How do I get myself in trouble over and over again? How is it that I always end up on the wrong end of the stick? Why me? Damn damn damn? She didn't get along very much with her father. They got in a lot of arguments, most of the time about that she wanted to work and her reluctance to get married or even find a decent guy and? He didn't understand her 'strange' ideas. What had he said? Oh yeah? 'You're a dreamer and that will get you nowhere. So quit the nonsense. Find a husband and have a few kids, that will keep you busy?'

She looked around the bar. It was pretty large for such a small town, but since it was the only one, it was always well attended. That it was almost empty now, was because it was only 4 p.m. and most people were still at work. Four old men, playing cards and digging up stories long past gone, were the only other occupants, seated at a table near the window. Country music coming from a jukebox next to the bar, the empty dance floor surrounded by unoccupied tables and a small stage. She knew the place well. Her childhood friend worked here and she visited the place often.

"Sandy." She called out to the girl behind the bar and held up her empty glass when the girl turned around to face her.

Sandy walked over towards her. "Another soda?" She asked teasingly. "Didn't you have enough already?"

"Knock it off, Sandy. You should know by now I don't like beer or the strong stuff. There is no law that says I have to drink it if I wanna sit in a bar." She answered sharply. I would have drunk myself to death by now.

"I know? I know." the barkeeper said apologetically. "It's just so quiet that I don't have anything better to do then to tease you a bit." The barkeeper was a medium-height, almost skinny girl, with red hair, dressed in blue faded jeans and a white T-shirt.

She watched as Sandy got her a refill. "Well, it's Friday. In a hour or two you'll be too busy to even notice me." She turned her focus on the now refilled glass in front of her, slowly turning it around on the bar, ready to slip into her own troubled world again.

The barkeeper grinned. "You wanna talk about it? You know us barkeepers, always willing to listen." Since the four years she worked in the bar, she'd heard quite a few stories.

"Nah? it's just the story of my life. No biggie."

Sandy laid a hand on the girl's forearm and squeezed it gentle. "Well, you know where I am if you do."

"Thanks." Came a whisper back.

Sandy got back to cleaning glasses on the other end of the bar and studied her only female customer. Holly Warden. A sturdy, little blonde whose spontaneous and open character, combined with her strong sense of right and wrong, got her in heaps of trouble. She known her almost all of her life, both born and raised in this small town, both in their early twenties and together they had dreamed. Dreamed that hey would escape this town, go places and meet people. But then there had been the pregnancy?

A voice calling from her right snapped Sandy out of her thoughts. "How about another round here, girlie?" She looked at the four old men at the table. "Hold your horses, Carl. I'm coming."

Carl gave her a broad smile. "Easy for you to say. My face is all cracked up from drought, I need something cold and wet." Four old men laughed out loud.

And Sandy sighed. Dreams.

* * * * *

Two crates? two damn crates cost me three hours. Time to call the office.

"Hi, Jane? No, just left. They came up short. Two crates missing? What?!?? Oh great, I'm not gonna camp out in front of that warehouse the whole weekend? No, I'll be fine? Just make sure they'll pay for it? Okay, I'll see you Monday, have a nice weekend."

* * * * *

"Well, you said earlier that you were bored." Holly grinned wickedly. "Serves you right."

Sandy looked at her grinning friend. "Okay, I had that one coming, but I sure could use a helping hand? Please?" Bill had taken over the bar so Sandy could waiter the dinner tables. Normally she'd help for the Friday and Saturday evenings but the girl had just called in, she'd sprained her ankle and couldn't come.

"Wanna trade my hand for some food?" Holly asked with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Sandy sighed. "Knowing your appetite we're gonna loose money tonight."

"Take it or leave it. Deal?"

"Deal."

"Okay, show me the way." She hopped down and followed Sandy to the kitchen.

* * * * *

Almost there. A hot meal and a cold beer. Maybe a shower. Sniff sniff. Uh oh? definitely a shower. "Okay, Robin? ten more miles."

* * * * *

Okayyy? I can handle this. Holly found herself struggling with 3 plates for one of her tables. "Here ya go, boys? One medium and two well done. Bon appetit."

She turned around, took two steps, laughing over her shoulder at a comment of one of the guys she just had brought their food and banged head first into something solid. Bouncing back, she was not able to keep her balance and ended on her butt next to the just served table. "When did they put that damn wall there?" She muttered, shaking her head to get ride of those damn tweety birds.

"You okay?" Came a low pleasant voice.

Opening her eyes, she saw black boots, black jeans and a tanned hand, reaching down at her. Slowly her gaze went up, black belt? and up, dark grey T-shirt? and up?

"You okay?" Asked that steady voice again.

"I think so." She said quietly and took the offered hand, which got her on her feet with very little effort. She dusted her butt before she looked up to the stranger. "Sorry about?" The rest of the sentence got stuck in her throat. Holy cows? look at those eyes.

Those eyes looked her up and down. "S'okay? as long as you didn't hurt yourself." Spoke their owner.

"No no? I'm fine." Holly stammered. "Really."

"Okay." And the wall passed her, taking off to one of the tables against the far wall.

Holly just stood there for a few moments. My table? Please let it be my table. She didn't dare to turn around, instead she walked to the kitchen entrance next to the bar, where Sandy was hanging out against the post.

"So? I see you met tall, dark and gorgeous." Sandy stated with a little wicked twinkle in her eyes.

Holly just blinked. "Who?"

"Six feet of bone and muscle with black hair and the bluest eyes."

"Oh? her." Holly swallowed. "My table or your table?"

Sandy smiled. "All yours, hon? all yours."

Yesss? "You know her?" The blonde tried to keep her face straight.

She looked at Holly deliberately. "What is there to know? She has been here a few times. Coffee, shower, dinner, one beer and she is gone again. Not much for socializing that one."

"I see. Well, back to work." With that she turned around again and took off to the table with the mysterious stranger.

The few seconds it took to reach the table, she used to pull herself together. Just don't look in her eyes? look at her nose or something? no eyes? nose. It could have worked if only? If only they weren't so blue? Damn, here we go again. Please, don't smile. Nooo? she smiled.

"Hi." Oh shoot? what was the second part?

"Hello."

Second part? second part? Oh yeah, can I get you anything. "Can I get you anything?"

"A coffee will do for the moment. And I like some shower time. Dinner will have to wait."

"Okay, one coffee and a shower coming up." Way to go, Holly? A whole sentence.

It didn't take Holly long to get the coffee and the key for the shower. "You know the way?" I'll be happy to show you.

"You're new here." It wasn't really a question, more like a statement from the tall dark woman. It could have been a rude comment, but it had an amused undertone and there were those twinkling blue eyes.

"Yes? No? I mean I don't work here, just trading my two left hands for a today's special. Someone called in sick at the last moment." Holly explained quickly.

"And what is today's special?"

"Uhmm? They call it roadkill stew? Don't ask me what they put in it. I don't think you wanna know either." That brought a genuine smile on the other woman's face and Holly almost sunk to her knees. Djeez? don't smile like that. "Okay, enjoy your coffee and your shower. If you need anything, just yell."

"Thank you."



