Melissa Good - Storm Surge

A soft crack split the gathering gloom, and Dar tipped her head back as the ball arched away from the bat and up into the sky. "Nice!"

Kerry blinked in surprise. "I hit it!"

Dar got herself under it and caught the ball as it fell. "Yep." She walked back over to where Kerry was standing and leaned forward, giving her a kiss on the lips. "You sure did." There was relief in her partner's eyes, and she bumped against her lightly. "Not bad for the first try."

It was really almost stupid. Kerry bumped Dar back. "Yeah, not bad," she agreed. "It's harder than I thought it would be though. I'm glad we got some stuff to practice with." She tugged Dar's shirt. "Let's go chase down those balls."

"Sounds good to me." Dar collected both of their gloves and the bucket. "We can play around the rest of the week before we travel."

Kerry walked along with her for a few steps. "I know no one expects us to be really great players," she said. "But--um--I don't know, I just--"

"Want to win." Dar finished her sentence.

"No, it's not really that," Kerry protested.

"You're competitive as hell, Kerry. Of course you want to win." Dar disagreed placidly. "There's nothing wrong with that." She collected the last ball and draped her arm around Kerry's shoulders as they headed back toward the condo.

"You make me sound like a soccer dad."

They both chuckled as they climbed the stairs to the door. "Better than a soccer mom," Dar said, as they went inside. "I can't even imagine what that would be like."

"If you had a minivan, it'd have a machine gun turret." Kerry closed the door behind them, and finally had to laugh. "And a satellite dish."

"And a beer keg for you."

KERRY SLOWLY OPENED her eyes, aware of the sun's warmth on the bare skin of her back. She was curled up in the waterbed, the condo around her quiet save for some muffled sounds in the living room.

She looked at the clock, yawned, and rolled over, reveling in the comfort, and working hard to ignore the fact she'd have to get up soon and drive to the airport. "Peh." She reviewed her schedule, glad she'd packed the night before.

A morning flight had been an option. However, Dar had an afternoon flight. She decided to match her partner's itinerary so they could go to the airport together. Silly, really. They were on separate airlines and different terminals, but hell, she wasn't looking to spend more time in Michigan than necessary.

A Saturday afternoon flight. Kerry smiled. They would pack Angie up on Sunday and Monday and probably Tuesday. She'd do her speech on Monday night, one more day of messing with her family, and then on Thursday she'd head out to Europe to meet Dar as part of the integration team for their new agreement.

Not so bad, really. Just a couple of days.

"Hey."

Kerry turned her head to see Dar standing in the doorway of the bedroom. "Hey."

"Sure you don't want to change flights?"

Kerry rolled her eyes in mock exasperation. "Dar! Cut that out!" She pulled the covers back and got out of bed. "You're such a punk!"

Dar entered and intercepted her, putting her arms around Kerry's naked body and pulling her close in a hug. "Sorry." She kneaded her partner's neck. "I hate the thought of you being in that state and me being across an ocean," she said. "Last couple rounds with your family wasn't much fun."

Kerry returned the hug squeezing Dar so hard she could hear her bones creak. "Thanks. Don't think that hasn't crossed my mind. I'm glad I'm going to help Ang, and I want to spend a little time with her, but my hometown hasn't been a happy place for me for a very, very long time."

"I know." Dar rubbed her back. "So don't kill me for wanting to kidnap you from that."

Kerry smiled. "I don't. I'll be okay, Dar. I'm a big girl."

Dar peered down at her. "No you're not."

"Punk."

"Sometimes," Dar agreed. "But you're my one and only. I'm allowed."

The casual confidence in Dar's tone almost took Kerry's breath away. She had always felt a sense of confidence in their relationship but there had always been that shadow of uncertainty in her partner before.

Not anymore. The change had taken her a little by surprise, but in a good way. "Yes, I am, and yes, you are," Kerry agreed. "Thanks, hon."

They released each other, and Kerry continued on her path to the bathroom, removing a T-shirt from the hook behind the door and sliding it over her head. As she brushed her teeth, she glanced at her disheveled reflection, noting the slightly overlong bangs and the image of Yosemite Sam flipping everyone off plastered over her chest. "Maybe I can wear this to dinner with Mom. You think?" She watched Dar's eyebrows hike. "Yeah. Maybe not."

She finished up and wiped her lips with a tissue, the bathroom still feeling a little damp and scented with apricot scrub from Dar's shower. Then she headed for the kitchen, pausing to greet Chino along the way. "Hey, puppy. What's up?"

Chino presented her with a stuffed lamb and a hopeful expression. Obligingly, Kerry tossed it across the living room, escaping into the kitchen as their pet retrieved the toy. "What are you doing?" she asked Dar, who was standing next to the counter.

"Me?" Dar turned her head. "Making breakfast." She moved aside to display the fruits of her labor, which had fruits, but little else in the way of solid nutrition.

Kerry observed the platter, and sighed. "Cheesecake," she said. "Well, it has cheese in it. That's protein."

"And strawberries." Dar pointed.

"Yep." Kerry selected a strawberry half and popped it into her mouth. "Yum." She slid around Dar's tall form and poured coffee into her cup, already resting on the counter. "Actually, that's a perfect thing for breakfast considering where I'm going."

"Me too." Dar licked a bit of strawberry sauce off her fingers. "It's already almost dinner time there," she added, "but I figured having a beer with it would be pushing things."

Kerry paused in mid sip and looked at her. She put the cup down. "How long are you going to be in Europe before I get there?" she inquired, in a wry tone. "Angie's going to wonder why I'm duct taping her boxes and throwing everything into the back of that pickup."

"What pickup?" Dar inquired, getting her own cup of coffee. "Your sister has a pickup truck?" Her voice rose in disbelief.

"No. I rented a pickup truck." Kerry's eyes twinkled. "I figure I can pick my mother up for dinner in it and start the trip off right." She picked up the plate of cheesecake and settled it onto the nearby breakfast counter. "Sit."

Dar took the stool next to her and they shared their breakfast in silence for a few minutes. Then Dar sucked on her fork tines, and gave Kerry a look. "What color pickup truck?"

"Bright red."

"Nice." Dar chuckled. "Now I really wish I was going just to see that." She rested her head on her hand, waiting for Kerry to finish her cheesecake, content to merely watch the morning light bring out the golden highlights in her partner's hair.

"Well." Kerry neatly cut a bit of cake and ate it, pausing to swallow before she continued. "I figured it would be useful to move things, and it's what they had. Either that or a sedan and you know, I just wasn't into a sedan."

"Uh huh," Dar murmured in sympathy. "Kind of like when I rented the motorcycle to drive to headquarters in Houston."

Kerry looked up and grinned. "Exactly," she said. "I know it's really silly and a little juvenile," she admitted. "And I know my mother was really pretty cool about us the last time we were there, it's just that this time you won't be there and I don't want any crap from her. "

"Maybe she caught a clue from the last time," Dar suggested. "After you told her off."

"Mm." Kerry sipped her coffee. "Maybe," she conceded. "She's been all right on the phone. It's just that she gets these family idea things and doesn't understand where I'm coming from." She went back to finishing her breakfast, leaving Dar to study her in silence.