moment. After the initial shock of being surprised in a, well, somewhat compromising position, the ladies finally managed to untangle themselves from each other. Adjusting their clothing and hairdos, the both looked presentable again. Not that they ever were, unpresentable, as the two ladies seemed to be possessing an uncanny way of always looking good, no matter what. It was a lot of effort to never look shabby, as Sharon put it, but she managed and Brenda had learnt several tricks from her lover too of the same nature, in addition to many other different natured things as well.

It did not take long for the dynamic duo to regain their composure and then being quite quick on their feet the two of them were bouncing out of the break room after Sykes in no time at all. Sharon, noticing a few open buttons, exposing way too much skin still, was buttoning them up in the same process, while running after Brenda through the seemingly long hallway, heels clicking against the floor as the two of them ventured on. Still, they had no shame in what they were doing, after all, being adults and all, but getting caught had not been the plan, if there actually was any. Sharon was shaking her head still, thinking back to the moment, still sending shivers down her spine as it had been a while, since their last actual face to face or well, what ever encounter, when she heard Brenda laugh.

"What?" Sharon demanded of her partner in crime.

"You are thinking about it." Brenda smirked, knowing her lover well.

"I was not." Sharon knew exactly what she was saying, but tried to deny it anyway.

"Don't worry, I am too." Brenda said between strides, or small steps, after all, she was still wearing heals. "I promise to make it up to you tonight." It was a promise she intended to keep too, come hell or high water, as it had been far too long since they had had a chance to hook up in person.

Sharon felt the shivers again, but did not respond, rather tried to push the images down for now, as there was most likely some major issue going on which needed her full focus. Sex, would have to wait, even if it felt so very difficult at the very moment she followed Brenda and her eyes wondering to her ass swaying there, tempting as hell. But, Sharon was a professional, as she kept on remind herself and then, she tried, really hard to follow up on that sentiment.

Amy had already reached the Murder Room, still a little shaken after what she had just witnessed. She was feeling a little at odds of sorts, but also, very much titillated. The little voyeur in her raising its ugly head, whispering into her ear all kinds of things, while she had been standing behind the window of the break room, watching. Stirring all kinds of feelings inside of her and wanting to see more. Yes, she had a dirty mind alright and it had been more than once that she had conjured up images of her boss and herself in various scenarios, and none of them work related either. But those were mere fantasies, right? An inner debate had been going on, whether to enter the room or just flee and maybe, come back at a later point or send someone else to get the ladies. Thinking about it all now, she knew she had enjoyed standing there very much so, like a peeping Tammy she had been, enjoying standing there, for far too much and staying far too long. Simply admiring the display, or rather scene, underling in front of her, before she had managed to snap out of it and then, dared entering the room.

Amy was also itching to share her news about what she knew now to be true, but betraying the two women was not a nice thing to do, no matter if they were all adults and all that jazz. There was so much inner turmoil inside of her and even something she felt just then, a pang of jealousy? Could it be? She had fantasised about the Captain, and just witnessed her in the arms of another woman, so there was that. But surely, it was all fine and despite her little crush on her boss, she was good with the Captain actually having someone and a woman no less, right?

While the others were gathered around the Murder Board, walking through the evidence of their latest case, Amy noticed Julio sitting at this desk, staring into the computer intently as he only could. Yes, it was difficult of her to keep a secret after all, no matter what the consequences were. Besides, there were no secrets around this place as anyone and everyone was gossip monger to some extent. And she was no better or worse. Amy made her choice and then entered Julio's personal space, turning his chair around and facing her colleague, who looked stunned and surprised at the woman. Amy was standing only inches away from Julio's face with a big grin plastered on her face and then, she told him, in an almost whispering voice, but still, quite exited to share the news with him.

"You won't believe what I just saw!"

Sharon and Brenda arrived to the Murder Room, meeting a silence induced unified glare from the whole team. Some of them actually standing with their respective mouths open as the two entered the room, gawking at the ladies like they were Hollywood celebrities or some other kind of spectacle to be looked at with surprise.

After Amy had started gossiping with Julio about what had just transpired in the break room and Julio had let out a loud "You are joking!" in the air, the rest of the team had been alerted to the exclamation and they being the naturally curious and gossiping kinds they were, wanted naturally to investigate further what Sykes and Sanchez were really talking about.

"What is going on?" Buzz asked the twosome, not sure why they were so exited all of a sudden.

Julio and Amy exchanged glances and then as per agreement between the two, Amy then started weaving a tale of the happenings she had just witnessed in the coffee room. Being a little on the gossipy side, more than totally accurate, she added a few more details into her tale, her own speculation rather than something she had actually observed.

Both Buzz and Tao looked at her eyes wide like giddy school boys listening to every little detail Amy was feeding them. Provenza, even though never letting a dirty tale pass him by, opted to remain a little farther away, but still listening in. Flynn was still AWOL after he had stomped out earlier.

So, there they both were, Sharon and Brenda, standing at the centre of the attention. Sharon was feeling a little more than exposed than Brenda, as she was the current boss after all and thus, supposedly should have behaved better. It all felt like a bad dream for her, in which she had entered the class room after being late, the alarm not going off when it was supposed to and it had been her final exam at that. But, in her dream, she had forgotten her clothes for what ever reason and was now standing completely naked in front of everyone to see. A classic one if any. So, feeling just like she had in that very dream, exposed, vulnerable and being gawked at like a piece of meat she was.

Brenda on the other hand found the whole situation amusing at best. She had of course some distance between her and these people now, so what ever she did and what ever they wanted to gossip about did not touch her the same way any more. But, after she noticed Sharon standing beside her, in what seemed almost a paralysed state, Brenda quickly made a choice to protect her partner and stepped in front of Sharon, even if she was, fully clothed and presentable, but she wanted to make sure the others got the point and being the her usual take charge type of A persona she was she narrowed her eyes and menacingly said.

"OK, people, nothing to see here!" Brenda looked taller than she was, having her bossy stance in place as she continued berating the team. "Clearly, you have all been quite well informed of the current situation." She gave the evil eye to Amy Sykes, who immediately turned her gaze towards the floor in shame, Brenda was that good. "So, the proverbial cat has left the bag!" She continued all the while standing in front of Sharon.

Brenda shot an ominous look collectively around the team and most of them quickly found their shoes and other stuff around them more interesting to look at than anything else. Brenda continued her monologue, since the others seemed to have lost their ability to utter a single word further, which was new.

"People, we are all adults here, so you better listen to me carefully, since I shall say this only once!" She gave a stern look again to each and every pair of eyes in the room, which had darted up again at her, including Sharon.