* * * * *

Cute little thing. Oh shut up? don't even go there. You're just pissed cause you're stuck for the weekend. She'd watched the little blonde with amusement since the moment she'd bumped into her. Dressed in jeans and a red shirt, she was good looking. Behaved like a love struck teenager. But she was used to that, male and female alike. Either that or they wanted to fight with her. After some time it got boring either way, so she stayed in the background, minded her own business.

With one last swig she finished her coffee. Time for that shower. She picked up her bag and headed for the swing-door in the back, which led to the restrooms and the showers. She liked this place, it was one of the few places were they had indoor showers, like little bathrooms and it was clean. According to her key she'd bathroom 3.

Washing away the dust and sweat, she felt herself relax. This feels so good. Waiting just wasn't her, and three hours in that heat had left her tense and irritated. Those jack-asses couldn't even find their dicks if their lives depended on it. Dry and with clean clothes on her back, her mood had improved considerably. Maybe I'll stay after dinner for a drink. I don't have to go anywhere tomorrow. See if the band is any good. She grinned at herself in the mirror and combed her raven hair. Sounds like a plan. She turned out the light and left.

Just as she reached for the swing-door, it flew open and before she could stop it a young green-eyed blonde hit her full in the chest. Uh oh? Only the dark one's quick reaction prevented the young woman from bouncing back on her butt again. She'd dropped her bag and long, strong arms were wrapped around the girl. "We'll have to stop meeting like this, before you get hurt." she said dryly, looking down at a very startled blonde, who at the moment was trying to imitate a goldfish. That view caused one of her eyebrows to disappear in the still damp bangs.

"G? G? Gods." Holly finally managed to say after opening and closing her mouth a few times.

"Not really, the name's Robin." Gods?

"H? Holly." She answered while she started breathing again. Can I please stay here forever? So strong? so safe?

"Nice to meet ya, Holly." Robin suppressed a mischievous grin. "Do you think you can stand on your own again anytime soon? Not that I can't take it, but you never know if I have to catch another one coming through that door." Now Robin had already seen various shades of red on the girl's face throughout this evening, but that had been nothing compared to this one. Hot damn? Someone better call 911? She sure is gonna inflame.

"Oh Gods." Holly groaned, while she struggled to get on her feet again, not really successful in her attempt.

Oh boy? "Hey? hey!" Robin pulled one of her arms free and laid her hand against a very warm cheek. "Holly, relax. No harm done." she said in a low soothing voice. "I'm glad it was you instead of a drooling old man without teeth." Sapphire blue locked on emerald green. "I'm sorry if I embarrassed you. That was not a nice thing to do."

Did that low voice calm her down, that gaze almost turned her in a puddle. Holly took a deep breath and let it out very slowly. "Well, likewise on that drooling old man part." That eased the tension, both laughing out loud.

"Listen? why don't we get inside and see if we can get some of that roadkill stuff? that is if you want?." Robin asked warily. Careful? "And if your boss is through with you."

Holly swallowed once. "I think I'd like that and it's winding down anyway. The boss won't mind."

The raven-haired woman grinned. "Sounds like a plan then." She picked up her bag and turned to Holly again. "I'm gonna drop off my bag. Why don't you go ahead and order? I'll be with you in a few minutes."

"Ok..." Holly turned around and headed for the swing-door, only to stop dead in her tracks. She turned to face the tall dark one again. "Want something to wash down that stuff?" Holly queried.

"You don't have much faith in the today's special, do you?" Robin teased. "But a beer would be nice. I promised myself one after this long and hot day." A mischievous glint appeared in two blue eyes. "Maybe it's better if I go through that door first, you never know what's on the other side?" She drawled with a wink.

The blonde played the game. "By all means?" And she stepped aside to let Robin pass her and laughed.

That sounds real nice. And made her way to the exit.

* * * * *

Holly watched the impressive form move away with long strides. She was still wearing black jeans and boots but the dark grey T-shirt was replaced by a black sleeveless one, hugging the broad shoulders in a way that send shivers down her spine. She sure likes black. The small blonde woman made a quick stop in the restroom and wrung her way back through the increasing crowd towards the bar to find Sandy.

The waitress was sitting at the bar near the kitchendoor and saw Holly approach her. "Hi? Thought we had lost you." She smiled.

"Leaving without my reward?" She said incredulously. "Never."

Sandy laughed. "How could I ever forget you would do anything for food. You ready?" She searched her friend's eyes. Something has changed? This is not the same person who tried to drown her sorrow with a bucket of soda.

Holly saw the inquiring look but chose to ignore it. How can I explain something when even I don't have a clue about what is happening to me. She just smiled instead. "I'm always ready for food, Sandy. Can I have two specials, a beer and a soda?"

"Uhmm? You want that on two plates or are you just hungry?" She asked innocently.

"Ha ha." The blonde exaggerated. "Very funny." Wait till you see whom I'm having dinner with.

The waitress laughed. "Okay, take a seat and I'll bring it right over. Who's the lucky guy?" She got a broad smile before Holly turned around and walked away. She barely heard "Who says it's a guy?" from the retreating woman.

Uh oh? She quickly scanned the tables but saw no possible candidates. Holly kept walking to the tables in the back and sat at the table where earlier in the evening? Tall, dark and gorgeous? Holy cow, Holly! What are you up to?

Ok Sandy? Get your jaw of the ground and your feet moving. After a long moment collecting herself, she turned around and disappeared head shaking through the kitchen door calling for two specials.

* * * * *

Holly seated herself facing the wall, she didn't need the looks from Sandy. She just wanted this short moment to get her thoughts straightened out. Ok girl? What's happening here? Maybe I should have read my horoscope this morning. She chuckled to herself. How often does that mention a dark stranger walking in your life? Does she know she gives me goosebumps? I think she does? What did Sandy say? Coffee, shower, dinner, beer and then gone again? So she probable will be gone in the morning.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even noticed when Sandy put the drinks on the table and gave her a serious look. "Are you alright?" She asked gently. "Holly?" She said louder when there was no response from the fair-haired girl.

"What?!?" Came the startled answer. She looked up at the waitress as a deer caught in the headlights.

"I asked if you were alright? you looked like you were a zillion miles away from here."

"I'm fine? I was just thinking." She smiled slightly.

"Well, I think I know what you were thinking about." She cast a brief glance to her left. "And I think the topic is about to arrive." She patted Holly's shoulder, smiling reassuringly before she moved away to another table with a wink. "I'll be back with the specials shortly."

"Thanks Sandy."

Robin sat down facing the blonde, leaning back against the wall. She reached for her beer and took a big swallow. "That feels so good after a day eating dust." She licked her lips appreciatively.

Holly smiled and took a sip of her soda. She wasn't really thirsty after the amount she already had this afternoon. "Food is on its way." She said not really knowing what else to say. She was playing with her glass again.

The tall dark one looked at her companion, seriously wondering if this hadn't been a mistake. I hope she doesn't expect me to do the small talk here. "So? What does a girl do in such a small town as this?" How original, Robin.

The blonde shrugged and without taking her eyes of her glass she answered "Trying to get out of it."

"No kidding?"

