Disclaimer:

• See the first part for standard disclaimer.
• You might have noticed the title of this part, `Terrible Lies' is a song by Nine Inch Nails, my favorite band. So, bow down before the one you serve. (laughing out loud) and also the lyric is from `The Perfect Drug' by Nine Inch Nails, you can find it on The Lost Highway soundtrack. (if you are interested to know what it sounds like, and if you already knew what it sounded like, then you probably know what I mean when I say, I love this song!)
• Feed backs are all welcome and can be sent at Marionette747@aol.com or visit my page at www.envy.nu/marionette13/index.html

By X

Part Three: Terrible Lies

Kaeley paced back and fort between the living room and the kitchen, reading. She wasn't in the habit of walking around while reading; she would have gotten herself hurt that way, added to the usual accident that she suffered on regular basis. The apartment was filled with blazing music, a harsh scream, loud bass and heavy drum, just the way she liked it.

Most of her friend couldn't understand how she could like this kind of music, they thought that it was a little too heavy for their taste, but not hers. Kay loved the raw energy that she got by just listening to it, the energy that kept her on her feet and kept her moving.

So, here she was pacing around, feeling too energized to sit down.

Though she had to admit that it was not the best way to work.

I got my head, but my head is unraveling
Can't keep control, can't keep track of where it's traveling
I got my heart, but my heart's no good
Cause you're the only one that understood

Sound of Nine Inch Nails blasting, coming out of the mix CD that she had made. Usually, Kay kept this CD in the car, it was just one of those CD that she couldn't live without. The Perfect Drug, one of her favorite songs.

I come along but I don't know where you taking me
I shouldn't go but you're reaching back and shaking me
Turn off the sun pull the stars from the sky
The more I give to you, the more I die.

The music was loud enough that she couldn't hear the door open and footsteps coming closer, and she wasn't paying attention anyway. She was too busy trying to make sense of the papers and singing along with the song to even care about her surrounding more than just to make sure she wouldn't trip and fall over anything.

"And I want you."

Kaeley turned on her heels, still singing when she came face to face with her roommate. On her face was a startled look. "Hey!" She exclaimed loudly, embarrassed. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

Chris only lifted one brow in respond, an amused smile on her face.

It had been a rather difficult week for Christine, after that one single phone call from her ex-girlfriend, Lizbeth. Kaeley had been doing everything she could think of to cheer up her friend. So far none had put that smile back on her face, until now.

Kay was worried about her friend, but there was not much she could do, really, if Chris didn't want to talk about it then she couldn't make her. She hoped that her friend would work it out, and talk to her when she did. Like she always had when she had problems she needed to work out.

"I didn't sneak up on you," Chris grinned. "You have that thing on loud enough that if the whole building come down on your head you still wouldn't notice."

For the first time in a week, Chris was able to smile without having to force it. Since that call from Liz, she had been feeling… she didn't really know what she felt, it was as if things were going to go back to the way it was, when she and Liz were together, when everything went wrong… when Kaeley seemed so far away.

She was relief that Lizbeth hadn't called back since Kay hung up the phone for her, her friend had been trying to get her to talk about it, but she hadn't felt like talking about it, depression was knocking on the door and threatened to come inside and overwhelmed her. Tonight, however, she determined to just sit around, relax and forget about Lizbeth. She had been mopping around long enough.

Tonight she was going to spend some time with Kaeley and just had fun with whatever they decided to do.

Sometimes she just felt like they were a married couple.

Wouldn't that be nice, Chris mused.

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"But I don't want to see that one," Kay whined. "I want to see When Night is Falling."

Christine laughed out loud at the expression on the smaller girl's face, she was pouting while trying stand in front of the TV, blocking Chris's path, so she wouldn't be able to put in another movie.

"We already saw that one, Kaeley." Chris said patiently, a begrudging sort of smile on her face.

"We've already seen Kate's Addiction, and I don't really like her."

"Which one?" Chris looked at the case, there were two women on the cover both brunette, one with long hair, one with short hair. Personally, she thought that the blonde in the movie was rather cute.

"The short hair," Kay tapped on the box a few times. "Besides, why do they always make lesbian a psycho in these movies?"

Chris laughed at her comment, and Kay tilted her head to one side and gave her a tolerant look. "You're so funny."

"Yup, that's me, Kaeley the comedian." Kay said dryly, still wouldn't move out of the way.

Finally, Chris shrugged, lifted both her hands up in the air in a gesture of surrender. "All right, we're not watching Kate's Addiction."

"Yes!"

"We're not watching When Night is Falling either."

