Written by: TVM (mrtvm@mrtvm.com)

Archive: www.asstr.org/~TheVertManArchive/Stories/RB/Index.html

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"I'll help her inside you park the car OK?" I asked Val as we pulled up to the curb in front of Sasha's place. Fortunately, Sasha wasn't injured from the melee in the hallway, with exception of the small cut above her ear that bled like a stuffed pig and a major case of dizzy spells. Val offered no reply as I helped Sasha out of the car and up the front steps to her apartment. We reached the porch as Val drove off and into the parking lot on the other side of the building as Sasha fumbled with her keys. Finally getting inside, she stopped just past the kitchen as I trailed her. "What's wrong?"

"Oh god, I'm gonna...oh god" Sasha said as she put one hand against the wall, prompting me to grab her in a bear hug from behind to keep her from falling.

"What's wrong? Dizzy spell?" I asked as she tried to reply but covered her mouth for a moment and spewed a mouth full of puke onto the floor and slumped forward as I struggled to hold her up. "EWWWWWWWWWW!"

"OH god, the room is spinning so hard right now" She said as she leaned back against me. "Will you please just help me to the bathroom, I need to..."

"It's OK, I won't let go" I said as we walked slowly step by step to the bathroom. With a towel as cover she managed to get her shorts down and slip onto the toilet. Me now sitting on the side of the tub. "Head still spinning?"

"No, I think I'm OK now, thanks" She said as I half-smiled. Wondering where exactly Val was. "You can go I'll be fine."

"You just puked all over the hallway" I said, "I think instead of running me off, you'd be begging me to stay."

"Yeh I need to clean that up" She said softly.

"No, hey I'll take care of it, you need to lay down" I said. "And take those pills the doctor gave you."

"UMMMMMMM....if Val says it's OK, can you stay with me for a few minutes?"

"No problem" I said and rising to get her a glass of water. Sipping it a moment later and swallowed the medicine. "Wanna try and get up and lay down?"

"Huh?" She asked as I laughed.

"You wanna try standing up and we can try and make it to the bedroom?"

"Yeh, I got it that time" She giggled as she stood and let me balance her as she pulled up her shorts and we made our way into the bedroom. Val coming in just as Sasha sat down on the bed.

"What happened in the hallway?" Val asked from the doorway to the bedroom.

"Me, room spinning so hard it just got to me" Sasha said.

"I'm sorry Sash, I really am" Val said with a hurt look in her eyes, "I just got scared."

"I had it coming" Sasha said and touching my hand. "Thank you for being so nice to me."

"Anything I can do?" Val asked.

"Val, it's OK, I'm fine" Sasha said, "Those meds should took away the dizziness, please stop feeling bad?"

"Yeh sure" Val said with a forced smile. "UMMMMMMMM...OK, I'll clean that mess up."

"God she hates me" Sasha said a moment after Val left. "I screwed this up so bad I couldn't fix it with a detailed road map to peace."

"I guess" I said. "I don't know what to say."

"Let me have one more chance with her" Sasha said in a pleading voice that broke my heart. "Please?"

"No way" I said as I jerked my hand away from hers. "You are nuts, you beat her and now you want me to dump her so you can do it again?"

"I knew it" Sasha said softly. "You're already in love with her."

"Noooo" I said, "I think I'm falling in love with her though."

"I'm in love with her" Sasha said. "And I went to therapy for the first time yesterday."

"So?"

"So, I'm gonna try and stop the shit I've been doing" She said. "I could be good to her now. She deserves it."

"I'll fight you for her" I said and to my confusion Sasha started to laugh. "What's so funny?"

"You gonna beat up a dizzy girl?" She asked as she laughed and I blushed.

"Huh?" Val asked as she came back into the room and saw Sasha laughing. "Who you gonna beat up Kim?"

"No one" I said as I got up and purposely walked around the bed and out the door and took Val's hand and led her into the living room and away from the bedroom door. I wasn't sure what to do or say but I wanted to tell her something or do something in that moment to let her know how I was feeling. So I kissed her on the lips and to my delight she smiled when our eyes met again. I swear in that moment I was starting to fall in love with her. "You feel that?"

"Yeh, my dream is coming true" She said softly as she kissed me this time.

"Dream?"

"You, your falling in love with me, I can tell" She said as I smiled and hugged her. Having no idea how she could have possibly known that. "Right?"

"Yesss" I said as I put a hand on each of her cheeks and we both smiled. "Sasha wants you back, she asked me to stop seeing you."

"No, please, no" Val said as she clutched onto my shirt and seemed to be scared out of her mind. "She did this before."

"What? I don't get it"

"I was falling for this girl and she purposely ruined it" Val said, and kissing me softly on the lips. "Please don't let her do this..."

