Susan X. Meagher

...Pouring every bit of the emotion she felt into her kiss, Blair melted into her partner until she could feel own her knees weaken. __ love you so much. It_ it frightens me, but I can__ hold back._ __t frightens you?_ __es. More than I can tell._ __on__ be frightened,_ Kylie murmured. ____l never hurt you, sweetheart. I swear!_ __ know,_ Blair said. __t__ not that_ it___ oh, I don__ know what it is. I__ just scared._ __on__ let love frighten you. It__ freeing. Trust me._ __ do. I do trust you._ __hat__ what love is,_ Kylie said fervently. __t__ jumping out of a plane without a parachute, but knowing with every fiber of your being that you__e safe. Your lover will protect you. No matter what. It__ blind faith, Blair. Totally blind faith._ "I__e never_ ever felt this way before,_ Blair said, tears filling her eyes. ____ so frightened, Kylie. Please, please don__ hurt me._ She held on to her lover with all of her might, sobbing so hard she felt sick. ____l always be there for you. I__l catch you. I promise I__l catch you.

...This wasn__ just Kylie. This was the woman she had chosen above every other person in the world. This woman was the most important person in her universe, and she was determined to show her how true that was.

When I have someone to express my sexuality with, I express it with gusto. I think new levels of gusto are in the offing, because I__ finally lying with the woman I was meant to be with._ She kissed her tenderly. __he one who holds my heart._ Shelby threw her arms around Jemma__ shoulders and held on tightly. __ loved you long before I knew what love meant. Now I__ sure. Of our love. Of you. Of us._ Jemma kissed her, tears showing once more. __ow I know heaven exists._ Another sweet kiss followed quickly. __ see it in your eyes.

Blair was home when Kylie arrived the next night, and as soon as the doctor walked into the house, Blair called out, __et changed! I brought carryouts for dinner. We__e gonna spend the whole night talking about the dangerous world of lesbianism._ __ have a feeling that someone__ not taking my concerns very seriously,_ Kylie said when she walked into the kitchen. Blair gave her a hug and said, __ take you and your concerns very seriously. But I__ confident that I__e thought of the repercussions, and I know that once I convince you of that, we__e gonna be fine._ She gave her a dazzling smile and said, __s it okay if I__ happy about that?_ __ suppose so,_ Kylie said, trying but failing to look aggrieved. She wrapped her arms around Blair and playfully tossed her back and forth. __ou__e so darned cute that I can barely stand it!_ __h, you haven__ seen half of it. Just you wait. I__l confound you with cuteness.

Kylie and Nick went to the symphony the next night, and by the time she came home, Blair was sound asleep on the sofa. The doctor gently woke her and helped her to her feet. __ut I wanna stay up and talk about being a lesbian,_ Blair mumbled, her words sounding comical given her tousled hair and sleep-suffused voice. __e can talk about being lesbians tomorrow._ Kylie scratched the back of Blair__ neck, knowing that a good scratch was as effective as ether. By the time they reached the bedroom, Kylie merely had to urge her onto the bed and cover her with a quilt. __hat__ my girl,_ Kylie said.

When Kylie was ready, Blair went into her friend__ room and lay next to her on the bed. Blair started to thread her fingers through the doctor__ soft curls, speaking to her in a soothing voice. __t__ gonna be all right. Everything will work out. We__e gonna be one small, happy family._ She kept up her ministrations, until she felt Kylie__ body relax, and then slowed down and finally stopped. Kylie was sound asleep, and Blair couldn__ resist staying right where she was. She nestled her cheek against Kylie__ back, listening to her strong, sure heartbeat and the steady intake of breath. It__ gonna be so nice when I can sleep with her, she thought. Just lying here with her calms me down. She noticed that Mackenzie was unusually calm, too, and whispered, __ama Kylie calms you down, too, doesn__ she, Mackenzie? All we have to do now is convince her that we__e gonna love her as much as she loves us.