"Your Captain and I, are romantically involved." Brenda paused listening to any sound of objection coming from the room. But, as nothing was forthcoming, she continued her rant. "We have been interacting, for a lack of a better word, for several years now and will continue doing so for the foreseeable future. I would appreciate you keep any further comments regarding said relationship, respectably, to yourselves. Is that understood?" Brenda commanded the team.

A few "Yes Ma'ams" and several nods were her only responses, which also included a nod from Sharon as well.

"Alright, the show is over." Brenda concluded the situation in the way most fitting to her.

The Captain had been standing in silence with the rest of the team, listening to Brenda's speech in both awe and respect of her lover's authoritative way of handling the situation. A big grin formed on the Captain's face soon after, as the others disbursed around the room. Sharon was more than grateful Brenda had taken charge and was secretly thinking of ways to repay Brenda for it later on when they were truly alone. She liked the commanding side of Brenda Leigh, always had, even if she liked to be in charge herself. But, sometimes, it was nice to have a knight in shining armour like Brenda around. It felt good to be care for in that way too.

After her little speech the team spread around the office, each concentrating to do what ever tasks they could find, fully concentrating this time, overly so, clearly avoiding eye contact with their former Chief. They had gotten the message and felt the rage of the woman, who was protecting her lover, their Captain. Both good and bad in a way. Brenda herself, feeling very proud of what she had just done, stepped to where Sharon was standing. She wanted so badly to show her how much she care for the Captain, but decide to forgo further physical gestures, at least for now. After all, there had been enough for one day already, as she did not want to cause further heart palpitation for any of the team members.

"So?" Brenda asked looking for any objections, reprimands or what have yous from her lover.

"Great work Chief!" Sharon smirked in response, giving her a slight pat on the shoulder, a small but still quite welcome gesture.

"Well, I am glad that is all settled, for at least now. Maybe you can go back to work then, huh?" Brenda asked Sharon.

"Yes Ma'am!" Sharon mock saluted Brenda and got a light slap on her derrière when she turned to walk toward the others. She looked back at Brenda, her eyes squinted mouthing without a sound. "Paybacks are a bitch".

"Looking forward to it!" Brenda mouthed back her face in a wide grin.

Sharon and her team concentrated on their work for a change for the rest of the day, while Brenda opted to take her leave. She had a few errands to run before it was time to pick up Sharon later on. After all, she had plans for her lover, which did include her own paybacks as well, but only the good kind ones. And she needed to do some shopping too, before the evening was upon her.

Chapter Five: Life is unfair?

Andy had returned after his little, well, hissy fit it had been and then he had left without much ado, so a disappearing act too, bordering on the infantile. He had turned his phone off too, so neither the Captain nor Provenza had managed to get a hold of him after trying to call him. At the very moment Provenza had seen Andy Flynn re-appearing into the Murder Room, he had grabbed the man by the arm and led him in no words at all to one of the empty offices for a good talking to. After all, Andy was way off line on this one, way off!

Andy was now huffing and puffing, even stomping his feet while pacing like a petulant child and Provenza was getting totally annoyed by his behaviour. Flynn had been, in the Lieutenants mind behaving like a schoolgirl who found out her wannabe boyfriend was actually gay and that was something against them rather a good trait in a person not suited for the first persons love interests, but still a very good thing. Well, in this case, his supposed wannabe girlfriend turned out to be the gay one and thus, less suitable for his needs and purposes. Funny that how things turn out, right?

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Provenza wanted this, what ever it was to go away, and fast.

"You really don't know?" Andy was half yelling and looking at Provenza like a mad person.

"Well, if it is about the Chief," Provenza still used the former rank of Brenda Leigh as an endearing term though, "and the Captain, then all I can tell to you is, to man up and slap on a pair! The best person won, literally, on this occasion!"

"A pair of what? Skates?" Flynn was angry at Provenza's lack of empathy and understanding of his situation, any at all. He was supposed to be his friend, after all, firstly, right!

Provenza grinned, just a tad, as he actually found the situation a bit too hilarious to be able to be too serious about it. After all, the Captain, to his understanding, had never let Flynn on about their relationship between him and her, that was, being anything but a friendly one. Two co-workers going out, enjoying each other's company, having some much deserved fun in the process, nothing else, ever. Much in the same way Flynn and himself did. Apart from the opera, and the ballet of course, as he was not into those kind of arts, not really. Provenza shook off the whole idea of going to see someone tiptoeing for two or more hours and all that spinning, well it got his head spinning just thinking about it and not in a good way. Then there was the opera, a bunch of girth people yodelling their hearts out. Nope, not his thing at all. But, back to the matter at hand.

"You know what I mean dummy!" Provenza stated flatly. "It was all in your own little mind!" Provenza pointed at Andy's head. "She is nor has she ever been, into you in any other kind of way than wanting a friend."

Andy could not stop glaring angrily at Provenza. He could not believe his best friend did not back him up on this. And in his own mind, Andy was right, like he always was, and his fantasy was going to be realised just as he had pictured it. At least, he had gotten his way with women before so why not now?

"But," Flynn stuttered not really knowing what to say to that.

"No buts about it!" Provenza cut him off holding up his hand to Andy's face before he could even start on some self made rant about him being deserving, the way it usually went when Flynn did not get what he wanted. "You seriously did not think that, By-the-book-Raydor would throw out her settled principles and god forbid, them damned rules, and all that, just for you? Dating a subordinate under her command? I mean come on, even you can't be that naive?"

"Well yeah, maybe." Andy replied in a timid voice.

Provenza swore he could hear the wheels turning inside of Flynn's head. He stepped closer to his friend, took him gently by the arm and looked Andy right in his eyes.

"Just think for a moment, in a hypothetical scenario, about the real life implications if you and the Captain would have actually started dating. You seriously think the LAPD would have accepted a ranking officer, a leader of Major Crimes being allowed to have romantic entanglements with one of her subordinates? And how unfair would it have been for the rest of us? Did you think of that?"

Andy looked at Provenza like being in a haze. Not completely understanding the full image of what the Lieutenant was telling him, but some of it was sinking in, slowly.

"Sharon would not have been unfair…" Flynn started defending again.

"Maybe not, but do you really think any of us would trust her to be, huh?" Provenza was provoking Flynn now. Trying to get him to snap out of his haze and listen to reason, for once. "One of you would have had to call it quits. And I don't think it would have been Raydor. Do you?"

Andy shook his head. "No, I doubt it would have been her leaving the post. After all, she deserved to be there." Thinking back to how they had felt when she had actually taken the post, none of them really liking it, but now, they knew her and knew she was a great Captain and a leader.

"You see that now, don't you! Good. Because else, where would you have ended up? You really see many opportunities for oldies but goldies like us out there?"

Flynn shook his head again. This time he was in full agreement. Finally realising all the implications and ramifications of the situation he had thought would be a walk in the park and well, a fantasy come true, at least for him.