"Not this time" I said with a smile. "She had her chance with you, now I want mine."

"For as long as you let me hang around" She said as she hugged me. For the next few moments we just stood there in that living room and held on to each other for dear life it seemed.

"Val, Valerie McCree?" A Voice asked as we both looked back and saw a striking blondish brown haired girl with a noticeable 'baby bump'. "What do you think you're doing here? And ohmigod who is this?"

"This..." Val said as she proudly took my hand and laced our fingers together, "My best friend, Kim Castleberry."

"Nice to meet you" The Girl said. "I'm Cara."

"Same to you" I said.

"Again what are you doing here?"

"I hit Sasha when I thought she was trying to hurt Kim" Val said. "She's dizzy and..."

"She's OK, just dizzy" I said.

"Finally you stand up to her" Cara said. "And if you think about getting back with her, this time you gonna have to go through me."

"Yeh remember that" I said as Val smiled at me and squeezed her fingers around mine. Me looking back to Cara and asking simply, "Baby?"

"I'm really starting to show huh?" She asked as she looked down at her stomach.

"Not to much" I said with a smile. "You seem happy."

"I am, I wasn't at first but once I got to thinking about the alternative..."

"Abortion?"

"Yep" She said. "No way, I had to have it. And now with my scum bag ex out of the picture, I'm so happy to be pregnant."

"Boy or girl?" I asked.

"No idea, I'm waiting on that" She said with a smile. "I wanna be surprised."

"Maybe you'll be really surprised and it'll be one of each" Val said with a wicked grin as Cara grinned and blushed.

"No" She said and freezing, her eyes going wide with shock, me fearing for a moment that something was wrong. She motioned with her hands to come closer. "Feel this..."

"What?" I asked as she took my hand along with Val's and placed it on her stomach and we both felt a light punching feeling coming from inside Cara's belly, the baby was kicking. "He's kicking?"

"Yeh, ohmigod, that's the first time" Cara said with a huge smile. "Well it's the first time I've felt it this strong."

"So cool" Val said as we both smiled.

"I know" I said. "How many months?"

"6, almost" She said as Val hugged her.

"I know Sasha and me got problems but I love you, and I won't have you living on the street if things blow up here" Val said. "So I'm begging you to call me if they do."

"Me and Sasha are doing OK, she's finally starting to change" Cara said. "Therapy."

"Sasha? Sasha Keller?" Val asked. "In therapy?"

"Yes Val, therapy" Cara said.

"Are you sure?" Val asked as Cara laughed.

"People can change" Cara said. "And I know you gave up on her, don't blame you, but I'm not willing to yet."

"Do you like her?" I asked. Cara covered her mouth and tried to hide a smile. "You do?"

"Cara, are you crazy, you know the way she is" Val said. "You got a baby on the way, she could seriously hurt you or..."

"I know" Cara said. "We talked about that. That's how I got her to go to therapy."

"I don't like this" Val said. "You've been straight since the day I've known you, what's up?"

"This..." Cara said as she pointed at her belly. "I'm so tired of guys using me for sex and with Sasha it's not that way. I'm not saying I love her, but I'm saying I'm open to new things. If she does good by me, I promised her a chance."

"It's not a chance, you got feelings for her" I said as Cara smiled.

"Look, anyway, I'll take care of Sasha, you guys don't worry about her" Cara said and obviously trying to change the subject. "She's a hand full, but she'll be fine."

"STOP TALKING ABOUT ME WHEN I CAN'T HEAR YOU" Sasha screamed from the bedroom. All three of us breaking up laughing.

**  **  ** Later @ Sasha's Apartment **  **  ** "SASHA SPEAKING"

"OK, just breath, no time for a panic attack" I told myself as I lay there thinking for the longest time as Cara walked Val and Kim outside. This was really the end with Val and now I had to face that fact no matter what. She was gone, I'd screwed my chance to be with her for good now. Neither Val or Kim know this, but I heard almost every word they said before and after Cara came in. Thin walls and sharp ears you see. "They got a rhythm and I got the blues."

Or at least that's how it felt in that moment. So going over my options, the few that I had. I realized that Cara and her baby were now the most important things in my life, it's the only good thing I still got. So I knew I had to make a commitment to her and the baby or risking losing everything in my life that meant anything. Yeh, it scared me to finally admit that my time with Val was over, but truth be told I been hot for Cara for longer than Val and now she's thinking about giving me a chance. Well let's just say that it's well worth taking care of her if she lets me, just to see where that goes.

"They gone?" I asked as Cara came back into the bedroom from down the hall.

