by Alex Tryst

Disclaimers: See Part 1

Feedback: Feel free to drop me a line at alextryst@e-scribblers.com.

Copyright © January, 2005 by Alex Tryst. All Rights Reserved.

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Hearing her voice, he came down the hall, stalling in the doorway of her bedroom. "Sweetie, Blair called me this morning. She told me what happened and said that you might need a shoulder to cry on," he explained, coming to the bed and taking a seat. He set the flowers on the nightstand.

Instantly the brunette was in her father's arms, weeping uncontrollably. "It's over. She broke up with me," she muttered into his suit jacket.

"Because of the other night?"

She nodded. "She said she didn't love me any more, Dad."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, but I don't see how that could be true. I saw the way she looked at you. I don't understand how someone can look at another person with such adoration and then three days later say they don't love you. Are you sure it wasn't something else?"

"She said I made her feel like a distraction and that I should just go back to Julie. She said that I used her to mend my own broken heart over the way Julie treated me, and I didn't think she meant enough to me to tell you the truth."

"Did you tell her that you had told me the truth?"

"No, I didn't get a chance. She starting fighting with her brother and ended up cracking her head open against a brick wall."

"That's some fight," he mentioned.

She nodded. "Last I saw her she was being put into an ambulance. I just can't believe it's over, Dad. I love her more anything else in this world," she sobbed.

He brushed back her long hair in sympathy. "I know. I could see it in your eyes when she was here. I haven't been able to stop thinking about it actually."

"I know you don't think she's good enough for me, Dad, but right now that's the last thing I need to hear," she warned, tensing in his arms.

"That's not what I was going to say. You know, when I introduced you to Julie, I really did think she was a great match for you. I wouldn't have done it otherwise. However, over the years I began to think that maybe she wasn't what was best for you."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"You seemed happy. You seemed in love, and I didn't want to taint that with my opinions."

"But you had never been afraid to tell me what you thought before."

"Well, I know, but that was more out of not wanting you to get caught up with the wrong people. I saw what it did to Blair, and I didn't want the same thing to happen to you. That's why I was so hard on who you dated. I thought Julie was perfect for you, but sometimes even I can make mistakes. In fact over the last year, I began to think you shouldn't marry her, but I wasn't going to say that, because you seemed so happy."

"I wasn't. I was just trying to hide it from you."

"Well, I'm sorry for that, sweetie. I never wanted you to think you couldn't be honest with me about your girlfriends. Out of curiosity, what did happen with Julie?"

"She cheated on me. She had another woman on the side through our entire relationship, but I didn't know that until I walked in on them one day on top of Julie's desk at work."

"The law partner?" he questioned.

"How did you know that?" she asked in confusion.

"I just suspected. I noticed the way that woman looked at Julie sometimes, and Julie seemed to be more interested in what she had to say than you. I'm sorry you felt you had to stay in that relationship for me. I still don't understand how she had the capacity to try to hit you as Dylan said, though."

"Oh, well, one night Julie came over here and found Dylan. She was ranting on and on about us having to still get married, and I was yelling at her about cheating. I was so mad I hit her, and she raised her hand to strike me back, but Dylan jumped in and stopped it."

"Such a valiant one, that Dylan. I knew I liked her the moment I met her. I saw something in her I never saw in Julie."

"What's that?"

"The way she looked at you. Even if she was trying to hide it, she wasn't successful, and I'm glad. I saw what had been missing all along in your relationship with Julie. Dylan looked at you with pure love and adoration. She hung on your every word. She gazed at you like you were the most important person in the room. As soon as I saw that, I knew if Julie wasn't already gone, she would be shortly. You just can't compete with someone who dotes on you the way she did."

"But she's not like us, Dad. She doesn't have money. She doesn't have anything."

"That's where you're wrong. That's where I was wrong. She has something far greater. She has love for you, Anna. She has love for her family. I admired how she jumped at the chance to help her brother and sister-in-law. I thought having someone to take care of you was the most important thing in the world, and even though I am right, I was misguided in what I thought that meant. She showed me what that truly meant. Having someone to take care of you emotionally is of far greater importance than financially. I've taken care of you financially your entire life, and I will continue to do that. That's my job as a father. I'd much rather have to take care of you and Dylan, knowing that she's giving you all you need emotionally than leaving you in the hands of someone like Julie, who although she's financially successful, can't seem to find time to take care of your needs. The look in your eyes that night when Dylan walked out that door was all the proof I needed. She has a good heart, and she loves you."