"No, it would have been retirement for me." Andy yielded to Provenza's assessment.

"So, you see, it's all worked out for the best in the end, right?" Provenza was looking for any sign of sanity left in his friend.

"Yes, you are right. Retirement is the worst thing that could have happened, to either of us." Flynn looked up at Provenza, seemingly cooler and calmer than he had been earlier. His friend was right as per usual.

"Good, then we are in an agreement?" Provenza wanted to really make sure the situation was finally resolved once and for all.

"Yes, we are." Flynn stated assured he did see eye to eye with his friend.

"Excellent! Now go, make your peace with the Captain and the Chief!" Provenza ordered Flynn.

"What?" Andy did not believe what he was hearing, again.

"Go, get! Make your apologies, shake hands. Do what ever it takes, but for God's sake don't leave things hanging!" Provenza ranted on. "That would be the worst, for us all!"

Flynn threw his hands up in the air in mock surrender: "Fine, I'll go, grovel and beg for forgiveness!" He left mumbling something under his breath as he went to find the Captain.

Provenza let out a sigh of relief after Flynn was gone. He had gotten the old Flynn back again, as sarcastic, snide and condescending he might have been, just the way Provenza liked it.

Chapter Five: Confessions

The Major Crimes team had spent the better part of the afternoon piecing together clues for their most recent case. The evidence against their current suspect was thin at best. Getting a confession out of him was short of a miracle waiting to happen. The Captain was standing in front of the murder board, kneading her forehead in frustration, feeling a headache coming on, when Brenda walked in to the room.

Brenda had been running a few errands and shopping some necessities. She had decided to travel light for a change and get what ever she needed in LA. She had a surprise in store for Sharon, but decided to share that at a later time, when they were alone. When she noticed Sharon, and saw the glazed and far away look on her face, Brenda knew exactly where that was coming from. She had been there herself on many an occasion. She decided to cheer Sharon up a bit and quickly made her way towards Sharon, from behind and grabbing her in an embrace.

"Whatcha thinking?" Brenda asked, trying to pick up a conversation in a more lighter mood.

Sharon was surprised, most of all from the open affections Brenda was giving her in front of the others. Despite the earlier "coming out" to her team, she was still very self-conscious of any kind of public displays of affection, especially the romantic kind even if she could hug someone in a friendly manner. However, at this point in the day, she was too weary to argue the point and yielded to the hug. She was actually happy for all the attention she was getting from Brenda making her feel protected in a way, which was odd as she did not need any protection, well some, sometimes, maybe.

"Well, right now, I am thinking, that I am very lucky, to have you, here, with me." Sharon punctuated the last words. In the few years they had been together on some level, even if the girlfriend status was relatively new, the word "love" had not been used in its fullest potential, not at least by Sharon.

"Still can't say it can you?" Brenda teased her.

"Say what?" Sharon knew exactly what Brenda meant but she was not about to say that.

"The L-word." Brenda was using euphemisms on purpose.

"The what word now?" Sharon was quickly catching on to the game and playing the dumb one.

Brenda felt a sparring match coming on. She enjoyed the to-ing and fro-ing between her and Sharon. Ever since the day Sharon had taken over her crime scene, the game had been on. And, after they had realised their so called dislike for each other rooted in something deeper and given in to their feelings of well, call it love of lust, the duo had enjoyed their good natured rivalry ever since or before, as it turned out to be.

"Love, as in you are head over heals with me." Brenda said it out louder on purpose, just in case there were still those who were not on the same page as to the nature of two ladies relationship. No one turned their heads towards though. But there were a few clear throats and forced coughs in the room to be heard from the team present there.

"Um, so, yeah." This time Sharon was not the winner of the match. But she tried to change the subject, and failing, badly.

"You love me and you know it!" Brenda told Sharon as boldly as she could muster.

Brenda was also getting the feeling the match had no winners this time. Brenda was hoping no losers either, at most a tie would be preferable. She wanted Sharon to say it out loud, just to be on the safe side. After all, she had made a big decision and Brenda wanted to be sure it had been the right one. But, she would not get that answer, not right away anyway.

There was a moment of silence, both of them staring each other directly to the others eyes. Sharon wanted desperately to utter out the word, but it got stuck midway in her throat for some reason once again and she just kept staring into Brenda's eyes trying to convey her emotions through that gaze. Brenda stared back and was about to say something when they were rudely interrupted from their haze and back into the real world.

"Eureka!" Provenza shouted out loud. He had been looking through some files at his desk and found something interesting there apparently.

Both women turned towards him, as did the others in the room.

"What is it Lieutenant?" Sharon was back in her professional mode in a flick off the old switch.

"Well, I may have found something we can use against our suspect." Provenza waved a stack of papers in the air victoriously.

Brenda was quicker than Sharon to reach Provenza as she snatched the paperwork from him and started glancing through the contents of it like she was still the boss and in on the case.

"Hey!" Was all Provenza managed when Sharon had in turn grabbed said files from Brenda, which elicited another "Hey" This time coming from Brenda's mouth. Sharon gave her the patented 'Raydor stare' making Brenda quickly back off, which was a somewhat of a first. After all, it wasn't her investigation, so, she knew when she was in the wrong.

Sharon glanced through the material and looked at Provenza: "You actually think we can arrest him for these?" Sharon was pointing at the stack in the manila folder.

"Why not? It's been done before." He stated coolly.

Sharon turned to Brenda, clearly wanting her advice this time around.

"What, so now you want my advice?" Brenda shrugged her shoulders. As a matter of fact, she had been itching to give her opinion after she had seen what Provenza had been planning.

"Well?" Sharon insisted from her lover, not feeling to be in the mood for any games, after all, there was a case to be closed and little precious time left.

"It could work. I mean there are a *lot* of tickets in there." Brenda pointed to the file Sharon was still holding.

"So, what the two of you are suggesting is, that we arrest our suspect for parking violations and hope the hell he will confess to murder?" Sharon summed up the plan and gave the package back to Provenza.

"That pretty much sums it up yes." Provenza added with Brenda backing him up, nodding in agreement.

Sharon looked from one to the other, quite sure of the twosome being completely off their rockers.

"Well Captain, other than this, we have nothing. As in zero, zip, zilch, nada." Provenza was recapping their predicament for his boss, to let her know, that in all likelihood the suspect would walk.

"Alright, I get it!" Sharon threw her hands up in the air in surrender. She stood for a moment contemplating their options, realising there really were none, before she answered. "Plan B it is then."

"Great!" Provenza seemed overly excited.

"So what *is* the plan?" Sharon asked him again to be sure.

Provenza looked at Sharon confused, "What do you mean?" He asked.

"What are you planning to do? You can't just waltz in there, throw the parking tickets in his face and expect him to confess to a major crime instead?"