"Yeh, so what happened?" She asked as she stood at the end of the bed. "You try and hurt Kim huh?"

"No, I was trying to apologize, honest" I said softly. Knowing Cara didn't believe a word of it. "And Val jumped me and knocked me into the locker."

"Yeh, ok" She said as she sat down on the bed. "Apologizing?"

"Yes, honest" I said. "Not my usual style either."

"True" Cara said softly as she tickled my foot, making me laugh and squirm away. I was just about to kick her, when I realized exactly what I could do with one misplaced kick. She seemed to be almost waiting for me to fuck up I think. Not that I blame her really. So instead I held my hand up and motioned for her to take it, "What?"

"Come lay down with me, please?" I asked. "You look tired and I sooo don't wanna get up right now."

"You really are making an effort" She said as she crawled up beside me and laid down, now on her back. "I like it when you're nice."

"You ok?" I asked as I laid my head beside hers. The dizziness finally having went away now almost completely. "Long day at work?"

"Yeh, but gotta pay the bills somwhow" She said with a deep breath. "Can't depend on no one else."

"How about me?" I asked as she looked at me in confusion.

"Ok, listen please?" I asked and taking a deep breath. "You know in a few weeks I'll be 18 and my dad's penchant will be cut off."

"Worried sick" Cara said.

"Listen, you don't have to be" I said as she looked to me again. "I got a line on a good job and if I get it, I'm gonna take care of you."

"Right" She said softly. "I wish."

"My Uncle?" I asked as she nodded. "Jon Paul Stevens, anyway he's looking for a secretary and assistant and said he'd give me an interview as soon I turned 18."

"Why is he waiting for?"

"I asked him too" I said as Cara smiled. "I'll take care of you and the baby I promise."

"Seriously?" She asked as I put my hand gently on her stomach and was almost surprised when she didn't move it. I felt a gentle punching sensation as Cara giggled and looked to me. "Already trying to beat you up."

"I hope so" I said as I rolled over and giving a second for my head to stop swimming, I kissed Cara on the cheek. "I swear I'll take care of you. You need to focus on the baby not working at that crappy diner."

"It's not a bad place" Cara said gently. "The regulars already put in over 500 bucks to help with the baby."

"OK, OK I was wrong" I said as she smiled. Leaning down and laying my head gently on her stomach and listening as she reached down and ran her fingers through my hair. "He's kicking again. I think he likes me."

"You don't know it's a him" Cara said.

"OK, it" I said as she laughed. "That better?"

"I'm dying to know what it is" She said, "I wish 9 months were already over, I'm ready to hold it."

"Me too, if you let me" I said as I smiled up at her.

"Of course Sash" She said.

"If you let me, I'll help you raise it" I said as her eyes opened in surprise. "I will, I promise. I know it's a huge commitment, but I wanna do something right for once."

"OK" She said softly. So there it was my big commitment and it wasn't one bit scary after all. We lay there for the longest time with my head on her stomach and her hand playing with my hair. Just looking at each other, no words, just my eyes looking into hers. You know I still got the blues but it's not so bad anymore.

**  **  ** Later @ Outside of French's Bar & Grill **  **  ** "KIM SPEAKING"

"The water sure is beautiful when the sun goes down" Val commented as she walked along the waters edge, just a foot or so away from me. "Right?"

"Beautiful" I said as she reached over and took my hand gently and I let her lace our fingers together as she smiled. This being the night of our first date, just after dinner. A nice restuarant too I might add. So after, Val made the suggestion that we go walk on the beach and never having gotten to do that at night before I gladly agreed. She slipped her shoes off and left them in the car, as did I. We hadn't walked too far with our hands joined when an older couple walked by and gave us a slightly dirty look. Something that Val didn't miss as I pulled my hand away and pretended to be interested in a sea shell that washed up on the beach. "Look what I found."

"You might as well get used to it" Val said as she sat down in the sand directly in front of me.

"Get used to what?" I asked, pretending confusion.

"Dirty looks from homophobes" She said as I took a deep breath and dropped to my knees in front of her. "If it bothers you that much..."

"This is new, give me a chance, please?" I asked as she smiled. "I'm still adjusting."

"So adjust already" She said teasingly. "You know you love me."

"Shut up, I do not" I said as she laughed. "You take advantage of me."

"I can't resist" She said as she touched my bottom lip playfully. Stroking her finger across it as I blushed. "And you aren't exactly trying to stop me."

"Maybe I like feeling this way" I said and I think we might have kissed as she looked at me with a smile. The moment being broken by the barking of a dog that was charging down the beach with a guy in hot pursuit. The puppy I should say slowing and stopping as he came up on us. Giving us a confused look and barking as if to say, "What's up?"