Now Holly looked straight into the blue eyes, seeing nothing but honest interest. She sighed. "Wouldn't you?"

Hell yes? "So where would you like to go then?"

This got Holly started, with an occasional yes, no and hmm added from Robin it lasted throughout their dinner.

* * * * *

Robin leaned lazily back against the wall with a satisfied smile. "Well, I don't know what they kill on the road in these parts, but it wasn't bad."

"I think it was a hit and run on a cow, so it was pretty safe." Holly chuckled. She is beautiful. If you can get your attention passed those baby blues? her smile? high cheekbones? strong jaw? Oh God, I'm staring. She let her head drop for a second and then lifted her gaze again. "So, you visit our little town once in a while."

A dark eyebrow raised questioning.

Uh oh? The girl smiled tentatively. "Sandy told me that she'd seen you a few times here." That got her a second raised eyebrow. "Sandy is the waitress." She explained. The eyebrows resumed their former position.

Robin cast a quick glance to the person in question, who was located a few tables in front of her, talking to some customers. "Ahh? I see." She focused again on the fair-haired girl. "Yes, I've been here a few times. Good place to get yourself cleaned up and some decent food."

Now or never. "Soo? you'll move on in the morning?" She asked lingeringly.

The dark one studied Holly curiously for a moment before answering. "No, I'm kinda stuck here myself for the weekend." Why did I say that? I'm not stuck here, I can go. Did I just see a sparkle in her eyes? Lovely green eyes? "What?"

"I said there isn't much to do in this town." Shall I ask?

Robin gave her an amused look. "I sort of figured that out."

The blonde smiled. "Guess I just spent the past hour telling you about it." Her heartbeat picked up, gathering her courage she dropped her gaze to her empty glass. "If you're interested we could go to the river tomorrow. It's gonna be another hot day." She said hurriedly, her gaze still fixed on her glass. Her hands playing with it once more, turning it around and around. Not daring to look up, afraid of the reaction of the raven-haired woman. She jumped almost out of her seat when a large tanned hand was placed over her own and held the glass still.

"I would like that very much." Robin watched the small blonde as she lifted her head up again, seeing the relieved expression on the girl's face. Yeah, there is definitely something there. But the question is what are you gonna do about it? Slowly she pulled her hand back. She sure is attractive enough.



* * * * *

Okay, see ya tomorrow then." Holly said hesitating, not wanting to part. They stood in front of the bar, the beat of the music playing softly in the background. "Where is your car?" She asked, noticing that the dark-haired woman wasn't about to move.

"I don't have one? at least not here." Robin answered with an amused smile on her face. This is always the fun part. You're such a teaser.

The small blonde blinked once. "How did you get here then?" She asked incredulous. Now her expression grew anxious. "Where are you staying? I could give you a ride."

A large hand took hold of a smaller one and pulled it gently. "I think I can walk the 200 feet." She guided Holly to the side and pointed in the darkness behind the building. "Look." The dark one said softly.

Holly found herself looking at a large clearance and in a remote corner stood a black truck illuminated by moonlight. She turned to the larger woman, with no doubt a very dumb expression on her face, unable to say anything. Robin just laughed at this sight. "You're a trucker?" She finally managed to bring out.

"Uh huh? At least at the moment I am." Said a still laughing Robin. Whenever people found out that she drove a truck, there was always the same reaction. Somehow it never crossed their minds as a possibility. Her laughing resolved in the midnight air as she watched Holly.

The green eyes reflected the moonlight and full lips curved in a nervous smile. "Show me." The blonde said quietly. "I've always wanted to see one from the inside." Her heart was doing overtime and she wondered if the trucker could hear it.

Robin studied the girl's face intently, feelings she never had experienced before were leaving her confused. This is not good. You have to act, not react. React will hurt you. If you act, you're in control. Looking down she noticed their still holding hands. She mentally shook her head to get rid of the confusion. "Okay, I'll give you the nickel tour. Come on."

They walked across the clearance, their intertwined hands intentionally forgotten. In Holly's eyes the truck kept growing as the distance between them reduced. About 20 feet before it, she stopped walking. "Damn, it's big." She said under her breath.

Smiling wickedly, Robin kept on walking and unlocked the door. "You're not afraid of a little height, are you?" She called to the little blonde. She turned around hastily when she was only greeted by silence.

Holly just stared breathless at a painting on the cabin next to the door. Maybe 5 feet high and 4 feet wide, it pictured a woman warrior seated on a palomino horse, a sword wielding over her head, standing on top of a hill.

The dark one moved two steps away from the truck and turned to follow Holly's gaze. "Nice huh?" She said as her eyes tracked back to the girl again.

"It's beautiful."

The larger woman smiled. "Glad you like it." She closed the distance between them and with a hand on the blonde's small of her back, she steered her along the large nose of the truck to the passenger side.

Still awed by the painting and also by the sensation of the hand on her back, Holly let herself be led. Just before a strong arm reached over her shoulder and opened the door, she noticed a name painted on the door. 'Masters Inc.'

"Climb in." Rumbled the low voice in the smaller woman's ear. Robin was close enough to smell the girl's hair, a scent that reminded her of spring, fresh and promising of new life. She mentally slapped her face, tempted as she was to nibble the girl's neck. Why not? Been there, done that? Why is it different now?

Holly awkwardly mounted the few steps. Her short frame didn't help much, she missed the handhold and threatened to tumble down again. Oh shit? Just when she'd made peace with the fact that she was going to kiss the ground? again, she felt a large hand on her butt and was pushed back up. She gripped the handhold and pulled herself in the cabin. Feeling a little embarrassed, the girl watched Robin move back around the nose to the driver side. Djeez? What will she think of me? I can't even get in a truck without making a total ass of myself. She sighed as Robin hopped inside and sat behind the wheel.

The trucker grinned sheepishly. "Sorry about that." It had just been a reaction when she saw the fair-haired woman fall backwards. She felt herself drawn to the girl's clumsiness and wondered if that was natural or if it all was a reaction to her. It was kinda sweet.

She returned the smile. "No problem. Better than the alternative." The small woman looked in the blue eyes, which even in the dark seemed to sparkle with mischief. "I seem to do that a lot around you." Holly looked around the cabin. "So this is your home away from home?"

Robin accepted the change of subject gracefully and turned on a small but bright light above their heads. "Yeah, it's comfortable and it has lots of things you find at home." She pulled another switch and the center of the dashboard came to life.

"TV?"

"Uh huh? TV, VCR, CD player? Give you something to do during the long nights. You can't spend every night in a bar." The raven-haired woman shifted in her seat until she faced the woman next to her.

Holy turned around. Behind the two seats was the area that held a broad bed, about 7 feet long, covered with just a sheet and at the end of the bed the remaining space was filled with a closet. "You're right, it looks comfortable."

"It better be, seeing the amount of time in a day spent here." The trucker turned off the cabin light again, leaving only the dim light on the dashboard. "Mosquitoes." She explained casually. "Normally they don't bite me but I hate the noise."

The little blonde didn't really wanna go but it seemed that the tour was over. "Well, I'd better leave so you can get some sleep?" She'd the same awkward feeling as when they stood earlier in front of the bar.