"Aww… come on Chris."

"No no, we're watching something else."

"Fine," Kay stuck out her chin. "What are we watching?"

"Sleepy Hollow." Chris said quickly, knowing that this would be the best way to settle the whole thing. Besides, she loved the movie as much as Kay did.

Earlier Kaeley suggested that they go out for dinner and then catch a movie or two, but then they both were too lazy and felt too comfortable to get themselves dressed up to go out. So they settled on just ordered pizza and watch the movies that they had in the apartment instead. Being the movie buff, both of them together had enough movies to open a good enough size video store.

Just as Chris put the disk into the DVD player, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it." Kay tossed over her shoulder as she ran out to the door. Like a little kid that had what she wanted, Kaeley seemed to be willing to do all the extra work without an argument, and Chris couldn't help but smile at the behavior.

Sometimes her friend was just too damn adorable.

An hour and a pizza later, they were tossing popcorn in their mouth and commented on the scenes and movie that they were watching. Chris was sitting on the couch, leaning back comfortably, while Kaeley sat on the floor which gave her easier access to the bow of freshly popped popcorn and her favorite drink.

"You know some people find the blue tints very annoying."

"Nah," Kay mumbled around the can, "I think it looks cool, it gives the movie a very interesting feel to it, besides, it's Tim Burton's. And it's --"

"—Blue" Christine finished with her and laughed, using her right knee, where her friend's head was resting against, to tap gently at her head, she laughed even more when Kay's blonde head simply followed her knee's movement.

Kay made a face as her head being bounced with her friend's knee. It was not painful in anyway and she was rather happy that her friend was in the mood to even joke around and laughed with her.

"There's new movie coming in soon, Tim Burton's new one."

"Monkey Bone?" Kay queried.

"Yeah, that's the one, you want to go see when it's in?" Chris leaned down, rested both her elbows on her knees, looking at her friend's face, which was now only a few inches away from her own.

"Yeah, and I want to see Hannibal."

"I want to see that one too, so you can count on it. Even though I didn't really like the end of the book."

"I think the end was fine, I don't know why you don't like it." Kaeley mumbled, taking another sip of her Coke.

"I think it's very out of character of Clarice Starling to go with him, I mean, she would never do that—"

"But she was hypnotized, and Lecture never brought her out of it, so basically she wasn't herself." Kaeley contradicted her, but she wasn't really going to say anything more, argument wasn't her thing and she saw no point of trying to win if it was going to just aggravate her.

She watched as Christine gave an exasperated sigh, and she gave her the sweetest smile she could muster. The argument was ended even before it began.

Chris had never been able to resist her friend's smile, especially when she added in the soft look in her eyes, everytime Kay did that to her, she felt her inside melted and there was nothing she could do.

"You don't play fair," Kay heard her mumbled.

"What was that?" She lifted an eyebrow, looking pointedly at Chris.

"Oh nothing."

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"Come on Kay, we can go for pizza and then movie."

"I can't." Kaeley said, pulling up another file to look through. Her eyes were focused on the screen before her while trying to keep up the conversation with her friend.

Today had been one of those uneventful day, the work went smoothly, the new project came in while she was in the creative mode, which made everything a whole hell of a lot easier for her, if not for anyone else. She had spent the first half of the day coming up with a concept that suitable for the project and the client's purpose and the other half to do some sketches and thumbnails, something she didn't do often.

So, now she was pulling on some graphic files to look through and possibly pick out those that she could use. Her friend, however, seemed to have other thing in mind for this afternoon for she had been standing at her desk for the past twenty minutes trying to convince her to go out tonight and hang out.

"Come on, why not?"

Kay finally looked up at her friend, Taylor. "I can't," she told her. "I promised Chris I'll be home tonight and spend time with her."

"Oh God," Taylor exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. "What are you, married?"

Kaeley rolled her eyes, pushing her chair away from the desk and turned to face her friend completely, she made a face, her eyes narrowed slightly at the comment.

Taylor decided to change the proposal. "So, you going to go home and spend time with her, doing what?"

"Watch movie, I guess, play game?"

"Then why don't I come hang out with you guys, I'll buy dinner." Taylor White said quickly, leaving no room for refusal. She leaned her compact frame against the edge of the desktop, arms crossed over her chest, looking down at the seating woman, who was, right now, looking warily at her.

It was probably the only way for Taylor to get to hang out with her, especially right now where the only worry for Kaeley tended to centered on one thing, or rather person, Christine.