"Then why did she break up with me?"

"I don't know the answer to that, but I do know she loves you, Anna. She can't pretend otherwise. Why don't you try to make amends?"

"I don't know if she would take me back."

"You won't know unless you try. Just think about it. Would it help if I talked to her?"

The brunette shrugged. "I'm sorry, Dad, that I've kept this from you all this time."

"It's all right. I'm sorry you felt you had to. Just promise me you'll always tell me the truth about this stuff. I love you, and I just want what's best for you. I just want you to be happy, and I've never seen your face light up the way it did around Dylan that night. She could be the one, Anna, and if that's the case, I can come to accept that. I'm not going to like that she's a firefighter, because I'll always be worried for you both, but I'll take solace in the fact that my little girl has the love of her life."

"It is hard to think about her out there," she admitted.

"Look. Now that all this is out in the open, I want you to promise me something. No matter what happens with Dylan, promise me that you will not marry for anything but love. Don't make the same mistakes your mother and I have. You almost did with Julie, thanks in large part to me. Even if I don't agree with your choice, remind me that I said this to you," he said with a gentle smile.

"I will, Dad. Thank you."

"Anything for my girl. You deserve only the best, Anna, and if Dylan is what's best, then I'm for it."

Lying back down against her pillow, the brunette wiped her cheeks with her hand. "I just don't know if she'll take me back."

"Don't give up if she's the one you want. That's the only advice I can give you. Now let me put these flowers in water for you. Be right back."

Down at Dylan's apartment, the firefighter was sitting on the floor in her living room, leaning against the wall and nursing her seventh beer of the day when there was a knock on her door. Rising to get it, she frowned when she saw Blair on the other side. "What are you doing here?" she grumbled.

"I came to get Anna's stuff for her."

"Oh, well, help yourself. It's all in the bedroom," she said, closing the door as Blair came in. Dylan resumed her position on the floor as Anna's best friend went back into the bedroom.

Half an hour later she reappeared with a suitcase full of stuff. Dropping it by the door, she came and squatted down in front of the redhead. "Have you had all of these today?" she asked, eyes scanning the floor littered with cans.

"Since I came back from the hospital," she confessed, finishing off the one in her hand. She tossed the can aside and opened another that was sitting next to her. "Want one?"

Blair took the one from her friend's hand for a sip. "Tell me something, Dylan. Why do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Drink like you're guzzling poison to kill yourself. That is the point, isn't it? To kill yourself?" she sharply inquired.

"Shut up, Blair. You have no idea what you're talking about."

"You don't think so? Oh, I think I understand you better than anyone. You see, I've been there, Dylan. I know what it's like to be in such a dark place that you think there is no way out, except in my case it wasn't Guinness I used as my crutch."

Intrigued by the comment, the redhead asked, "What was it?"

The model brushed the empty beer cans aside to make a place for herself next to Dylan on the floor before sitting. Taking another sip of beer, she answered, "Cocaine. I was in college, and I was modeling. I was living such a fast life, and I had a ton of supposed friends, but on the inside I was hurting. I was lonely. I hated myself. I wanted to end it all."

"Did you try?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact I did. One night I got high and decided that I couldn't take it any more. I took a bunch of sleeping pills and just went to sleep, hoping never to wake again. That should have killed me, but for some reason I survived with hardly even a repercussion."

"Does Anna know?"

"She was there. She found me and got me to the hospital. She's the one who saved me. You see, Dylan, I felt like I didn't have anyone that cared about me, but she proved me wrong. Anna loved me enough to fight with me until I saw the light and got into rehab. She was there the entire time, but I just couldn't see her through all my pain. You have so many people that love and care for you, Dylan. You just can't see them through that hurt you're feeling, and alcohol is just making it worse. You think you feel better, because you're numb, but in the end it's just making it more difficult to see the truth. You're never going to get past this if you don't face that grief you have inside you."