"Yeah, better?" Came the answer slowly.

Holly turned around to get out of the cabin. Uh oh?

Robin saw the girl hesitate. "You okay?"

"Well, I'm not so happy with heights and? this is pretty high." She laughed nervously.

"Hold on." The trucker jumped down and automatically slammed the door shut. "You trust me?" She said, looking up and raising her arms. "Jump."

Holly didn't even think about it, knowing she would trust her with her life, even though they had only met a few hours ago and jumped. Placing her hands on broad shoulders, she felt two hands circle her waist and within an instant she was safe on her feet on the ground. She looked at the taller woman's throat, not daring to look up.

Robin glanced down at the blonde's face, a little smile playing around her mouth. "See, it wasn't that bad." Ready to let the girl go if she wanted to, but not taking the initiative to do it herself, she studied the face only inches away from her, green eyes refusing to meet hers.

"I could get used to it." Spoken so softly that the raven-haired woman had to strain her ears to catch it.

The tall trucker placed a long, slim finger under the girl's chin and lifted it gently, finally making the much-needed eyecontact. Slowly she leaned forward, leaving their lips barely an inch apart, feeling the blonde's warm breath against her face. "You can, huh?" Green eyes darkened in anticipation. She felt hands moving from her shoulder to the back of her neck. It was like the permission granted she even didn't know she was seeking. She closed the small distance and felt soft lips brush against her own.

Time stood still for Holly. She only felt Robin's slightly parted lips and a tongue moving slowly over her lips, asking to be let in. A soft moan escaped as she welcomed the inquiring muscle.

Robin tasted the hot fudge sundae the girl had for dessert. So sweet. Her arms circled the little blonde, pulling her against her own body in the process. Deepening the kiss, her hands roamed over a small but firm back.

If they hadn't been so absorbed in eachother, they would have seen the woman warrior smiling down at them.

* * * * *

Holly woke up rather early that morning, excited and full of energy. Last night had been a blast, even if it hadn't gone further than the kiss. She'd frozen when the raven-haired trucker had touched the side of her breast. Although she'd been attracted to women for some time now, she'd never been with one. Not much chance in a town like this with everyone knowing one another. Imagine if I had kissed the girl next door. She chuckled. Robin had said she understood, hadn't pushed her. She joked that she now had to get back to the bar to take another shower? a cold one this time. Later she'd walked her to her car and had kissed her goodnight. For a tough looking trucker, she sure has a gentle side.

* * * * *

Robin hadn't taken a second shower but had used the pent-up energy for an extensive workout behind the trailer. The moon had provided more than enough light. It took a lot of work to keep up her level in martial arts and this had been as good a place as any to workout. It had taken the better part of two hours to calm herself enough to try to catch some sleep.

Robin had always been an early riser and this morning was no different. She stretched her long frame. Aahh? That feels good, nice workout last night. Thank you, Holly. At that moment her bladder started protesting. She quickly donned a T-shirt and her running shoes, just tucking the laces in with her feet, opened a blind and looked across the still deserted clearance. To the east the sky already lightened. At times like this, she almost wished she was a he. Guys never had any trouble, they just picked a tree or even a tire to relieve themselves.

She remembered once, while still young and wild? Right, Grandma. She'd picked a spot between her trailer and another one. She hadn't seen a living soul and thought she was safe. As she sat there, she looked up and in the mirror of the other truck she saw the smirking grin of the trucker. She'd picked up her dignity off the ground, had finished her pee and had then chased the trucker all over the parking lot. Ever since it had been a great story around the campfire.

Now she just hung in her seat idly, bare feet on the dashboard. She'd taken a long run, another shower and had breakfast. I wonder if she'll show up? She was pretty spooked last night. She grinned. Behave yourself?

* * * * *

"You're in a good mood." Sheila bumped into a humming younger sister coming out of the bathroom. Holly just grinned sheepishly. "Better spill it, you know I can make you talk."

Sheila at 24 years was two years older then Holly. She was also slightly taller. And not to forget, betrothed to Martin, son of the town MD and predestined to follow his father's footsteps. So according to her parents, Sheila was the perfect daughter and Holly the trouble child.

The little blonde knew her sister could make her spill the beans. Although she was stronger, she'd one weakness. She was ticklish, Sheila just needed to get past her defense once and she was lost. Holly also knew her sister had always been there for her. Everytime she'd gotten into trouble, she'd been there to pick up the pieces. "Okay, I'll tell you. Let's go to my room. I need your help anyway."

Sheila followed her younger sister, closed the door behind her and dumped herself ungracefully on the bed. "Okay? let's hear it."

Holly sat beside her sister and played with the hem of her shirt, eyes locked on her hands. "You know I helped Sandy last night?" She asked quietly.

"Sooo??"

Now she looked at her sister, her eyes pleading. "Don't tell Mom or Dad, but I've met someone."

"You know I won't? but I didn't think you'd go for one of those ranch hands."

"I don't." She hesitated and her eyes found her hands again. "I didn't."

"A woman?" She inquired carefully. When Holly had confided in her about her attraction towards women a while back, she'd been shocked. Thinking it was just a passing phase, they'd talked about it a few times. Only after talking to Martin, without using her sister's name, she'd come to understand that it was not a disease, it didn't go away after some time. He'd told her that some of his best friends at the uni were gay, making her see that they weren't any less human because of it and when she looked at her sister, she could see he was right.

"Yes?" came a very soft answer. "It's a woman."

"Do I know her?"

Holly took a deep breath. "No, she is just passing through."

Sheila looked puzzled. "So, she's gone again?"

"No, she leaves tomorrow." Now a sunny smile crossed Holly's face. "That's why I need your help? You know Mom and Dad are going to Aunt Flo this afternoon, so I can't take the car. Can you give me a ride to The Bull? We're going to the river today."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure that I never felt like this before?" Holly had never looked more resolute.

"Alright? Let's go then."

* * * * *

"Wait? Pull around the back."

Sheila looked at her sister astonished. "You wanna surprise her?"

Holly chuckled. "No, she isn't inside. Just go to the back." While her older sister had steered the car off the road, she'd noticed the open door on the truck.

"Hey? It's your party."

I hope so. "The truck in the corner." The car stopped so unexpectedly, that Holly had to check the dashboard for teeth marks. "What are you doing?" She snapped.

"Noooo? She isn't?" She looked at her sister laughing. Uh oh? Better stop that, she is about to blow up. "Sorry." She said solemnly and pulled up next to the truck.

Robin had watched the scene in amusement and when the car stopped next to the truck, she got her feet off of the dashboard, jumped down lithely and just waited, arms crossed over her chest.

Holly gave her sibling one last exasperated look. "Come on? I'll introduce you."



* * * * *

They watched the car disappear and Holly turned to face the trucker. "Sorry about that. I had forgotten I didn't have the car today." She said apologetically.

"S'okay? I'll live." With a single finger she trailed the blonde's jaw, starting at her chin and the hand ended in the back of the neck, while she took a step closer. The trucker ducked her head and they shared a gentle, undemanding kiss. Breaking off the kiss, she nibbled the girl's lower lip twice. "Good morning?"

