Stories by Kiera Dellacroix

by Dellacroix, Kiera

  The blow never connected as the man's wrist was seized in mid-swing and his arm was yanked back violently and twisted around. Piper was amazed to see the man cartwheel in the air, landing painfully on his face in front of Bailey who still had a grip on his wrist. She brutally twisted his arm and a loud crack could be heard over the music that caused the stunned man to scream and flop around on the floor. Piper started to shout a warning as she saw a man reach for Bailey from behind. But the sound died on her lips when she turned and powerfully slapped the man's hand away, and with a move so fast Piper wasn't even sure she saw it, she struck the man in the middle of his chest and he crumpled to the ground without a sound.

  To Piper's relief the music stopped and she could see several bouncers start to make their way toward them. She stepped forward and noted that the crowd had backed up several paces to allow Bailey a wide berth. She went to the crying woman and took her by the arm.

  "Are you alright?" she asked gently.

  "Yeah," the woman said trying to get herself under control.

  "Do you have someone to take you home?"

  "My friend went for the bouncers when he went ballistic," the woman said. "Here she comes."

  Piper looked up as three bouncers pushed their way into the circle that had formed around the two fallen bodies and Bailey. She observed apprehensively as one of the bouncers took a step in Bailey's direction but stopped when she locked eyes with the man and very slightly shook her head to the negative. She went over and carefully took her hand when a woman rushed from behind one of the bouncers to comfort her crying friend.

  "What the hell happened here?" the bouncer staring at Bailey asked.

  "That fucking bitch broke my arm!" the still conscious man screamed from the floor at Bailey's feet, pointing at her with a finger on his good arm.

  Bailey's eyes never wavered from the bouncer as her hand shot out and gripped the outstretched arm by the wrist and placed her foot on the man's neck. He ineffectually tried to break her grip as she slowly applied pressure until he lost consciousness. As soon as he was out, she released her grip on the man's arm, letting it flop bonelessly to the floor as she removed her foot from the man's throat.

  Piper squeezed her hand tightly. It had only taken about twenty seconds and none of the bouncers had moved a muscle during the entire process.

  "That man..." Piper pointed to the body at her feet. "…was striking that woman..." she gestured at the woman being consoled by her friend. "…and she stopped it." she said with a nod in Bailey's direction. "Oh, and that man..." she pointed at the other body that hadn't moved. "…tried to grab her when she intervened."

  "That's right," the woman who had been struck said. "She didn't do anything but help me," she said with a gesture at Bailey. "Thank you," she said sincerely.

  "You're welcome," Bailey said speaking for the first time.

  The woman smiled at her and returned to her friend. When she left, Piper tugged on her hand. "Come on, let's go."

  Piper led her through a crowd that parted before them like the Red Sea and she heard the bits and pieces of several comments that she knew Bailey was the subject of. She squeezed her hand tighter in an attempt to be of comfort, relieved when they emerged from the building into the cold night air. As soon as they were clear of the entrance, she turned to her and enveloped her in a forceful hug.

  "I'm not going to ask where you learned to do that," she said into her chest. "But I want you to know that I think that is one of the noblest things I've ever seen anyone do."

  Bailey's eyes widened in wonder and she slowly wrapped her arms around Piper, having been afraid that she had shown too much of herself. She lowered her face and kissed the top of her head.

  "I need to go," she said quietly.

  "Stay the night with me," Piper said just as quietly.

  Bailey took a deep breath. "Alright," she said and Piper squeezed her tightly before letting go of her and together they walked to the car.

  --------

  "There they are," Russell said spotting the women getting in their car.

  Zack started the car and waited for them to pull out before he moved to follow them. They no sooner got on to the street when a police car passed them in the opposite lane, turning into the parking lot they had just exited.

  "That's interesting," Russell commented.

  "Yep," Zack agreed quietly. "Call in."

  Zack listened to Russell speak into the phone and after he hung up they traveled the remainder of the way in silence. Zack watched through the night scope as both women exited the car and went into the house. He looked at his watch and turned to Russell.