"Nope, we are not telling him the exact truth." Brenda jumped in again.

"Yeah, "Provenza started, "we'll just tell him that we have outstanding warrants and he will go to jail for a long time unless he is willing to deal."

"And you expect him to jump on the deal rather than doing the time for a lesser crime?" Sharon wasn't convinced at all. "With the stack of parking tickets playing the part of the warrants?"

"Well, he doesn't know that." Brenda and Provenza were on the same wavelength like so many times before and clearly of the same mindset that this could actually work.

"We need to call the DA's office if we do this." Sharon said and was half way to the nearest desk reaching for the telephone.

Brenda was quick on her feet, closing in on Sharon. She put her hand on top of Sharon's before she had a chance to pick up the receiver.

"We can't call the DA, not just yet anyway." Brenda told Sharon.

"She is right Captain. We need the perp to agree to a deal first." Provenza added.

"You see this isn't exactly by the book." Brenda said under her breath looking for any sign of from Sharon to refuse their suggestion after hearing all the facts, or rather lack there of.

Sharon could not believe what she was hearing. The same old song again. Then again, she did not want the killer getting off scot-free either. Basically, they were going to bluff their way to a confession from their suspect with some parking tickets, which in all honesty, would amount to nothing really if she was honest.

"Captain, we are just bending the rules a little, not actually breaking any." Provenza tried to assure his boss.

"Yeah." Brenda piled on."Think of it as the lesser evil."

Sharon stood silent, not answering, her mind going a mile a minute.

The pair of them were staring at Sharon like two eager puppies, waiting for the final green light.

"Fine. Let's do it." Sharon finally told the waiting pair much to her and their surprise too.

Provenza, Sharon and Brenda had quickly formulated their plan before entering the interrogation room. The trio positioned themselves sitting across from the suspect as per usual. The plan was not to reveal what they had against him, rather bluff their way to get him to confess and deal to the murder and then take the offered deal. They would not show the evidence to him naturally, as it was only parking tickets, but still, they hoped it would all work, unless he would lawyer up.

"Mr Nolan," Sharon started, "We have some new evidence in your case." She was pointing at the folder in front of her.

"We have Special Investigator Johnson from the DA's office just in case you are willing to sign the deal we offered you previously." Provenza added.

The trio were staring at the suspect who had chosen to opt for a lawyer. Which meant he was still waiting for one to show up, but it meant the deal would also go away if he decided not to agree to the deal and or tell nothing to the team of what he had done. He had been smug at the beginning but now, his confidence started shattering as he glared at the trio in front of him. He gulped as he looked at the folder on the table. He then looked back at the menacing trio sitting opposite of him.

"So, if I take the deal, then what ever new evidence you have, won't affect it?" He asked in a low voice clearly indicating he had done deeds worse than the murder he was now accused of.

"The initial deal is still on, provided you agree to it in full writing." Brenda stated coolly.

Neil Nolan looked at the threesome, contemplating his choices. He was getting nervous, his forehead filling with sweat drops. He rubbed his hands against face and licked his dry lips.

"OK, let's make the deal." He finally told them.

Provenza pushed the paper notebook and pencil in front of him.

"Write everything down in detail and sign it. Then we are ready to deal."

Mr Nolan took the offered materials and started writing.

Brenda, Sharon and Provenza exchanged glances with each other and were nodding only slightly, agreeing the case, would finally be closed thanks to this, finding, which really would not have had any effect on the outcome in anyway at all, if it had not been for the canniness of Brenda and Provenza.

When Provenza, Sharon and Brenda finally got out from the interrogation room, there was a collective breath of relief that the case had gone so smoothly in the end and the suspect had been dumb enough not to call on their bluff.

"Thanks for the assist Chief!" Provenza patted Brenda on her back.

"My pleasure!" Brenda responded gladly, ignoring the fact that she was still called as Chief by her former underling.

Provenza made his exit towards the break room, leaving Sharon and Brenda by just the two of them.

"So, we work well together." Brenda noted to Sharon.

"Yes, we really do. And, I don't recall that being the problem before either, except when you were being difficult and obsessive about your cases." Sharon smirked.

"Sharon, that was ages ago, different life, different time!" Brenda defended herself.

"I know. Things have changed a lot since then." Sharon gave her as much.

"So, time for a break then?" Brenda asked.

"Suits me! Lead the way." Sharon offered and followed her girlfriend out the room.

Sharon was in her office accompanied by Brenda. They were chatting about the case, both pleased with how smoothly the bluff had gone and the simple fact they had made a good deal with a murder with little if no evidence at all to back it up, except the eye witness and the blurry videotape.

Flynn appeared at the open door, knocking on it politely before entering. Both women looked surprised Andy, then each other. Brenda shrugged her shoulders in response to Sharon's unspoken "WTF?" question.

"Lieutenant Flynn, what can I do for you?" Sharon asked him politely.

"Well, I sort of have something to say to the both of you." Andy responded and closed the door behind him after entering the office. The ladies exchanged glances again, not sure whether what was coming was good or bad.

Flynn cleared his throat, trying to stand casually before the two women, who were intently gazing at him. Not a good place to be at all, especially after his little boo-boo before.

"I am here to apologise to you both for my recent behaviour." Andy started nervously.

When no comments were forthcoming he decided it was safe to continue.

"I realise now, there may have been a slight misunderstanding," Andy looked in Sharon's direction and continued, "on my side regarding..." Andy was looking for the right words which seemed to elude him, "regarding certain aspects of the nature of our, um, socialising lately."

Andy was still looking at Sharon, who nodded in agreement to his statement .

"So, I would like to apologise for my outburst earlier, to both of you." Andy completed his speech and let his gaze wander over to Brenda as well.

Brenda and Sharon exchanges glances, both of them happily surprised of the turn of events.

"Thank you Andy," Sharon finally said, "I think it is safe for me to say on behalf of the both of us, apology accepted." Sharon looked at Brenda for reassurance. Brenda nodded in response.

"Great!I am glad we got this settled!" Andy was relieved and continued, "I would like to take you both to dinner later on, you know, as a friendly gesture." Andy looked hopeful for the two women to accept his invitation.

"That would be great Lieutenant!" Brenda told him, leaving Sharon looking surprised.

"Good good." Andy replied, "I'll make the reservations. Tomorrow evening OK for you?" He asked.

"Sounds like a plan!" Brenda responded.

Andy nodded and left the office.

Sharon came from behind her desk and sat down in the empty chair beside Brenda.

"Is there some devious plan forming in that pretty head of yours I should know about?" Sharon asked Brenda.

"Of course not, for heaven's sake! Sharon, I like Flynn just as much as you do. At least I think it is the same level of liking." Brenda was looking at Sharon crookedly.

"Of course it is!" Sharon knew exactly what Brenda was suggesting. "Liking that is. Nothing more." She added.