When Holly had felt the finger on her skin, she'd shivered and she was certain it wasn't because she felt cold or anything. The following kiss had been like magic. Even if her life had depended on it, she hadn't been able to describe what she'd felt. Is this how you feel when you're in love? Am I in love? It certainly is a new experience for me. "Yeah? Good morning? You can say that again." She'd put her arms around the dark one in a hug and let her head rest on a firm shoulder.

"Good morning." Came the drawling answer.

The fair-haired woman backed away slightly so she could look at a smiling Robin and noticed the mischievously twinkling blue eyes. "Ha ha." She said with pretended chagrin.

"You said it."

She laughed, making a mental note about the larger woman's sense of humor. "You up for a little walk? If we cut through the woods, the river isn't that far."

"Sounds like a plan. I had them make a little picnic." She gestured to the bar with her head. "Thought you might like something to eat later. Hold on." Robin let go of the little woman and climbed in the cabin.

Holly blinked in astonishment. "You know I forgot all about food. That doesn't happen to me very often." She was met with laughter coming from inside the cabin. A raven-haired head popped around the corner.

"I could tell by the way you devoured the stew last night. Either you like to eat or you don't get fed often enough. You sure look healthy, so I figured the first option." The trucker's head disappeared again inside the cabin to finish changing her clothes.

While waiting for Robin, the blonde's eyes found once again the painting on the cabin. She took a step closer. As beautiful as it had been in the moonlight, now during daylight it was even more so. The warrior dressed in leather, armor and knee high boots, and the horse looked so alive, she almost could swear that she saw them breathe. The leather clad woman could have been Robin, raven hair, a grim expression on her face and the striking blue eyes which seemed to look right though you. Holly hadn't even noticed that the larger woman had come down out of the cabin until she felt a large hand on her back.

She looked at the smaller woman's profile and felt an arm slide behind her back. She decided she liked the feeling and moved her arm over the girl's shoulders.

Holly turned her head. "It's you?"

"Sort of." The trucker said shyly. "My father designed it?"

Green eyes came to rest again on the painting. "It's incredible."

"It's his pride and joy. He's been a trucker all his life and in the old days they didn't have much of that modern stuff in their trucks, so he filled most of his evenings drawing." She let go of the girl and locked the door. "Let's go? I'll tell you the rest of the story later."

The fair-haired woman picked up her small backpack. "Great? This way."

* * * * *

The walk had taken a little over an hour, mostly in silence. They enjoyed the smell of the woods and the presence of one another. Somewhere along the line, a small hand had found a larger one and it had felt right. The trail ended on a sandy bank of the river, sheltered by trees on both sides.

Holly whirled around with stretched arms. "Well??"

The trucker cum hiker looked around the remote and deserted bank appreciatively and then gave the girl a dazzling smile. "I think it's perfect." She dropped her pack on the ground.

The blonde dropped her pack next to Robin's and wrapped her arms around the taller woman's waist. "We're a few miles upriver and cars can't get this far out, so people rarely come up here."

"Like I said? I think it's perfect." Robin purred, her hands resting on the small of the back, just above the buttocks and her chin on the top of the blonde's head She'd had to restrain herself to keep from ravishing the small woman right there and then. Let her make the first move? I hate cold showers.

They just stood there for a few minutes, relishing in the perfect fit of their body's and the serene surrounding. The taller woman was the first to speak again. "How?" She cleared her throat. "How about a swim?"

"That would be nice? It sure is hot here." Holly replied innocently. She rather felt the trucker laugh first then heard her.

"So you noticed it too?" Now the laughter became audible.

Holly had to rewind the conversation before she realized how it must have sounded and felt a blush creeping from the neck up into her face. She did what she did best in these kind of situations? she ran. "Last one in the water is a rotten egg!" She gave the still laughing Robin a playful shove and started undressing.

It wasn't a fair race, the fair-haired one seemed extremely motivated to reach the water as fast as humanly possible while the raven-haired one still had to recuperate from her fit of laughter. Holly was the first who was stripped of her clothes, only her greenish blue bathing suit left and into the water.

"Hey? rotten egg?" She called to Robin. "You think you will make it today?" Cooled by the water, it was her turn to laugh.

Already having lost the race, the tall woman took her time to undress. "Oh, don't you worry? I'll make it today? you better find some cover." She called back threateningly. She dropped her last piece of clothing next to her backpack, leaving her in a black bathing suit and strode to the water like a predator with a nice fat rabbit in her view.

The rabbit in question sat chest deep in the water, looking mesmerized at the well-built, long legged, nicely tanned, blue eyed goddess with a very wicked grin playing around her mouth. Uh oh? This doesn't look good. And the chase was on.

This lasted for about an hour, 'til in a moment of silence Holly's stomach gave its opinion. "Hurrah for the freedom of speech? I think it's time for that little picnic." Robin got on her feet and hoisted the ex-rabbit to her feet as well.

They placed their bathing towels next to eachother and lay down on them. "Ok, let's see what you've got." The small blonde said, head propped up on her hand.

"Right." The raven-haired trucker said as she reached over and dragged her backpack to her. Sitting up with crossed legs, she put several packages between them. "Even got you a soda." She said grinning. "They told me you won't take anything else."

"Aaaww?" Seeing a dark eyebrow raised in questioning, Holly explained quickly. "Their favorite past-time is to tease me. I don't like beer or hard-liquor, so I drink a soda when I go to The Bull."

"They should find themselves a hobby." Robin muttered and handed a can of soda to the blonde.

"Yeah? well? I think I'm their hobby." She chuckled and opened the can. "But you promised me that you'd finish the painting story."

"I did?" The trucker asked innocently. She grinned at the knitted blond eyebrows. "I guess I did, huh?" She took a bite out of her sandwich and chewed thoughtfully. Being a very private person and certainly not a storyteller, she found it hard to talk about her life. She finished her sandwich, stretched her long frame and mimicked the girl's pose. "Let's see? My father always wanted a son and since I don't have any brothers or sisters, it was up to me." She grabbed a can of soda, opened it and took a swallow. "Him being a trucker meant he was away a lot but when he was home, he always made sure he spent some quality time with me. I missed him when he was gone and did my best to be a good 'son' while he was home, hoping that he would stay. At that age I didn't have a clue why he left us everytime." She took a deep breath.

"What age was that?"

"Five, maybe six. I was a handful in those days, always fighting, getting in trouble?" She grinned. "I think I drove my mother up the wall. When I was ten, she handed me over to a 'Sensei', a Master. That's how I got into martial arts." She took another swallow, all this talking made her throat dry. "It helped me deal with my gushing amount of energy and hot temper." She rolled on her back, hands behind her head and crossed her ankles. "I absorbed it like a sponge and after a year or so, I started entering tournaments. Not long after my first victory, my father came home with that drawing. He told me that if I would have lived 2000 and some years ago, I would have been that warrior." She rolled back on her side again, leaning on an elbow. For a short moment, she let her eyes rest on the can of soda before she closed her eyes and finished it with a few big swigs. As she opened her eyes again, pale blue sought and found gentle green. "He said I was his warrior. Some guy painted it on his truck, that way I was always with him and I could protect him. And ever since it has been on every truck he has ever had." She now smiled and added, "It's like a good-luck charm."