"Hi boy" Val said as she gently petted him and he gladly crawled into her lap and started to play as I laughed.

"Hold that runaway puppy" The Man said as he slowed and stopped by us too. Out of breath. "Runaway...Mom will kill me."

"He's fine" Val said. "What's his name?"

"Max" He said. "And I'm John Porter. Thank you for helping."

"I didn't do anything really" Val said as I stood and pulled her to her feet with Max still in her arms. "He wanted to play."

"Well thank you, anyway" He said as he smiled at me and ok I thought he was cute, but this was my date with Val and as I struggled to pull my eyes away from his, I know Val noticed. "My mother's pride and joy, we live right down there."

"Nice house" I said.

"Can I ask your name?" He asked me and I know Val had noticed how his attention suddenly shifted to me.

"Kim" I said with a casual smile. "And this is Val."

"Hi" Val said as she tried to stifle a giggle.

"Well as a thank you would you allow me to buy you a cappuchino at the coffee shop around just around the corner?" He asked and this suddenly went from slightly creepy to out right bizarre. "No pressure."

"Maybe" I heard myself say.

"Talk about a stroke of good luck running into you like this" He commented. "Almost glad Max ran off now."

"Yeh" I said and I swear I was mesmerized by his smile. "Good luck."

"Since you two seem to be hitting it off so well, I'll be in the car" Val said as she handed John the dog and walked off. Oh lord, I did it good this time. Gawking at a guy on my first date with a girl I now knew I was into. I was about to go after her when John touched my hand and smiled as he said, "Let her go, she's just jealous, coffee?"

"Yeh...I mean no, I'm sorry" I said as I chased after Val, who was 20 feet or so down the beach by now. "Where are you going?"

"To the car like I said" She replied, but stopping I thought so I could get in front of her. "You and John is it? Looked to be all ready to get married."

"I'm with you tonight" I said as she looked at me nervously.

"Ladies is there a problem?" John asked as he came up from behind Val. "I hope I didn't cause tension in your friendship."

"We're more than friends" Val said as she glanced back at him for a moment.

"Ohhhhhhhh ok" He said in confusion and looking to me for a denial I think.

"It's true" I said. "We're on our first date."

"OH I had no idea" He said softly. "I just saw a pretty girl with her friend on the beach."

"Look if you wanna go and have coffee go" Val said as she started to walk off again when I got in front of her.

"I don't, I'm here with you" I said as I gently touched her face and she looked up at me. Tears seemingly ready to come out of her eyes any moment. "Don't cry please?"

"You just don't know how much I wanna be with you" Val said as I smiled and briefly looked to see our new friend walking off quietly down the beach. Feeling a gentle kiss to my cheek as I looked back and saw Val smiling nervously. "I'll do anything you want, just please give me a chance."

"You got your chance that night on the porch" I said as she smiled. "And ever since then it's been you I been thinking about. He had a nice smile and the puppy was cute. I'm sorry, I went goofy for a minute."

"For a minute?" Val asked as she gave me a challenging expression and backed away down the beach. "You been goofy since the day I met you."

"Come here, you're gonna get it" I said as I came after her. Her hands meeting mine as we began to struggle against the other in a battle of strength. One that ended with both flinging water at each other. It was such a nice night, after that we simply walked on the beach in silence for the longest time and held hands. Me thinking about what all had happened in just the last few days and about my dating history. Realizing this was the first date I'd ever been on that wasn't considered a disaster. We had a nice dinner and a starlight walk on the beach. What could be better than that? Nothing. We pulled up in front of the house and she turned the car off and walked me onto the porch. "Come in for a while?"

"I better not, Mom said she wanted me home early" Val said as I shrugged. "UMMMMMM...you have a nice time?"

"Very nice" I said as she stepped in front of me and smiled. "You?"

"Time of my life" She said with a sweet smile. "I just wanted to be with you tonight and forget about the whole Sasha garbage."

"I haven't thought about her once tonight" I said as Val smiled. "Or anyone else."

"Not even me?" She asked as I laughed. She gently swept a hair out of my eyes and tucked it behind my ear. "Can I kiss you goodnight?"

"Maybe" I said as I leaned in a bit and gave her permission with my eyes to go for it. She grinned and kissed me softly on the lips. One that made my knees almost go weak as she held it for a split second. Touching my cheek and smiling as we parted. "Taking advantage of me again."

"Every time you let me" She said as I smiled. "Night."

"Goodnight" I said with a small wave as she bounced down the steps and a few moments later was gone. I spun in a circle like a ballerina, floating on cloud nine as I leaned against the door. The smile on my face so wide it had to be permanent. Saying to myself before I began to giggle, "I so like rhythm better than the blues."