"Good! Otherwise I would have to take Flynn out as competition." Brenda said coolly. She was joking, but she was also very jealous of Sharon and would do her damnedest to keep her.

Sharon looked shocked for a moment, but knew Brenda was saying it in jest, or she hoped she had. In any case, she felt, good, hearing it on some level, as barbaric as it might have sounded.

"Glad that situation solved itself!" Sharon rose up and offered her hand to Brenda, "Now, time to go! We have some catching up to do."

Brenda didn't have to be reminded a second time. She was quick on her feet, taking the offered hand and letting Sharon lead her out of the office and towards their leisure time together, alone.

Chapter Six: Leisure time

They were barely in through the doorway of the condo, when Brenda pushed Sharon against the side table in the narrow corridor. She latched her mouth over Sharon's, her kiss rough and demanding. It had after all, been several weeks since they had been in touch, literally, flesh on flesh that is and now the time they were not hot and naked, was clearly, a wasting. Pawing at each other, the clothing needed to come off, immediately, before either of them would, the heat emanating from both of them, as if they were on fire. Someone could have easily burnt their 'smores if getting too close to the action which was now happening in the hallway.

The car ride home had been a pure testament of will power for both of them, as the dynamic duo had started a kissing contest in the lift on their way down to the garage. What had started as a light feathery kiss, a peck really on the other's lips had turned into a duel of tongues in their respective mouths. Hands had followed suit, roaming the now familiar territories, trying to access soft skin in the process. Alas, all too soon the ride had come to a halt, but the ladies were too involved with each other to notice it at first. It wasn't until they heard a distinct "Ahem" exclaimed close by, that they unlatched and realised they were still in a very public place and other people were using the lifts as well. Sharon and Brenda had quickly untangled themselves and feeling a little embarrassed of being caught necking in the lift, like a bunch of horny teenagers, which they totally were, or close to. They then made their excuses to the two officers and quickly made their way towards Sharon's car. Neither of the women actually had looked at whom the two officers had been, as they were too involved in each other for the moment.

When the two police officers made their way to the lift and the doors closed behind them, both women officers looked at each other surprised and then, burst into laughter. "Thumbs up!" Officer Barker told her partner. "Yes, kudos to both of them!" Officer Lacey smirked and continued. "Too bad they were in a hurry, I wouldn't have minded staying in for the whole show!" "Hear, hear!" Barker added rather enthusiastically. "It's so rare to see all out gay people actually showing off their affection for one another in public!" The two officers continued their speculative discussion on the matter of Captain Raydor and former Chief Johnson on their ride up. The conversation soon turned a more general discussion of gay people and overall LGBTQ+ representation in the LAPD and it turned out both women were into women too, the one gay, the other bisexual, which elevated their partnership into a more interesting one after their little chat. Who knew where this revelation would take the two ladies after all.

Sharon and Brenda finally reached the car and stepped inside. Brenda had already hauled her suitcases into the trunk earlier, since she was planning on staying in Sharon's condo during her stay. Now that Rusty was off to college, it was easier for Brenda to spend the nights with Sharon, rather than book a hotel room and have Sharon visit her there. The fact was, that despite all this time, coming out to Rusty had never seemed to be a topic of discussion. Or even thought of as needed, or maybe it was. Still, they had been pretty open about their relations with him even if no certain label had been put to it earlier on. But it was becoming quite clear for the both of them, that this pretty serious. And, coming clear to their friends and family as they had, albeit by accident to the work team, was on the table.

Brenda kept eyeing on Sharon during the ride home, her gaze wondering over Sharon's legs, her knees, her profile, her hair, pretty much all of that which was Sharon Raydor. Brenda did not seem to get enough of this gorgeous being beside her and it was fine with her as she was finally there, in the flesh, so to speak with her desire. Sharon was fully aware of the glare emanating from her parter. She tried to keep her eyes on the road, driving just a wee over the speed limit, not enough to be sited if caught, but not exactly following the given limits either. Sharon was sure she could hear Brenda panting and imagined she was drooling too, which made a smirk appear on her face as she thinking of her horny drooling , girlfriend as this relationship had truly escalated onto that specific level.

Luckily there was only one set of red lights during the whole journey home. At this point,Brenda's self control broke down in the middle of the ride and she placed her hand on Sharon's exposed thigh. Moving it slightly over the skin and towards the shortest of short hems which was that of Sharon's skirt, Brenda knew she was playing with fire. But, she kept her hand there, teasing the other woman just enough to make her gulp and squirm, ever so slightly as she was still trying to keep a fix on the road. Trying being the operative word there.

"You better remove your hand or I will loose control of this vehicle!" Sharon warned her partner as she put the pedal to the metal once more when the lights turned green making the vehicle jump in the process.

Brenda reluctantly did as she was told, moved her gaze towards the road too and wiped the drool on her left corner of her mouth away. She smirked at herself and started making plans what she would do to Sharon when they reached the condo. After all, it had been far too long for them, seeing each other naked in person, and tonight, she was going to make up for it all. At least, that was her very plan as she kept glancing at Sharon, seeing how heated up she had gotten her already, patting herself mentally on the back of a task well done, but the evening was still young and she had so many things planned for the two of them, in the bedroom that was.

So here they were, finally, alone, no one to interrupt them, or to make any demands or to peep into their intimate moments, just the two of them, alone. Brenda lifted Sharon up onto the table, hoping it would hold her weight. It seemed to be the sturdy kind, but it could easily break down as well. Hoping for the former, Brenda had her lips firmly on Sharon's, while her hands were working overtime trying to make their way under the tighter than tight skirt Sharon was wearing, managing to hitch the garment upwards enough to reveal the shapely thighs. Brenda ran her finger nails on the soft skin while her lips were still concentrating on Sharon's, their tongues doing the wild and passionate tango inside of Sharon's mouth. Breaking only for air, Brenda's lips now free, she placed kisses along the jawline, moving towards Sharon's neck. Brenda shifted her hands, unbuttoning Sharon's shirt, her fingers moving nimbly for the task. Brenda, who was clearly on a mission now, and for the third time on this very day, was finally going to get her way. She kissed, sucked and licked every inch of the exposed skin which was revealed further to her. Finally the last button was opened and with a swift move the shirt was discarded and left falling to the floor.

The bra was the next one to fall, unhooking it with the speed of light and expertise, Brenda freed the round orbs from their confinement. She licked her lips then with both hands grabbed them, kneading, pinching the puckered nipples, admiring the view in front of her and her alone, until she could not resist anymore and latched her mouth onto one of the erect nipples. Brenda could hear clearly, that Sharon was actually purring like a big cat of sorts, while she was suckling on Sharon's hardened buds, each on their turn. Brenda moved her hands back to Sharon's thighs, pushing the skirt all the way up this time, spreading her lovers legs wide open and manoeuvring herself between them. Brenda was multitasking, something she was very good at, both professionally and personally, but especially during sex, her mouth concentrating on Sharon's breast while her hands were busy getting rid of the final obstacle and her soft, awaiting wet price. Brenda managed to remove Sharon's panties and probed the revealed flesh with her fingers.