A moment of silence passed between them as they shared the open can of beer. "You know, that day started like any other. Davin, Danny, and I all took the subway down to the firehouse, because we were working the day shift. It was a bright morning, hardly a cloud in the sky. I remember that the three of us were standing in the garage telling jokes with some of our other co-workers when we found out that the first Tower had been hit. We were sort of in shock, but soon the call came for us to assist, even though it was out of our jurisdiction. As usual we jumped into our gear and headed out in the truck. I never could have imagined what it would look like when we got there. When we pulled up on the scene, the other Tower had just been struck, and there were frantic people everywhere. It was chaos, but we all just did what we had been trained to do. Davin, Danny, and I led our company into that first Tower. There were just so many people trying to get out that Davin and the rest of the group dispersed themselves out in the stairwell to try to direct traffic, but Danny and I kept going. Higher and higher we raced those stairs, trying as fast as we could to get to the crash site to see if there was anyone up there that needed assistance. I could feel my heart pounding and sweat pouring down my back. It's a lot of work to run seventy-plus stories, but I could feel Danny just on my heels, and it kept me going."

Dylan paused for a moment and took another long swallow of beer. She slowly stood and walked over to the bookshelf where she picked up a firefighter's glove that had been sitting on the second to top shelf. She gazed at it for a moment before squeezing it tightly in her fist. Moving again she stood in front of the window, gazing out before bowing her head. Her forehead touched the glass as she began to cry.

"I've never seen or felt a fire so incredibly hot in my entire life. I felt like I was cooking in my suit, but Danny and I still wildly began to search for anyone that might still be alive up there, and then we heard a loud rumbling sound. We looked out where windows once were and saw the other Tower start to crumple. It fell on top of itself, and we heard the screaming of people from the street even as far up as we were. It was in that moment I realized the danger we were in. I started to crack. It was just too much to take, but Danny remained strong. He kept looking even as I began to get hysterical. Finally I just grabbed him by the jacket, and I screamed, 'We're going to die, Danny! We have to get out of here!' I saw it come over his face. He realized I was right, so we started back toward the stairwell. I was running so hard, but I turned to see if he was behind me. When I did that, I tripped on something. I don't know quite what. Everything was so hot up there it was literally melting. It could have been a desk or a body for all I know. I fell to the ground, and he was so close behind me, that he tripped and fell as well. We were all tangled as we tried to get back to our feet. He reached down to take my hand and help me up when we heard that rumbling noise again. Both of us froze and stared at each other. I'll never forget that look of absolute fright in his dark eyes. I'm sure I was looking at him the same way, and then that was it. That was the last time I ever saw him."

Feeling arms embrace her, Dylan turned and placed her head into Blair's shoulder. "It's going to be okay, Dylan."

The firefighter shook her head. "At one point while I was lost in the rubble, I thought I might have been cognizant. I couldn't feel anything but heat. It was so black that I thought I was dead. I thought to myself that I had died and gone to hell. I don't know if that was real or a dream though. I came to in the hospital a few days later, and they said when they pulled me out, I was clutching this glove in my hand but that I was wearing both of my own," she said, holding it up for Blair to see. "This is Danny's glove. It's the only thing of him that's ever been found."

Blair put her hand over her friend's that held Danny's glove. "Do you blame yourself for what happened?"

"He may have made it if I hadn't fallen," she explained.

"Neither of you may have made it if you had been in a different location. You just don't know. Do you believe in God, Dylan?" The redhead nodded. "Do you believe that Danny is with God?" Again the firefighter nodded slowly. "Do you believe one day you'll see him again?"

"Yeah," she confessed.

The blonde nodded her head. "Then it seems to me that you are wasting your life mourning someone that you know you're going to see again. Maybe not today or even tomorrow, but you believe in your heart that you will see Danny again, and you'll be reunited with your brother. Do you think he'd want you to spend your life worrying and hurting over his disappearance?"

"He's dead, Blair."

"I know. I know that it can't be easy to love someone so deeply and then to have them just lost to you so abruptly. If you believe that he's with God and that you're going to see him again, you must believe he's sitting up there watching over right now."

"Of course I do."

"Do you think he likes what he sees?" she questioned.

Dylan didn't answer, but her taut frame began to relax in the model's arms. "He'd want me to live my life the best I could."

"Are you doing that?"

"No," she replied.

"Then change. If you can't change for yourself, change for him, Dylan. You know he'd want you to live your life to its fullest. Do it for Danny until you can learn to do it for yourself again."

The redhead sighed and dropped her head forward into the blonde's hair. "You're a good friend, Blair."

"I care about you, Dylan. I know it's hard, but you have to try for him."

Dylan nodded. "I'll try," she whispered.