  "Call in again, she's staying the night."

  "How do you know?"

  "It's late and I saw her set the alarm on her car."

  "Oh," Russell said. "Looks like the day shift will finally get to see her."

  "Yep," Zack said sinking in his seat to get comfortable.

  VIII

  It must be your skin I'm sinkin' in,

  Must be for real, Cause now I can feel.

  - G. Rossdale

  Piper had provided her with a new toothbrush and after Bailey had brushed her teeth and washed her face, she looked nervously at the garments she had been given to wear. She confusedly read the words emblazoned on the front of the shirt that said ‘One in the Oven' and had a little arrow pointing toward her belly, giggling a little when the meaning dawned on her as she undressed and changed into the clothes. Feeling a little stupid, and more than a little self conscious, she exited the bathroom and tentatively walked through the door into Piper's bedroom.

  Piper had hurriedly picked up the dirty clothes she had strewn all over the room and was in the process of putting new sheets on the bed when Bailey came into view. She beamed an amused smile at her and laughed when she read the words on the shirt she had given her.

  "You look adorable," she said honestly. "I should have looked closer at that shirt before I gave it to you."

  "Whose was this?" Bailey said pulling on the shirt.

  "Would you believe I have no idea where it came from?" Piper said in amusement while she finished making the bed and carried the old the sheets to the laundry hamper she kept in her closet.

  "You've never been pregnant have you?" Bailey asked curiously.

  "Of course not," Piper chided. "Make yourself comfortable I'll be right back," she added as she collected some clothes and left the room.

  Bailey chewed on her lip nervously for a few minutes before she went over and gingerly sat on the edge of the bed. She sat unmoving and closed her eyes until Piper came running back into the room and took a flying leap onto the bed. She laughed at her antics and squirmed uncomfortably when Piper wrapped her legs around her waist from behind and started to tickle her, twisting in her grip as she caved in and started laughing.

  "A-ha!" Piper said triumphantly. "Somebody's ticklish," she teased in a singsong voice as she stopped the tickling and wrapped her arms around her.

  "You're a dork," Bailey said still laughing.

  "That sounds so funny coming from you," Piper said with a chuckle.

  "It does not," Bailey said childishly and Piper laughed at her again.

  Her chuckles tapered off and she gave Bailey a squeeze. "Are you okay with staying here?"

  "Yeah," Bailey said honestly a little surprised. "Yeah, I am."

  "Good," Piper said happily resting her chin on Bailey's shoulder. "Those shorts look good on you," she complimented and moved Bailey's hair out of the way so she could place a kiss on the back of her neck. "You know my parents will put us up in the same room," she added mischievously and she felt her tense.

  "Really?" Bailey asked quietly.

  "Yep."

  She shook her head to stop her train of thought. "Don't tease me, I've never done anything like this before."

  "I know, it'll be fine. I was right about dancing wasn't I?"

  "I guess so," Bailey said reluctantly.

  "I'm glad you agreed
to come," Piper mumbled sleepily. "I would've missed you terribly."

  "I would've missed you too," Bailey said quietly and gently disentangled herself from the form attached to her back.

  "What are you doing?"

  "I was going to turn off the lights."

  "Oh."

  She watched Bailey walk over and turn off the lights, waiting for her to crawl into bed and make herself comfortable before she snuggled up to her back. Smiling in the dark when she felt Bailey take her hand and cuddle it to her chest. She buried her face into the ebony hair and rapidly fell asleep.

  Bailey stared off into the dark for close to an hour trying to remember the last time in her life she felt so content and finally coming up empty, she slowly drifted off to sleep herself.

  --------

  Bailey awoke with a start and suffered a second of disorientation before she realized where she was and smiled when she felt the body that had rather thoroughly attached itself to her during the night. She lifted her head to look at the clock and was more than a little surprised that she had slept for over eight hours. She rarely slept for more than four at a time and suspected it had something to do with the little woman who was soundly sleeping almost on top of her.