Under normal circumstances, Kay was not the hardest person to hang out with, or dragged out anywhere, usually when she made a suggestion for a night out to the movie or just hang out at some dinner she would agree without much hesitation, especially night out at the movie. But lately, Kaeley had been rather occupied with some situation at home, whatever it was, Taylor knew that it involved Christine.

She knew that Kaeley was rather protective of her friend, but somehow the knowledge still didn't make the whole thing sit well with her. She wanted to get to know her better and she could never do that if she just let things work out in their own pace, she wouldn't get anything done that way.

So, here she was, trying her best to get some time with Kaeley, hoping she would be able to get to know her better and maybe she could make the move.

Taylor eyed Kay with appreciative glance, her colleague was dressed in her usual, loose fitting pair of black slack, white button up shirt that she rolled the sleeves up to her elbows, a small fine gold chain around her neck. One hand rested on the keyboard, Nautica's watch fastened loosely around her left wrist, and while she waited for the answer to her proposal, the seconds ticked away.

She listened to the drumming of her friend's fingers against the keyboard, Taylor felt a little nervous, and she didn't know why.

Finally, "fine." Kaeley mumbled, "I'll have to let her know though, just in case."

Taylor face broke out into a grin, watching as her friend reached for the phone and dial in the number.

"I don't even know if she's home yet." Kaeley said under her breath, cradling the phone with her shoulder while dialing in the number. It took a few moments for her to determine that no one was home, so she left the message on the machine. "Hi Chris, give me a call on my cell when you get in, K? I'll see you later."

"She's not in yet?" Taylor leaned over.

"No, she'll call me when she got in." Kaeley closed up the files and save everything that she had been doing, needless to say that there were too many. Then she turned to face Taylor.

"Now, as for dinner."

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Two hours later Kaeley pulled into the parking lot, there ahead of her she could see the dark red Camero parked. Christine was already home. Kay parked her car and got out, quickly grabbed a hold of the DVDs she had rented and her backpack. And just as she about to close the door she remembered her cellular phone that she had tossed to the back seat, so she reached for it.

After everything was accounted for she headed up to her apartment.

Chris had called her back, an hour or so after she left the message on the answering machine. Kay told her that Taylor would be joining them for the night in, Chris didn't seem too please about the fact, but she did not express her displeasure either, only that it was all right.

To Kaeley, her friend sounded a little out of sort, but she decided not to pursue anything.

"I'm home." Kay announced loudly, made her way inside the apartment, then pushing the door close with her elbow.

"I'm in here." A reply floated from the kitchen.

Kaeley put the stuff in the living room and then walked over to the kitchen. "What are you doing?" She asked when she saw Christine stood at the fridge, a hand on her hip.

"Nothing." She tossed over her shoulder, then turned around and pushed the door close behind her. "Where's Taylor?" Chris asked immediately after seeing only her roommate stood there.

"She ran back home to get change and drop her stuff off, and she picks up dinner."

"What are we having?" Chris asked, her tone suspicious, as if she didn't trust Kaeley's friend's choice of cuisine.

"Japanese." Kay wiggled her right brow, smiling.

Then something that etched to Chris's eyes, making her deep blue eyes shaded to gray, caused her smile to slide off her face. "What's wrong?"

"I'll tell you later." Chris shook her head; not wanting to ruin the night before it even began.

"All right," the smaller girl agreed reluctantly, and said that she would take a quick shower before Taylor White came over.

Taylor parked her car in one of the empty slots in the parking lot, in her hand was a brown bag that contained their dinner, she had went back home and changed from her suit into a pair of blue jeans and sweat-shirt, she already called and let them know that she was pulling into the parking lot, so she expected someone to be waiting for her at the front door.

She hoped it was Kaeley.

But to her disappointment, it was Christine.

The tall blonde, stood just inside the door, looking the other way, she was wearing a pair of black sweat pants, a pair of white sneakers and gray T-shirt, her hair combed back slick, she looked like she had just come out of a shower. Taylor took a deep breath and went to the door, knocking to call her attention. Chris only gave her a small, if a bit reluctant smile before opened the door for her.

"Hi," she greeted.

"Hello," Chris smiled and turned to lead her up to the elevator.

When they entered the apartment, Taylor still did not see Kay and she asked as she followed Chris into the kitchen, she put the bag on the table, looking around.

"She's still in the shower."

Taylor started pulling out the containers filled their dinner and Christine took out plates for her to arrange the sushi into. "We need something for the sauce and Wasabi."

"I don't think Kaeley likes Wasabi," Chris said under her breath as she put the content on the plate and grabbed smaller ones and some chopsticks. Then she carried them out into the living room as Taylor followed just behind her with cans of soda.