She reached for the Guinness can in her friend's hand, but Blair didn't relinquish it. Instead she looked into green eyes and said, "This is where you start. You have a decision to make here, Dylan. You can drink and you block out all that pain, or you can not drink and deal with it. You've done the hardest part already. You faced your pain. You named it. To beat it, you have to be stronger than it, and you can't do that if you're drunk."

Dylan nodded. "All right. I'll try it this way."

"Good. I think you'll see that I'm right in time. Now I think we should try to get you into the shower. You still have all this dried blood in your hair. Do you need some help with that?"

For the first time that day, the redhead cracked a grin. "How could I say no to that offer? One of the world's best looking women offering me help in the shower? I'd be a fool if I said anything but yes," she joked.

The Swede laughed. "You know what I meant."

"I think I can manage, Blair, so stop hitting on me."

With another chuckle and a swat on the seat of the firefighter's jeans, she said, "Get in there. I'll be here when you get out."

"Naked on my bed?" she pressed.

"Maybe," she teased with sparkling brown eyes. "Go on. I'm going to get these cans off the floor."

Dylan went into her bathroom and started her shower. She took her time, making sure all the blood was out of her hair before washing the rest of her body. When she was finished, she pulled on her robe and headed into her bedroom for a clean change of clothes. She smiled when she saw the model lounging on her bed, flipping through a magazine. Not saying anything to her though, the firefighter went about her business of getting dressed. Dropping her robe onto the floor unabashedly, she pulled on a pair of boxer shorts and a t-shirt before turning to the bed. She saw Blair quickly advert her eyes, pretending she hadn't been watching. The redhead gave a devious grin. "Like what you see?" she pried, poking her friend lightly in the side as she joined her on the bed.

"Hey, you're the one that put it on display. I just wanted to see what you had under there. No wonder Anna gets all hot and bothered whenever you're near. You're as hot as Michael."

"I'll take that as a compliment. After all, between him and Davin, they are sort of the firehouse hotties. At least from the way I overhear the straight girls talking about it."

"You have straight girls in your fire company?"

"Three actually. They don't hang out with us much though outside of work."

"What do they think of you?"

Dylan shrugged. "I think they think of me as just one of the guys, which is fine. That's all I've ever wanted. It took awhile, but they see me as their equal."

"Actually, from the way Michael tells it, you're more than their equal. You're their leader, even though you're the youngest."

"It's the Flannery charm," she said with a smile. "The fact that I ogle women as well as they do helps."

Blair nodded. "They're into that."

"Really? What have you heard?"

"Oh, Michael just said that some of the guys talk about you and Anna in the showers. They think you're pretty good with the ladies."

"That's because I am," she stated with a cocky grin.

"Yes, I can definitely see that now. You know, I remember the first time I saw you. We were at the pub, and Anna was nervous about seeing you. You came to the table and flashed that smile, and suddenly my own head started to spin. When you walked away, I actually stared at your ass," she confessed with a laugh. "I told Anna she had to get in your pants. What I didn't tell her is that I wanted in those same pants."

Dylan flushed lightly as she propped her head up on her arm. "Really?"

Blair nodded. "I've never been into women, but you definitely have something about you, Dylan, that turned even my head. If Anna hadn't been so head over heels for you, I might have tried to sample some of the Flannery goods."

"The Flannery goods are still up for grabs, you know," she said with a laugh.

Blair smiled at her friend. "And if Anna didn't love you so much and I didn't love her so much, I'd be the first to grab them. But she loves you, Dylan, more than I've ever seen her love anyone."

"I love her, Blair. I love her so much it hurts inside."

"Then why did you break her heart like this?"

"She deserves more than what I can give her. She's deserves a woman who is a great success and has lots of money, who can take care of her. I can't give her those things she wants. I can't even buy her clothes or jewelry. Hell, I can barely afford to take her out on a real date. You all go out all the time and have fun. You spend money like it grows on trees, and I just don't have that. Julie has that."

"She doesn't want Julie. She doesn't care about the money, Dylan. If she did she would marry Julie and turn a blind eye to her infidelity, but she didn't do that, because she knows she deserves love."

"If that were true, she would have told her Dad about us a long time ago."

"She told him that night after you left dinner. She told me that he saw the way you were looking at his daughter and knew there was something between you. The love there is so deep you can't even hide it when you try. You know, James loves her but can be a bit overbearing. I know if he just had a chance to get to know you, he'd see what Anna and I see."