Holly took another bite of her sandwich. "And you say you're not a storyteller."

The raven-haired woman smiled mischievously. "Well?" She said lazily. "Biologically I'll never be my father's son either, but I think I fooled him too?" She leaned towards the blonde. "You know how?" Her soft voice held a conspiring tone.

Intrigued by the low voice, Holly leaned forwards too. "How?" She asked softly.

Leaning a bit more to the girl. "Because I like girls." Then she snapped the last bite of Holly's sandwich, including the fingers holding it, between her teeth. Releasing the fingers, she rolled once again on her back and laughed.

The blond blinked once and looked surprised at her now empty fingers. "What the?" She clenched her fist and struck Robin's shoulder.

The tall trucker turned her head and raised an dark eyebrow. "Be careful, little one. The first one is free but the next will cost."

The girl shoved the mostly empty packages aside and crawled on top of the taller woman, 'til she straddled her stomach, pinning down strong arms above the dark head. "Cost what?"

Robin grinned wickedly. "Usually a few front teeth or a broken nose? but I can think of something more appropriate for you."

Blue eyes darkened and Holly let her hands move along firm forearms till their hands met and intertwined. Her face was only an inch away from Robin's and she could feel the taller woman's breath warm her face, leaving through slightly parted and inviting lips. "Something like this?" She asked with a husky voice as their lips met.

The kiss started gently, almost hesitantly but grew deep and passionate within moments. Their heartbeats picked up and their breathing went ragged. The trucker fought to keep herself from rolling over on top of the girl and taking matters into her own hands. Patience? patience? patience. Don't mess it up, let her set the pace. Their tongues fought a battle on their own account, tasting and exploring unknown territory. Much too soon they had to break up to get some air.

"Show me? show me how to make love to a woman?" Holly panted.

Robin untangled their hands and moved hers to the blonde's back, slowly caressing while she studied the flushed face only inches away from her own intensely. With gentle pressure, she lowered the girl on top of her. "Relax." Her voice low and seductive. Their breasts met for the first time, only separated by the thin fabric of two bathing suits. With a large hand on the girl's neck, she pulled her in for another kiss. Not breaking the kiss and with a great display of strength, she sat up. Insecure hands caressed her strong shoulders. She nibbled the blonde's lower lip, tracing sweet kisses along her jaw, a warm mouth found a perfectly shaped ear. Better access given by the tilting of a fair-haired head, her tongue played with a soft earlobe. "Are you sure?" The taller woman whispered. The head nodded eagerly. Her hands moved to the girl's shoulders, two fingers hooked under the straps of the bathing suite and pulled them down creamy arms. "First, we have to lose the excessive clothing." She purred in the small woman's ear pulling the bathing suite lower.

For Holly this was magic. Every spot the trucker touched or kissed there was a tingling sensation, but the burning feeling deep down between her legs was pure bliss. She gasped when a hand touched the side of her breast, taut, aching nipples craved attention from the raven-haired woman. In one smooth motion, she found herself on her back, her body covered with six feet of muscle and bone and with a slow moving thigh between hers, she found her heaven.

And on a deserted parking lot save one isolated truck, a battle cry filled the air.

* * * *

"Wake up, lazy-bones." Came a low, rumbling voice. Holly peered lazily through her eyelashes. She lay half on top of the taller woman, her head resting on a broad shoulder and her arm draped over a firm abdomen. She felt a hand gently rubbing her back.

The blonde had been pleasantly surprised about the many ways there were to please a woman and she'd turned out to be an excellent student. Robin's attitude of 'practice makes perfect' had left the two satiated and the afternoon well spent.

"I think I got sunburned." The girl said, lifting her head to look at her raven-haired companion.

"You did?"

Holly grinned sheepishly and buried her face in a shoulder. A finger under her chin lifted her head back up.

A dark eyebrow raised questioningly. "Where?"

"My butt? We don't walk around naked a lot."

Robin smiled. "How about we take one last swim, get dressed and go back?" She gave the small woman a kiss on her nose. "It's getting late anyway and besides?" She paused for a moment. "If we keep this up, neither of us will be able to walk back. You know how far it is on hands and knees?"

This mental picture made the blonde laugh aloud. "Djeez? What a sight that would be." She hiccuped between laughs and rolled on her back.

The trucker rolled over, leaning on her elbow. "Seems I'll have to be the first one to get moving here." She leaned closer and growled "So get off my arm?" Not having any effect on the still laughing blonde, she shoved her gently but determinedly off her arm and got up on her feet, leaving a laughter convulsed Holly on the towel.

The fair-haired girl composed herself wiping the tears of her face, she looked up at the tall naked woman, standing before her with hands on her hips. "You know? You don't look so threatening when you're naked." Taking a second look, she noticed a vicious expression appear, the body growing tense and fists clenching. The trucker seemed to radiate pure and raw power. Uh oh? "Then again? Maybe you do." She grinned tentatively, extending a hand up in a peace offering.

Robin relaxed, suppressing a sad smile and hoisted her on her feet. "Sorry, I never could turn down a challenge." She cupped the small blonde's face in her hands and placed a gentle kiss on the full lips. "But you'll never have to be afraid of me? I would never hurt you?" Huh? Where did that come from?

Holly looked up to gentle sapphire blue eyes, considering. "I think I knew that?" She said quietly and wrapped her arms around the raven-haired woman's chest, pulling her in a tight hug, head on a shoulder. Long arms were folded around her and she felt a hand caress her hair. "It's so strange, I've only met you yesterday, yet I feel like I've known you forever."

Turning that statement over and over in her mind, Robin decided the girl was right. The little woman belonged in her arms, it was a foreign feeling for her and it was scary and? exciting. Physical attraction she could handle easily, but what if it went beyond that? She consciously had to bring herself back to that spot by the river. "Let's get cleaned up." She said quietly and took them both in the water.

Holly found swimming naked fairly liberating. She'd sand in places she didn't even know existed and feeling the cool water streaming freely along her body was quite enjoyable. It had been a day for new experiences and she'd liked them all. She watched Robin rinse her raiven hair and shake her head vigorously, water drops flying around her. The sight left her breathless and mesmerized as she studied the tall woman. Standing mid-thigh in the water, drops of water dripping down her bronzed body reflecting the sun, the wet raven hair sticking to breasts and strong shoulders, bangs sticking to her face and the most amazing thing was that she was here with her. Gods? She is so beautiful.

The trucker had some thinking of her own to do. The aching feeling deep in her chest she felt every time she looked at the little blonde confused her. You're in goddamn freaking love. You're in the middle of a one-horse-town with one day left and you fall in love. Oh? just shut up. You have to find a way to deal with this, Robin. Maybe this is all just curiosity on her part. She turned her head and looked straight in the loving emerald eyes of the girl. Well? there goes that theory.

Holly startled when bright blue eyes locked with hers. Realizing she had been staring, she broke eyecontact. "Ready?" She asked slightly embarrassed.

"Yeah." Came the soft answer.