  She slowly removed herself from Piper's embrace and rose from the bed, grinning slightly in amusement at how deeply the woman slept. She padded out of the room and down the hall to make use of the bathroom and emerged a few minutes later feeling hungry. She made her way to the kitchen and explored the cabinets and refrigerator, eventually finding everything she needed.

  --------

  The smell of coffee and bacon gradually permeated Piper's dormant senses, grudgingly forcing her to open her eyes. A little scowl appeared on her face as she felt around for the body she expected to be there but didn't find. She threw the covers off of her grumpily and trudged out of her room and down the hall towards the smell that was making her stomach rumble.

  When she entered the kitchen she found it deserted, so she proceeded to the living room where she discovered Bailey sitting cross-legged on the couch and channel surfing. As she approached, she noted that she was still dressed in the nightclothes she had given her but had tied her hair up in her usual ponytail.

  Bailey turned her head at the sound of dragging feet and chuckled at the disheveled form with a cranky look on her face.

  "Be quiet," Piper said grumpily as she threw herself down on the sofa next to her. Immediately snuggling up close and laying her head in her lap, trying not to be irritated by the chuckles she still heard and felt being directed at her.

  "My, aren't you pretty today," Bailey said amused and jumped with a short giggle when Piper tickled her.

  "I'm glad you stayed," Piper said quietly.

  "I'm glad I did too, seeing you get up in the morning was something I'm glad I didn't miss," Bailey said with a little chuckle.

  "Hush," Piper said burying her head further into Bailey's lap.

  "Breakfast is in the kitchen, would you like some?" Bailey said stroking the mop of crimson hair.

  "Hmmm," Piper purred. "What did you make?"

  "French toast, bacon and eggs."

  "French toast? Really?" Piper said becoming animated.

  "I take it you like?"

  "One of my favorites," Piper said and sat up. "Don't move I'll be right back," she added as she jumped off the sofa and disappeared in the direction of the kitchen.

  She returned a few minutes later juggling a plate and a glass of milk, taking a seat next to Bailey on the sofa. "What would you like to do today?" she asked happily around a mouthful of food.

  "Whatever you want," Bailey said agreeably.

  "Really?" Piper said slowly with a lascivious look that rapidly turned to a frown when Bailey chuckled. "What's so funny?" she asked indignantly.

  "You'd stand a better chance at pulling that look off if you brushed your hair and wiped the food off your chin," Bailey said merrily.

  Piper's eyes widened and she hurriedly put her plate on the coffee table and fled to the bathroom, trying to ignore the chuckles that followed her. She looked in horror at the reflection in the mirror. Her hair looked as if she had slept in a wind tunnel and she had an impressive patch of syrup on her chin. Reluctantly beginning to laugh at herself, she spent a few amused minutes brushing out her hair and scrubbed her face thoroughly before she ventured back into Bailey's presence.

  "Better?" she asked with a little blush as she sat back down on the sofa.

  "Much," Bailey said seriously and laughed when Piper slapped her lightly on the knee.

  Piper sighed dramatically as she retrieved her breakfast from the coffee table. "I'm glad I was able to provide you with such amusement at my expense," she said sarcastically.

  "Me too," Bailey said happily.

  "Grrrr," Piper growled and focused her full attention on the food in front of her to try and ignore the little grin that was being directed at her.

  "That was really good," Piper said a couple of minutes later.

  "Would you like me to turn my head so you can lick the plate?" Bailey asked seriously.

  Piper's eyes narrowed. "Gee, someone's feeling witty today."

  "Yep," Bailey agreed with a smile.

  "What's the occasion?" Piper asked beginning to smile herself.

  "Just happy I guess," Bailey said casually.

  "Is that not normal?"

  "Only lately," Bailey said with a suddenly shy look at Piper who instantly cuddled up to her.

  "That was a sweet thing to say," Piper said bringing Bailey's hand to her mouth for a kiss.

  "I meant it," Bailey said quietly.