"What? That I'm hot?" she jibed, half in jest.

"No, silly. He would see what a good person you were and that you really cared for Anna. She's never been happier than with you these last few months."

"Well, I've loved her being around, but she deserves someone who has stability. I don't have it. Everyday that I go to work, it could very well be my last. What I do is dangerous but I love it. I love the excitement and the rush, the adventure of it. Most women can't handle that though, and I don't blame them. I don't want Anna to worry about me every time I go to work."

"But she already does whether she's with you or not, Dylan. I'll be honest with you. She's not thrilled with the firefighting thing, but what has her concerned is not that as much as it is your drinking problem. That is what worries her. Last night you tried to ride your motorcycle drunk, and you may have succeeded if Davin hadn't stepped in. Who knows what might have happened? Every time she sees you drinking, she gets worried. She's seen me go down that spiral, and she doesn't want that to happen to you. That plagues her more than the fact that you run into burning buildings while everyone else is trying to run out."

"I didn't realize it's such an issue for her."

"It's a huge issue for her. Not only do you get drunk, I've seen that you have the propensity to become a bit of an ass when you do."

"I do not," she protested.

"Hello, last night was a perfect example of that. Your rooftop party is another. You don't have to always be one of guys, Dylan. She loves you for you, not who you pretend to be with the rest of your crew. You know, she's told me that she finds you most charming when it's just the two of you, and you're gazing deeply into her eyes. She says she can feel the love you have for her by looking in those green eyes. She says she feels it all the way in the bottom of her soul." Giggling, she flushed lightly as she continued, "She said other things too."

"Like what?" Dylan inquired in interest.

Blair propped up on her elbow as she faced the redhead. "I shouldn't tell you."

"Oh, you can't do that. You can't lead me on like that and then just drop me. Don't be a tease," the firefighter growled, putting her hand on the blonde's hip.

The model laughed. "Anna is so right about you. You do have a certain essence of dangerous adventure about you that is incredibly sexy."

"She said more than that."

"Yes, she did. Actually told me what it was like to be with you," she admitted, breaking their gaze for a moment.

"Really? Tell me."

"She described it in one word. Heavenly. She said what she likes most is that you're never quick to be finished. You like to enjoy all of it. It's not just about reaching the summit but about the joy of the ascent. She said that you said that to her once in similar words, and that was the moment she knew she was going to fall hard for you." Meeting gazes again, she said, "And she has, Dylan. Please, I beg you. Make amends if you still love her. No matter what, the two of you can get through this. She was there for me when I needed someone the most, and I know she wants to be there for you. She just wants to love you with no strings, no expectations of what you are to become. She wants to be with you, the woman you are right now, problems, pain, and all."

Dylan nodded. "I want that too, Blair."

"Good. Now I think I better get going. I told her I'd be back at her place a long time ago, but seeing you naked was more important," she teased.

"My only regret is that I didn't get to see you naked," Dylan joked, as both of them rose from the bed.

"Oh, please. You have a swimsuit calendar at the firehouse with me in it practically naked. How much more do you want to see?" she asked with a bat of her lashes. Dylan didn't answer the question, but her eyes did the talking, with a sweep of her gaze. "I'll tell you what, Dylan. Why don't you just ask Michael all about that?" she questioned with an innocent smile.

"Yeah and get punched? I don't think so. I suppose you'll just have to remain a mystery."

"Some things are better left that way, don't you think? Leaves a little room for your imagination to work." Putting a hand on the firefighter's face, Blair gave her a warm smile. "I'm going back to Anna's now with her stuff. Don't call her yet. Give me a chance to talk to her and help smooth some things over. Can you wait to talk to her until tomorrow?"

"If you think it's best."

"I do. That will give her some time to figure out the best way to approach you. She's still upset that she hurt you, and I know she's going to want to apologize for that somehow. Just give her a little time, and then call her tomorrow morning. Maybe the two of you can meet for breakfast or coffee."

"All right. I can do that."

"Good. This means a lot to her and to me that you're willing to try, Dylan. I think both of you will be better off for it." Pausing for a moment, the blonde smiled at her friend before suddenly threading her hand through red hair and pulling Dylan to her for a gentle kiss on the mouth.

Slightly breathless when Blair pulled away, Dylan asked, "What was that for?"