* * * * *

"I think it's your turn for a story." Robin said to lighten the atmosphere. They had been quiet since the time they got dressed and packed up their stuff, both wondering about their new found feelings and the silence was oppressive.

"A story??" The girl said warily.

"Yeah, I told you one and I only know you've got a sister." The taller woman answered, kicking a pebble in the process. "Fair is fair."

"Okay? A story? let's see." The blonde mumbled. How much should I tell her? Better start with the edited version. "I still live with my parents and my sister. No other siblings." She faced the trucker and grinned sheepishly. "No boyfriend?"

Robin chuckled. "No kidding??"

"No kidding. Although my father can't wait for me to get married, so someone else can provide for me." Her voice sounded sarcastic. "In our family I'm considered the trouble child. They would rather have two Sheila's."

Dark eyebrows knitted together. "Can't you move out? Get a place of your own?"

Holly sighed. "No and no. I have no special skills, so I'll have to do with odd jobs now and then. It's just enough for the clothes on my back. My father doesn't like me working, he believes that a woman should just marry and take care of the kids."

The tall trucker looked at the small blonde in disbelief. "Djeez? Does he know what year it is? Sounds like he is stuck in the middle ages."

"It doesn't matter in what time-frame he's captured, I can't seem to break the circle." She said sadly. "I can't get out of there because I can't shake his influence and I can't shake his influence because I can't get out of there."

A large hand got hold of a smaller one and squeezed it gently as if it were saying it would work out. They finished their way back in silence.

* * * * *

The trucker unlocked the door, opened it and threw her backpack on the seat. "You wanna put yours in here too? We can pick it up when you go home. It's a bit clumsy to drag that thing around all evening." She glanced over her shoulder to the small blonde.

Holly smiled. "Yeah? here." She handed her pack over to Robin. As the trucker slammed the door shut, they heard a high geared car leave the road.

Robin turned around, taking a few steps away from the truck and saw the car make its way over the parking-lot, dust clouds trailing it in the setting sun. The two men inside were obviously coming for them. She glanced over to the blonde and noticed the shocked expression on her face. "What is it? She inquired anxiously.

"My father? and Hank?" She stammered.

Uh oh? Her body tensed. Who the hell is Hank?

The car made a sliding stop about 30 feet from them, the dust caught up and reduced visibility to almost zero for a moment. Holly took a step forward, coming between the trucker and her father. A door slammed shut.

"Get in the car, Holly." A dark voice roared. "You're coming home?NOW."

The girl gathered all the courage she could find within herself and the powerful presence in her back. "No, father."

Robin studied the two men. The roaring man, clearly the father, was about her height, maybe an inch shorter, strongly built, short dark hair and grey eyes. Holly must take after her mother. Hank was a short, puffy looking guy with his belly hanging over his pants. He still had one foot in the car and hung on the cardoor.

"I've had it with your behavior." His head gestured to the other man. "I finally got Hank to marry you, so don't blow it."

Finally? FINALLY? He should get so lucky? The trucker was now all powered up and ready to go.

"I don't love him." Holly shouted back. Hell? I don't even like him.

"Just marry him and you'll learn to love him later? Worked for your mother and me." He took a step closer.

"No." The blonde shouted again.

He clenched his fists. "Damnit? First the bastard and now you're seeing that? woman?." He spat out the last word, ignoring the dangerous looks he got from that same woman.

Bastard?

Her father's words felt like a physical blow and Holly gasped. She was steadied by a large hand squeezing her shoulder.

"Stay away from her." The tall man yelled and launched himself forward. He lost it at that point. He would teach this woman to touch his daughter.

Holly also jumped forward, arms raised to stop her father, but as she reached him, he backhanded her across her face and she flew on the hood of the car.

For Robin everything moved in slow-motion, she saw Holly roll off the car and lay still in front of it. In the corner of her eye she saw the man approach. Driven by his anger, the father's blow was half off. She rolled backwards with the blow and ended up on her feet again. She could taste the blood in her mouth, her fingers touched her mouth and she saw the blood on her fingers. "First one is free? but the next one costs." She growled, icy blue eyes shooting daggers. Shifting her balance forward, she awaited his second attack and he didn't disappoint her. Turning side-ways, she kicked him right in the chest, which stopped him dead in his tracks. Using her momentum, she stepped, turned and kicked him in his stomach with her other foot. The man landed on his back, gasping for air.

With a quick glance around, she saw Holly move, trying to get on hands and knees, the wanna-be-husband had crawled safely back in the car. The older man had used this momentary pause to get back on his feet and took another swing at the trucker. Blocking the blow, she got in his personal space, turned and elbowed him right in the mouth. His head snapped back and he dropped on his back again. This time she put her knee on top of his chest and brought her fist back to finish it. She desperately wanted to check up on the girl.

From somewhere far in the distance, she heard a weak voice. "No, Robin." And then a small hand appeared on her shoulder. She looked up and saw teary green eyes, her cheek red from the blow, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth to the chin and she lowered her fist slowly.

"Let him go." The blonde said wearily.

She returned her gaze back to the man underneath her, brought her face closer to his and spoke to him in her most menacing voice. "Leave her alone? She deserves so much more then you or that shrimp in the car could ever give her." Putting her weight on her knee on the man's chest, forcing the air out of him, she pushed herself to her feet and took two steps back.

Holly wrapped her fingers around a strong arm, shivering with unreleased energy, ready to finish things if the older man decided to pursue his claims on her. She watched as her father climbed on his feet again and staggered back to the car. He jerked the door open and paused.

The man turned around and faced his daughter, holding on to the bitch that had hit him. "You're no longer a daughter of mine? I don't ever wanna see you near your mother, Sheila or me again." And with that he turned back again and got in the car.

The blonde let go of Robin's arm and took a step forward. "No?" She breathed. With spinning tires the car backed up, leaving clouds of dust in its place. When the air cleared, the car was gone. Now there was only the two of them left, the situation hit Holly full force. She collapsed to her knees, face buried in her hands, shoulders shaking.

The trucker kneeled behind the smaller woman, wrapped her arms around her and a chin on her shoulder. "Shh? It's gonna be ok, my little one?" She whispered in the blonde's ear, rocking her back and forth. "It's ok? I've got you?" With the crying girl in her arms, she wanted to do some serious damage to the man who had caused this. I'm sorry, Sensei.

After the sobbing abated, Robin helped the girl to her feet. "I think we should clean ourselves up a bit, you look like a mess and I don't think I look much better."

Holly wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and looked into loving blue eyes. "I heard what you said to my father?" She smiled weakly.

She cupped a dirty face in her hands. "I meant every word of it. You deserve better then this shit." Robin took a deep breath to steady herself. "If you want, I'll take you with me?"

"You don't have to do that? It's not your fault all this ha?" Fingers on her lips silenced her.

"It's not an offer out of pity? I? I love you?" She stammered, not knowing how the girl felt. "Even if you don't love me, let me help you to start over some place else." She added quickly. Tears welled up in emerald green eyes again. Oh boy? This love stuff isn't easy.