Indeed she had been right, Sharon was dripping wet. Brenda toyed with the slick wet folds with her fingers, eliciting even a deeper purr or maybe it was a growl now, from Sharon. The scent of Sharon's arousal playing havoc on Brenda's senses, she reluctantly detached her mouth from Sharon's breast and moved herself ever downward, placing kisses along the way, on her lovers torso, her abdomen, as she slowly made her way further down. Reaching the apex of Sharon's sex, she inhaled the intoxicating scent before burying her face between Sharon's legs completely as she could not wait any longer, having had the taste of her lover in her mind all day long. Brenda's tongue darted out at its own accord, running circles on the hard bundle of nerves she loved to taste and tease. Her fingers still at play, dragging back and forth through the nether lips, teasing and probing close to the opening, never going all the way. Sharon spun her hands into Brenda's blond tresses, pulling the hair so tight, Brenda felt a tight pinch her scalp. But she was not going to let that bother her now. No, not when she was finally in the position she wanted to be in and had dreamed about for a longest time and nothing was going to disturb her now. No small amount of pain, as a matter of fact, it was quite arousing rather than painful.

Brenda continued sucking on Sharon's clit, her fingers slowly moving towards Sharon's ready and waiting opening. She pushed inside of Sharon with two fingers at first, letting her adjust before continuing forward, inward to the the tight space she had dreamed of being inside of. Sharon whimpered, pushing against Brenda's fingers, demanding more. Brenda added a third digit and pushed her fingers deeper inside of her lover, feeling the tightness against her fingers, loving the squeeze the muscles made around them. Sharon let out a loud and low moan, and then continued purring like the feline she was, especially in the bedroom, when Brenda started a rhythmic pumping with her fingers. In and out she moved, hastening her speed as she heard Sharon's breathing becoming more erratic knowing her lover could not keep much longer.

She felt Sharon's soft inner walls around her fingers as she moved inside her lover. She felt her own juices flowing and wetting her panties, and Brenda was pretty sure she was going to come herself while pleasuring Sharon. But she did not want to disturb her from what she was doing and that one goal to give her partner the pleasure of an orgasm at the very moment. Sharon's breath was more and more rapid now and she was starting to buckle, almost levitating up from the table top. Brenda pushed her fingers deep inside Sharon, tickling the rough spot she found there, the very one which she knew would be sending her lover over the edge. Brenda could feel how close Sharon was now and she made a final and decisive push as Sharon's breath hitched, her body going completely rigid for a moment. Time stopped for fraction of a moment or it seemed that way for the two of them, and then a loud roar broke the silence. Sharon's orgasm was loud and her pleasure complete. Brenda did not let go of either spot just yet and felt her own milder orgasm flushing through her own body, not a surprise but still, she was happy to join in with her lover just the same.

When both of them finally stopped shaking, Brenda detached herself from Sharon's sex, reluctantly, but there was time for more later on, as she then kissed her way up to Sharon's mouth. Sharing the taste of Sharon's bliss, they kissed softly and passionately in the afterglow of the long awaited release. After a few moments of silence and kissing, they finally broke off from the kissing and embrace, holding each other still though.

"God, that was... special." Sharon managed looking deeply into Brenda's eyes.

"You inspire me." Brenda told her honestly. "You are so damned beautiful and sexy, I could spend all my waking hours doing just this." Brenda started kissing Sharon's nakedness again.

"Maybe we should take this into the bedroom?" Sharon was feeling her ass getting stiff from the hard surface she had been sitting on for quite a while. "After all, I am not twenty any more." She snorted.

"Agreed. And you might not be twenty nor I myself, but you are so damned fine like some special wine." Brenda felt the poet inside of her awakening too. She then helped Sharon down from the side table whispering to her ear as she caught her in her arms."I want to feel you fully naked against my own naked skin. Now!" It was truly, an order.

Lying in bed, naked, skin touching skin, limb to limb, Brenda was on her back, Sharon on top of her. They were kissing languidly, progressing slowly, getting to know each other's bodies again after the few weeks of break since Brenda had last been in town. Sharon decided to pick up the pace, rising herself from Brenda's body. She started mapping Brenda's body with her mouth, placing kisses and licks all over the nakedness which was now fully exposed to her. Dragging her nipples along the body beneath her, moving further and further down her lover's exquisite body. Dipping her tongue into the navel while passing the spot, licking and sucking on Brenda's belly before reaching the source of the sweet, sweet scent. Sharon was just about to settle between Brenda's legs, when she felt the slight nudge on her head.

"Sweetheart, why don't you turn around." Brenda asked looking at her with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Turn around?" Sharon wasn't sure what Brenda meant.

"Yes, turn around and lay on top of me. I want to taste you as well." Brenda replied.

"Oh." Sharon understood the gist of the request, but, she just wasn't totally sure of the logistics part of it.

"Here, turn around and lay on top of me." Brenda guided her into position.

Sharon obeying eagerly. She always did if Brenda suggested new things for them to expire found the suggestion equally intriguing and wanted to accommodate her lover, while trying on the new positions. During their time together, there were several tips and tricks she had learned from Brenda and most things they had tried out had turned out to be successful endeavours after a little trial and error in the progress. Even the video conferencing sex had turned out to be really, really rewarding.

Sharon had moved into position, making sure they were both comfortable, before she continued what she had started. Inhaling her lover's scent once more she paced herself, completely emerging herself in licking and sucking the endless bundle of joy. She was enjoying herself, taking her time before moving further, adding her fingers into the mix. She was sucking hard getting a loud moan from Brenda, smirking against her object of desire, when she heard another moan, this time from her own mouth it seemed.

Brenda was not able to hold back any longer, and pushed her tongue inside Sharon, as deep as she could. Moving it around the tight opening, causing Sharon to react. Sharon closed her eyes and dwelled in the moment for a while, quickly adapting she continued on her own exploration to Brenda's sex, moving her fingers inside Brenda, the awaiting opening. Both women moved in unison now. Sharon's fingers were pumping in and out of Brenda, while sucking hard on her clit. Brenda using her tongue inside of Sharon in much the same way as her partner's fingers were inside of Brenda, while her fingers played on Sharon's clit.