"Chris." A voice called out from the bathroom.

"Yeah?" Christine looked over her shoulder and replied.

"Could you bring me a towel, please. I forgot it on my bed."

Taylor watched Christine rolled her eyes and got up. "Pretty please." Kay shouted.

Chris went into her friend's bedroom and came out a minute later with a large, navy blue towel in her hand, she headed right to the bathroom. Taylor leaned over so she could be able to see the bathroom door that was just a bit out of her line of sight. She was expecting Kay to open the door and take the towel. Christine knocked and opened the door, and to her surprise and dismay, Chris went inside.

A small smile appeared on Chris's face, even though she was trying to hide it, it wouldn't do to let her friend's colleague see it. She suspected that Taylor must have some kind of a crush on Kaeley, it was not surprising really. Kaeley was beautiful, and she was so much more inside once one gotten to know her well enough. Underneath the cold exterior there was a gentle, loving and very kind spirit.

She was someone that Chris had always hoped to meet.

If she could only let herself feel what she felt for her, and let her know. But she couldn't, it would not be fair to her, to tell her and not allowing her to know the rule of the game. Not letting her know what she was getting herself into. And right now with Lizbeth still hanging around, she could never.

She wouldn't do that to her friend. Shuddered at the thought, Chris knocked on the bathroom door before opened it.

She wasn't sure how long Taylor would stay tonight, it was Friday and it was entirely possible that they would be up all night and Taylor White would be too. Or she might just stay over if they finished late, Kay wouldn't want her to drive if she was half asleep.

Or maybe Taylor would leave after finishing a movie.

She headed right into the bathroom, knowing that Taylor was watching. Chris knew that her roommate wouldn't mind, it was not the first time she did it anyway. Besides, Kay always dressed in the bathroom, and if she called out for a towel, it would mean that she was, at the very least, in her underwear. Even though she was soaking wet.

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"And what are we going to do with her?"

It was 3am and they had finished two movies, food was long gone and been cleaned out, the soda cans littered on the glass top of the coffee table, and Kaeley picked them up, intended to deposit them in the recycle bin in the kitchen when Chris voiced the question.

Kay paused in her wake. "I guess she wouldn't be able to drive home like this anyway, we'll just let her sleep."

Christine tilted her head to one side, indicated that she wasn't sure of the idea. She looked down at the small form curled in a fetal position on their couch again and finally, she agreed, reluctantly. Helping her roommate picked up the rest of the cans they headed into the kitchen together.

"I'll cover her up you can go wash up and get in bed." Chris offered, putting the can in the bin with a rather loud bang of the lid when she let it drop.

"OK."

Kay left the kitchen and headed right into the bathroom while Christine went to the closet, she pulled out a spare blanket that they kept around for the cold day. Both liked to curl up on the couch when it was cold out and there was nothing to do, they would curl up on the couch with blanket and watch TV, and this was for that very purpose.

Chris went over and proceeded to cover Taylor up with blanket while pulling out the empty soda can in her hand. Then she went into the bathroom right after her roommate came out and washed up.

"Hey," Kaeley said, sitting up right in her bed.

Chris closed the door, trying to be as quiet as possible, and she moved to the mattress, when her legs hit the edge she put her knees on it and crawled over to her friend. Without looking she could tell that Kaeley was making room for her by moving over to one side.

"How are you?" The question came out of no where and she was startled. Chris flopped onto her back and slip under the cover, feeling her roommate's body's heat.

"I've been better, Kaeley." She said with a deep sigh. "Lizbeth was here today when I got back."

She could feel her friend's stiffen at the mention of the name. She knew Kaeley was going to be furious with Liz, she only hope that Kaeley wouldn't be angry with her for letting this happen again.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Another question.

"I didn't want to ruin your night. It's my fault that she's still around."

"What did she say?" Kay asked softly, her eyes had adjusted to the low illumination and now she could see her friend's face and there was a look of someone on the verge of crying, leaning over she gathered her closer, stroking her back. "What did she say Chris?"

"Nothing you would want to know," Chris mumbled.

Even though physically, Chris was an inch or so taller than Kay and slightly larger built, in this moment she felt as if she was small, so small that she could easily lost herself in her friend's embrace. She closed her eyes. "I love you."

She tucked herself tighter against her, so that Kaeley wouldn't be able to see her face, even though she wasn't sure that in this darkness her friend would be able to. She couldn't believe her ears when a soft reply came out of the mouth next to her ears. "I love you, too."

If only you knew, Chris thought to herself.

To be continue