"For loving Anna enough not to stray, for loving her enough to try to give up your addiction. You could have ruined it all back there in your bedroom, but you didn't. Julie hit on me the first time she was alone with me, put her hands in all sorts of inappropriate places, so much so that I slapped her. I didn't tell Anna about that, and looking back I should have."

Dylan blushed as she said, "Well, I did flirt with you a little."

"But somehow I know had I tried to seduce you, you wouldn't have let me. You love Anna that much."

"I love her that much, Blair," she confirmed.

"She's a lucky woman, because you can kiss," the Swede teased, patting Dylan's face again affectionately. "That will just be our secret, though. You can live with the fact that you're the only the second woman I've ever kissed, can't you?"

"Certainly."

"Good. I'm going to tell Anna I did that, but don't tell Michael. He'll want me to do it again in front of him," she jested.

"That's probably true. Will she be okay with that?"

"Sure. I asked her if I could. Besides, she's the first woman I ever kissed."

"As friends or more than friends?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Blair laughed. "I have to go now. I'll see you later."

Dylan nodded. "Thanks for coming over, Blair, and thanks for listening. I feel better now that I've told someone the truth."

"I was glad to be here for you, Dylan, and Anna will be glad to listen whenever you want to talk. Is it okay if I tell her what happened?"

"I think it would be easier if you did."

"Then I will. Take care of yourself."

"Hey, wait a second before you go. I want you to have something." The redhead disappeared into the kitchen for a moment, coming back with an opened case of Guinness. "Will you take this with you? I don't think I should have any here in the apartment."

"Sure. I'll be glad to take it. I'll see you soon, gorgeous," she said with a wink before she was out the door on her way down the stairs.

Anna was still with her father when Blair returned. She put the suitcase of her friend's belongings down in the living room and then took a seat on the sofa next to Anna. Greeting James, she put her arms around the brunette and kissed her on top of the head. She didn't talk much after that until James took his leave of them a little later. Then she asked, "How are you doing?"

Anna shrugged. "Did you see Dylan?"

"Yeah."

"How was she?"

"A lot worse than you. She was drunk."

"Even after last night? I can't believe it."

"We had a long talk, Anna. She told me about Danny."

"What do you mean she told you about Danny? She never talks about him. What did she say?"

"She told me what happened that day. She told me about being in the World Trade Center when it fell. She told me what it was like to watch her brother die. She's never told anyone that story."

"But she told you? Why?"

"Because I told her about the time you saved my life. I told her I knew it what it was like to be so depressed you wanted to kill yourself. That just sort of opened the door, and she slowly walked through it. It really was the most horrific tale I've ever heard."

"Will you tell me?" The blonde nodded. She recalled the events to her friend and held her as Anna started to cry. When she was finished, the brunette was bawling. "My poor Dylan. I can't believe she's kept that in for the last three years. The pain of it."

"She seemed to feel better after getting that off her chest. I convinced her to try to stop drinking to allow herself to work through it all. She agreed to give that a shot."

"Oh, Blair, thank you."

"She still loves you, Anna. She wants to be with you. I told her that you had told you dad about her, and she told me some of her insecurities about thinking she didn't have enough money or stability to make you happy. You two have a lot to work out, but she's willing to try if you are."

"You know I am."

"Well, I advised her to give you a little time to figure out the best way to apologize for what you did. I know you feel bad about it, so I knew you'd want to try to make that up to her, but she wants to see you. I told her to call you tomorrow morning."

Smiling at her best friend, Anna hugged her tightly. "I don't know what I would do without you, Blair. Thank you."

"It's the least I could do. I love you so much, Anna. I just want you to be happy."

"I talked to my dad or more like he talked to me about Dylan. He's okay with it."

"Good. I'm glad he's giving you some breathing room. You are an adult after all." Sighing the blonde said, "Now I have something to confess."

"What's that?"

With a grin, Blair admitted with a laugh, "I saw you girlfriend naked and was she fine!"

"Did you really? How did you manage that?"

"Careful planning. I saw her coming out of the shower. Man, does she have a body. We were right. And the girl can kiss too."

"You kissed her? You naughty woman," Anna reproached with a grin of her own.

"I just snagged a little smooch, no tongue or anything. That girl loves you, Anna. I gave her the bat of the lashes, the sexy smile, even the brush against, and she was all about you."

Anna laughed. "You wanton hussy, don't tell Michael you did that."

"Never. She's quite the keeper, Anna. Take her back before I decide to drizzle hot fudge all over her body and lick it off with painstaking speed."