Both women quickly found the right pace to accommodate each other and soon enough feeling the pending release on its way. Fingers, mouths, tongues moving in unified ever quickening pace, Sharon felt her orgasm close. She was holding back until she felt Brenda reaching hers. Brenda felt her body going rigid, but held her position with Sharon, wanting to come with her, together. As if hearing her lover's thoughts, Sharon let go. The tandem orgasm was ripping through both women's bodies. Neither loosing contact with the other, holding onto each other, while the last waves subsided and their bliss, was complete.

Sharon changed her position, moving herself beside Brenda, this time laying in the same direction. They were still panting, but slowly catching on to their regular breathing. Sharon let out a small laugh just then.

"My god, Brenda. If I had known how satisfactory that was, I would have tried it sooner with you!"

"Well, live and learn, huh!" Brenda also laughed out loud this time.

Brenda and Sharon were both nothing if not adventurous, even curious, when it came to matters of sexual encounters, at least now after they had started seeing each other. It did not matter if said adventures took place in the privacy of their own bedroom, the kitchen, bathroom, the car, or even the office, pretty much any place really. Prying eyes was still a sore spot for Sharon, as the break room and lift incidents had proven, but Brenda had a few naughty plans up her sleeve she wanted to try, a little later. After all, she was breaking in her lover pretty well, she thought to herself and there were so many things she wanted to try with Sharon.

Chapter Eight: Planning ahead

"I have some news." Brenda started sounding a tad ominous.

"And you decided to tell me the news now?" Sharon did not like to be surprised, especially after feeling so damned great after the sex they had just had.

"Well, I sure wasn't going to tell you this before sex either!" Brenda snorted.

"That bad huh?" Sharon was getting a bad feeling about it.

"It depends," Brenda was deliberately being coy.

"On what exactly?" Sharon was getting worried now, even if her lover did not look that at all.

"Well, I have applied for a transfer back to LA." Brenda blurted out, looking for her lover's reaction to this specific news.

"You mean, you would move back? To here? To LA?" Sharon asked surprised.

"Yeah, that is the general idea. You seem surprised." Brenda answered not expecting Sharon to question her choice, rather embrace it at this point in time. "I thought you would like it, you know, be happy about it." She pouted a little.

"I am happy, very happy." Sharon tried to ensure Brenda, "But why now?"

"Well, it's about time, I, well, settle down..." Brenda answered with a smirk on the corner of her lips, after hearing Sharon was happy after all.

"Is that it?" Sharon was still suspicious, "Are you sure you want to do that? I mean, you have a really great job now so," Sharon left the comment hanging.

Sharon knew work was always the first love for Brenda and was used to the long distance relationship, despite the fact she missed every minute her lover was away. But she was not making any demands either. She knew how important it was to respect the other persons boundaries and interests and priorities, knowing Brenda did the same for her as well.

"Yes well, I love the job, but, no, that is not really just that, but I miss being with you, I miss us all the time I am not here with you. And the feeling is getting worse." Brenda answered honestly. "And I think my priorities have changed somewhat."

This was a revelation to Sharon as she too, had felt he shift in her own priorities, letting go of some of the tasks and letting her team handle most of the job she did not need to do. Which in itself was also a revelation of sorts as she realised her team could function well on their own too, as they did not always need their fearless leader to guide them.

"I miss you too, honey." Sharon looked at Brenda and kissed her deeply. When they broke off Sharon continued. "And I hear you, I may have had similar feelings or thoughts myself about the job and life and all that."

Brenda nodded and initiated another kiss. After they broke up again, Sharon looked at Brenda, clearly about to drop another bomb herself.

"But you are the one who is going to explain 'u's to Rusty." She stated then flatly.

"That will be an interesting conversation, I am sure!" Brenda laughed and continued, not scared at all of the pending talk. "But I think we are already too late with that particular subject."

"Oh?" Sharon asked surprised.

"I think he already knows. I have spent plenty of time here with you two, even stayed the night on several occasions. Not to mention you spending plenty of nights in the hotel with me! I mean it's not like we are two adult best friends having a slumber party or something similar. He clearly knows there is more going on than just hugging and holding hands."

"Yes, you are right. Well, at least we can tell him the news officially then if nothing else!" Sharon laughed at the very thought of them being so, well, platonic she guessed was the word, no, that was a horrid thought now.

Taking her lover by the hand, Brenda softly kissed it, slowly moving upwards placing soft kisses along Sharon's arm, continuing until she reached her neck and jaw and, then she paused.

"What's wrong honey?" Sharon was already in the zone and wondered what had made her stop.

"You know what is missing?" Brenda wasn't really asking, rather telling.

"What?" Sharon was confused and non too happy of the interrupted moment.

"For once, I would like you to say it." Brenda went on.

"Say what?" Sharon was at loss. She had been happily waiting to continue their sex games but Brenda seemed to have other ideas for some reason.

"I love you." Brenda told her then, looking her deeply into the eyes.

Sharon looked at loss, not a clue of what was going on, until the lamp on top of her head finally lit up.

"I love you too." She then responded in kind and kissed her lover.

The L-word had finally been spoken by Sharon, and that, was a huge step once again for her and this whole relationship.

"So, what did you get?" Sharon asked while lying lazily on the bed after another bout of satisfying hot nakedness with her girlfriend.

"Get? What do you mean?" Brenda asked, being rather evasive, but she was well aware that Sharon had already seen the shopping bags when they had hauled them up from the car.

Sharon snuck closer to Brenda, close enough to tease her loved but not quite touching her, she glared at her, almost in the exact same annoying way she did when she wanted things done her way and it usually worked too, knowing full well that Brenda was hiding something from her.

"I know you made some purchases earlier as I was the one who ended up hauling all the bags up to the condo." Sharon sounded a tad annoyed, even if there really had not been that much hauling as the bags were pretty light and they were carried up on the lift, so there really was nothing to complain about in that sense.

"Oh, those bags." Brenda feigned innocence, even if she knew there was nothing innocent in at least one of the bags.

"Yes, those bags." Sharon repeated coyly. "So what did you get? Some new outfits? Are you going to pose for me in them?" Sharon seemed really eager now to see what Brenda had bought, assuming it was clothing, loving the stuff herself way too much and clearly, playing dress up and having her lover parading for her was a thing too.

"Um." Brenda had some dressed and shoes there too, a pair of killer stilettos she had picked up knowing Sharon would love her in them and together with the skimpy dress would make an excellent choice for an evening of outing with her lover, something Brenda had planned for them in the near future. But, there was more there too, a few things she had wanted to try out with Sharon for a while now and she had finally gotten the courage of getting a thing or few to do what she had fantasised about. "Yeah, I got a dress and some shoes, but…" She bit her lip, not sure if tonight was the time to reveal what she had on her mind.

"But what?" Sharon looked at her expecting to find out what Brenda had gotten, her eyes wide waiting for an answer, clearly very curious to know.