  "I know you did and it makes me very happy to hear you say so," Piper said squeezing the hand in hers. "Because I'm crazy about you," she added very quietly.

  Bailey took a deep breath and kissed the top of Piper's head.

  Piper felt the arm around her shoulders drop to her waist and she was suddenly lifted bodily into Bailey's lap. Bailey buried her face in the crook of Piper's neck and squeezed her as hard as she dared.

  Once she relaxed the crushing embrace on her, Piper turned a little in her arms and stroked the top of the head that was buried in her hair. She knew that Bailey had a hard time with emotions and hadn't really expected her to say anything, but there was no denying the physical response that she had exhibited and it warmed her entire body. She understood that she was reacting in the only way she knew how and she tenderly laid her cheek on the top of her head, sighing happily.

  "Bailey, do you have a middle name?" Piper asked after a moment.

  "Ann," came the mumbled response.

  "Bailey Ann," Piper said slowly. "How cute," she announced.

  "What's yours?" Bailey asked curiously bringing her head up.

  "I don't have one," Piper said quickly.

  Bailey grinned. "Liar."

  "I am not," Piper said indignantly.

  "Yes, you are," Bailey stated and smiled nefariously. "I could ask your mother you know."

  Caught, Piper sighed. "Promise you won't laugh?"

  "Sure," Bailey said amused.

  "You have to promise," Piper said seriously.

  "Okay."

  "No, you have to say ‘I promise I won't laugh, Piper'," she clarified.

  "Gimme a break," Bailey said with a chuckle.

  "You have to say it," Piper stated firmly.

  Bailey sighed and wiped the smile from her face. "I promise I won't laugh, Piper," she said solemnly.

  Piper studied her carefully and frowned. "You're already laughing, I can see it in your eyes."

  "You can not," Bailey said with a laugh. "Just tell me."

  "Alright, but you promised," Piper said with a suspicious look into the dancing black eyes.

  "Well?" Bailey asked expectantly.

  Piper took a deep breath and quickly whispered several syllables under her breath.

  Bailey leaned in close but didn't make it out. "I didn't quite catch that," she laughed.
<
br />   Piper rolled her eyes and squirmed a little in Bailey's lap. "Esmeralda," she said finally and eyed Bailey fretfully. "You promised you wouldn't laugh," she said accusingly.

  "I didn't laugh," Bailey said with a smile.

  "But you're grinning," Piper pointed out.

  "You didn't make me promise not to," Bailey defended and beamed an amused smile at Piper.

  "Yeah, but it's the same thing and you know it," Piper accused with a scowl.

  "No it isn't… Esmeralda," Bailey said stretching the name out painfully.

  Piper huffed and started to get up but Bailey held her firmly around the waist. She put up a playful struggle but it became quickly apparent that she wasn't going to be able to go anywhere. Resorting to trickery, she let her leg fall off the sofa and hit the coffee table.

  "Oh no, my drink," she said loudly and Bailey's arms fell from her waist

  As soon as she was free from Bailey's embrace she hopped from her lap. "Ha!" she said triumphantly and ran down the hall.

  Chuckling, Bailey rose from the couch and followed after her. She stood at the end of the hall for a few seconds and cocked her head before proceeding cautiously down the hallway.

  Piper hid behind the door to her bedroom trying to be quiet and waiting to spring her ambush. For a quick second, she considered the wisdom of surprising a woman who could take down a man twice her size with no apparent effort, but she shook the thought off as quickly as it had occurred. She knew almost instinctually that Bailey wouldn't hurt her so she concentrated on being as still as possible and kept an ear cocked for her arrival. A few minutes later, she began to wonder if Bailey followed her at all and she grew a little exasperated. She shuffled her feet uncomfortably and after standing behind the door for what seemed like an hour she sighed heavily and pushed the door away from her.

  "Jesus!" she yelped in surprise, jumping as she spotted Bailey patiently sitting cross-legged on the end of her bed.

  "I was beginning to wonder if you were gonna spend the rest of the day behind there," Bailey said amused.