"I'm going to tell her you said that," Anna teased. "You know I'll take her back. In the meantime though, I have to find a way to apologize. She deserves that much. What do you think I should do? I want it to be something meaningful."

"She's a singer. What about a song?"

"I can't sing."

"What about finding a song that explains how you feel? She'll relate to that."

"Well, that's a thought. I wonder if there is a Billy Joel song that would do it? He's her favorite."

"Let's find out. Get dressed. We're going on a music shopping spree."

The next morning Dylan called early, but Anna was eager to hear from her and suggested they meet at her apartment for a private breakfast to talk. When the redhead arrived, she was wearing a pair of khaki pants and a pressed blue shirt. In her hands she held a dozen roses. "Good morning," she greeted shyly. Anna was in a stylish mini-dress that perfectly matched her eyes.

"Hi. Come on in. You're dressed up."

Dylan shrugged. "I thought you might like this better than some ratty jeans and a t-shirt. These are for you."

Taking the flowers, Anna smiled. "Thank you. They're beautiful. Breakfast is ready. Come into the kitchen."

The firefighter followed Anna into the kitchen to where the table had already been set with everything but the plates. "Is there anything I can do to help?" she asked politely.

The shorter woman shrugged. "Just take a seat. I'll bring it to the table."

Moments later both of them were seated. Neither said anything at first as they quietly ate, but their lingering looks at each other were enough of a connection. Dylan knew that she had to say something though, so she finally broke the stillness. "Anna, I just want you to know that I'm so sorry about the way I acted the other night. There was no excuse for that. You know, the last three years without Danny have been extremely hard, and that night I just lost it. I shouldn't have treated you like that, and I never should have said what I did. I didn't mean it. I love you, Anna. I love you so much that it scares me. I'm scared of hurting you or being hurt by you. I just thought somewhere in my mind that you would be better off without a miserable drunk like me."

"You're not a drunk, Dylan. You have a drinking problem, but I know you've been using that as an escape for the pain. I'm worried about you, though. Your own mother was killed by a drunk driver, Dylan, and to see you try to get on your bike the other night was scary. You could have hurt someone."

Dylan nodded. "I know, and I'm sorry I did that. Davin did the right thing."

Anna gave a supportive nod. "Blair told me everything about Danny. I'm so sorry about what happened and the fact that you thought you had no one to tell. I'm also really sorry about what happened with my dad. I should have told him, but I was scared of what he might say. It turns out I didn't have to worry as much as I thought I did. He likes you. He respects you, more than he ever did any other girlfriend of mine. He sees what I see when I look at you. He sees a good heart. I want to be here for you, Dylan, and I want to love you. Because I wasn't sure how to say what I wanted, I actually found something for you that says it better than my own words ever could."

"What's that?"

"A song. It says just what I want to be for you, Dylan."

"Are you going to sing it?" the redhead questioned. She had never heard the brunette sing before, so she was intrigued.

"You know I can't sing, so I'm just going to read it to you," she replied.

"The cold hands
The sad eyes
The dark Irish silence
It's so late
But I'll wait
Through the long night with you
With you

The warm tears
The bad dreams
The soft trembling shoulders
The old fears
But I'm here
Through the long night with you
With you

Oh, what has it cost you
I almost lost you
A long, long time ago
Oh, you should have told me
But you had to bleed to know
All your past sins
Are since past
You should be sleeping
It's all right
Sleep tight
Through the long night with me
With me

No, I didn't start it
You're broken hearted
From a long, long time ago
Oh, the way you hold me
Is all that I need to know
And it's so late
But I'll wait
Through the long night with you
With you."

When she was finished, blue eyes met green. "That's beautiful, Anna. Thank you so much for that."

Cracking a small smile, Anna said, "You once said there was always a Billy Joel song for every occasion."

"I was right, wasn't I?" the redhead inquired, reaching across the table for her girlfriend's hand. "Will you give me another chance, Anna? I pledge to do it better this time."

Nodding her head, the smaller woman smiled as she put Dylan's hand against her cheek. "It's the only thing I want. I want us to be together. I want to help you get through this, Dylan, and I want us to be happy the way I know we can."

Smiling at the woman she loved, Dylan leaned over the table and kissed Anna gently. "I love you. I promise to make you happy."

"You already do," Anna whispered, pulling the redhead closer. "You already do."

The End

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