"Well, I got something, well, I guess you could say a bit more private too." Brenda was being deliberately vague about this, not sure if she really wanted to reveal what she had after all.

"Brenda, what is it?" Sharon was not sure what was going on with her lover now, turning so, well, fidgety all of a sudden. "If you won't tell me, I will go and check myself." She wasn't really going to get up, not now at least, but threatening was usually working with Brenda in these types of situations, at least on occasion

Brenda's eyes shot wide and she knew Sharon would make true on her threat, so deciding to yield to the situation, she raised her hands up in mock surrender. "Fine, fine." Getting up she added. "I will show you what I got, if," She turned to Sharon her eyes squinted in a kind of a threatening way. "If you dare to laugh or well, say no before considering even, then, well…" Brenda did not complete that sentence rather was on her way to the closet to pick up the one bag holding the items she was going to show her lover now.

As she returned, Sharon was already sitting up on the bed, looking curiously of what secrets her lover was bring forth.

"Ok, no laughing or anything." Brenda reminded Sharon, who nodded in agreement.

Brenda pulled out one item after another, placing each of them carefully on the bed without even once looking at Sharon. A leather harness, a bottle of lubricant and a purple simply shaped dildo. As she had laid them on the bed spread, she looked up then seeing nothing but curious wonder in her lovers eyes.

"So?" Brenda asked carefully, not sure if Sharon was into toys, but so far, she had been open minded to all things Brenda had suggested.

"I, " Sharon wasn't sure what to say, as she was surprised, in a good way though.

"Before you say no, hear me out." Brenda was quick to defend her purchases.

"No, honey, no, I wasn't going to object." Sharon immediately defused the rising situation before it even started. "It's just, that I well, I have not thought of these kinds of objects at all." She really had not, but clearly Brenda had.

"Well, since you are not objecting." Brenda climbed back to the bed with her, keeping her distance though, for now. "I have had this fantasy, of us using these, together." Of course together, she berated herself internally. "And I would like to at least try this with you." She looked at Sharon under her lashes, not ready for rejection and feeling a tad, well, like a teenager again, which was kind of odd, at least for her.

Sharon gave a good look at the assortment there and then, she gently took Brenda's hand in hers and looked her lover straight in the eyes before saying: "Brenda, you know I would do anything with you, try new things, well, almost anything." She paused thinking of the next words carefully. "And even if I had not thought about these here toys." She motioned to them laying there, in front of her, clearly waiting to be tested at least once or twice. "I would not mind trying them out, with you." She finally concluded.

Brenda glared at her for a while before a smile emerged on her face, only too happy Sharon had approved of her purchase and that she was willing to try, at least once, or maybe a few more times. Knowing they would have so much fun in the process, she then nodded and said.

"So, how about now then?"

Sharon was smiling too and picked up the harness from the bed first only to be stopped by Brenda.

"No, I will go first, this time around." Brenda told Sharon with certainty.

She smiled coyly and could see the surprise in Sharon's eyes, but she was rewarded with a nod and then getting a hold of the harness, she started preparing for their trial round with a most satisfied look on her face, even if this was just the beginning of their play and nothing had happened yet, at least where the toys were concerned. But Brenda was sure, they would be successful, as they always worked so well together, be that at work or inside the privacy of their bedroom, there remained a mutual understanding between them, a bond of sorts and that was why the two of them belonged together without a doubt.

Chapter Nine: What next?

Brenda turned to Sharon and was clearly waiting for something more from her lover, who were still pretty much in a daze so she knew she had to ask.

"So, what next?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, isn't it about time we put our stuff together and live at the same address?"

"Is that your way of asking if we should move in tougher?" Sharon asked coyly.

"That's what I just said, didn't I?" Brenda wasn't sure if Sharon was kidding or not.

"And so you did." Sharon let it go as she was way too exhausted for playing games, kissing her lover softly she added. "But we need a bigger place then, when the kids come to visit and well, maybe for our future kids?"

"Future kids?" Brenda sounded shocked and surprised to hear this statement at all.

"Yes." Sharon simply replied, knowing what was on Brenda's mind at the moment in addition to the initial shock.

"Aren't we too old to have kids, I mean, no offence, and I know all about the things going on out there in the world, where some women are having offspring at seventy after having god knows what done to their inner sides." She wasn't going to the specifics, but she had kept an eye on the medical advances just the same, out of curiosity, and keeping up with the times she had told herself, even if it might have been more deeper rooted than that.

"Well, I know there are some treatments out there, which could aid in becoming pregnant at an older age." Sharon started gently. "But I don't think I want to go through that again, unless you are willing to do so." She was waiting for Brenda's reaction on the comment but there was none as the woman was still in a slight shock. "I was actually thinking of adopting a child as there are so many out there without proper families. Like Rusty was."

This was something Brenda had not even considered, not really, and it could actually work. She knew Sharon as a great mother and she could learn to be one too, right?

"That, that sounds much better." Brenda finally managed. "Yes, I could go for adoption." She then stated more assured of it.

"Well, we don't have to decide now, but it would be fun to have a toddler or few running around the house again." She said dreamingly.

That shocked Brenda again, not the one but the few. "A few?" She glared at Sharon who was smiling now, most likely pulling her leg on the few part, right?

"Like I said, it is not a decision for today, honey." Sharon yawned, exhausted from the day but more so from what her lover had put her through, even if she loved it, really loved it, she was not twenty any more.

"So, then guess we have to marry too." Brenda stated matter of factually, like it was some chore to get out of the way. Not that she felt it was, no she was all in, if Sharon was.

"Is that your way of a proposal?" Sharon had to ask curiously, as this conversation was getting way out there, too soon for them in her opinion and too late at night at that.

Brenda perked up immediately, all the things spoken just then still spinning inside her mind, rattling the ole brain, as it was kind of happening so fast and all at once. Or was it? They had been together for a while now, so this was the natural progress of things right? She, both of them, had been there before, but this was different somehow. It was all new and great and lovely and all that, even giddy and the sex was so great, so there was that too. So, without any further thought, pushing all her fears aside for once and begin honest in what she really wanted and she wanted Sharon, that was sure. Brenda then took Sharon by her hand and looked her lover sincerely and directly in her eyes. Holding the hand she cleared her throat and said in a low but serious voice.

"Sharon Raydor, will you do the honour in marrying me? Moving in together and having kids too, in what ever way we decide to have them?" She blurted it all out in one go, so not to leave anything out.

Sharon looked at her lover eyes wide, as this was not what she had expected, not yet anyway, if all.

"I." She was totally the shocked one now. "Yes. I will. Absolutely."

Brenda, relieved to hear the yes she was all smiles now as was Sharon. She leaned in to seal the deal with a kiss, as it had become the custom for them to do. What ever was coming up for them next would have to wait, at least until tomorrow.

THE END (for now at least)