The blonde closed her eyes and let those three words settle deep inside her. She felt one lonely tear make its way over her cheek, before a thumb wiped it off. "I love you too? I've wanted to say that to you all day. You don't know what it means to hear that from you. I was so afraid that if I said it, you would just disappear and I would never see you again?" Lips closed over hers gently, loving. She felt like laughing, crying, running a victory lap and then kiss Robin again. I love you? I love you? I love you. When the kiss broke off, she was pulled in a bear hug. "God, I love you?" rumbled a low voice in her ear. She had no idea of how long they stood like that, reveling in the warmth of their love.

* * * * *

Sandy looked shocked at their beaten faces. Blood and dirt were clearly present. "Holy cows? What happened to you two?" She exclaimed. "Got hit by a car?"

"Not really?" Robin answered, looking at Holly. She didn't know what she could tell the red headed waitress.

Holly just shrugged. "My father happened? or better said ex-father. He finally kicked me out." She sighed, causing Robin to put a reassuring hand on her back. "Can we use a shower to clean up? I don't feel like talking now? Please?"

"Sure, honey? Let me get a key." The waitress disappeared under the bar for a second. "Here?" She handed the key over to the trucker. "We can talk later if you want."

"Yeah, that would be nice." The blonde said, smiling wearily. "We need some food too."

"No problem?" She watched the two women walk away and sadly shook her head. "Will it never end?"

The taller woman steered the fair-haired woman toward the bathrooms, giving everyone who had the nerve to stare a nasty look of her own. She unlocked the door and turned on the light. "Go on?" She said, holding the door for the smaller woman and then followed her inside.

Holly looked in the mirror and moaned. Her eyes puffy and red, her face tear streaked, dirt and dried blood everywhere. "How could you look at this face and say you love me?" She said, only half teasing.

Robin dropped an arm over drooped shoulders and affectionately looked at the face in the mirror too. "It's not only your face that I love? It's all of you and most of all?" She put her other hand over the blonde's heart. "This? Don't doubt that." She turned her head and softly placed a kiss on the girl's temple. "Now let's get you presentable again. We scared poor Sandy half to death." Carefully she cleaned the girl's face before cleaning her own. Checking Holly's face, she noticed it wasn't that bad, only slightly bruised by the blow. Her own tanned face didn't even show the bruise.

"Here?" She handed the blonde a clean T-shirt. "I suppose it's much too big for you, but at least it's clean." Then she changed her own bloody T-shirt for a clean one.

"I look like a little kid in this thing." The T-shirt came till mid-thigh and the sleeves over her elbows. Holly heard a low laugh behind her.

The raven-haired women slid an arm around the blonde's waist and pulled her against her body. With her other hand she moved the fair hair back, exposing the girl's neck. "I don't know? I think it's pretty cute?" She purred in Holly's ear and proceeded to kiss and nibbling the soft skin beneath the ear. She heard a soft encouraging moan and a hand started to caress the back of her thigh and butt.

Then there was a soft knock on the door and Robin growled in frustration. "Nice timing."

"Holly?" Sandy's dimmed voice sounded hesitantly.

The blonde laughed nervously and tried to control her heartbeat again. "Better see what's the matter." She pulled the door open. "Yeah?" She asked the waitress.

"I have your sister on the phone?" She said tentatively, still not knowing what happened exactly. "She would like to talk to you. You can use the phone in the office."

"Okay, I can do that?" I think.

They followed the red head back into the bar and over to a small office. Just before entering the office, a hand on her shoulder stopped Holly.

"I'll give you some privacy." The trucker whispered in her ear. "I'll be at our table, waiting for you." And with a kiss on the side of a fair head, she pushed her gently inside.

"You'll be there, right?" The girl said uneasily.

The raven-haired woman smiled and gave her a wink. "I'll be there? I promise?"



* * * * *

Robin eased into her seat and dropped the dirty shirt over the back of the chair next to her. She raked her fingers through her hair and sighed. What a day. Okay? let's recap? I found out I'm in love with the girl? I got hit by the father? I hit the father? and she is coming with me. She chuckled. Not a bad average. Three for me, one for him. Sandy's approach brought her back to the here and now.

"Food and beverage next, I think." She said cheerfully.

The trucker gave her a friendly smile. "Yeah, that would be nice. A big juicy steak, medium and a beer for me. I don't know what Holly would like to eat though."

The waitress laughed. "The girl eats everything you put in front of her. Even the wrappings if you're not careful."

The raven-haired woman chuckled. "Good to know? I'll keep an eye on the wrappings."

The red heads expression grew serious. "She's leaving with you, isn't she?" Sandy studied the blue eyes intensely.

The dark head nodded. "There isn't much left for her here, don't ya think?" She wiped her face wearily. "Her father disowned her and has forbidden her to even come near her mother and sister."

"Yeah? well? he's your regular son of a bitch, always has been." She glanced around and caught a glimps of a small blonde making her way through the crowd. "Ok, a big steak and a beer for you and a bigger steak and a soda for Holly." She said to Robin, who just nodded again.

The waitress left and gave her childhood friend a supporting hug as she passed her.

Robin studied the fair-haired woman as she sat down in opposite of her. "You all right?" she inquired gently.

"Yeah?" she smiled weakly. "It seems that after 'Dad' got home, he hugged his whiskey bottle, raging about how evil I am. He warned Sheila and Mom to stay away from me before I corrupt them." She rubbed her forehead and fought against her tears.

The tall trucker got up and kneeled next to the blonde, her hand slowly rubbing a firm thigh. "Hey? It's ok, my little one? We'll find a way." She said softly.

Holly threw her arms around the strong neck, her head on a shoulder and let the tears fall. A strong hand rubbed her back lovingly.

"I'll be?" Sandy watched the whole scene staggered and wondered for the first time if her little friend didn't end up with the better part of the deal.

A few minutes later, the tears seemed to have stopped. "Feeling better?" Robin asked softly.

The fair-haired woman grinned sheepishly. "I keep ruining your shirts."

"Well?" the trucker drawled while she cupped the face between her hands and wiped the last tears away. "I have to admit that I've never used as many T-shirt as this weekend, but it's for a good cause? Namely you, my love." It was a slip of the tongue, but she tasted it for a moment in her mouth and decided she liked it. Apparently Holly liked it too, because it earned her a broad smile from the blonde.

"My noble warrior?"

Self-consciously, Robin felt her face flush slightly and cleared her throat. "I think Sandy wants to get the drinks over here but is afraid that I'll take her head off if she disturbs us."

The blonde grinned. "Well, I think if she survived the bathroom, she'll be okay now."

"You know that, I know that?" The trucker let the sentence die in the air, gave the girl a quick kiss on her nose and resumed her place at the table. "Are you up to give me the rest of the story?"

"Not that much left to tell. I told her I'll be leaving and she wants to come over." She threw the arriving waitress with the drinks a quick smile. "Sheila will wait until Father passes out, which shouldn't take too long. I gave her a list of things I would like to take with me, in case he decides to clean out the room and throw everything away."

The trucker nodded while she took a sip of her beer. "I have plenty of space, that shouldn't be a problem."

Holly let her glass roll in her hands. "I asked her how dad found out about us. I couldn't believe that she would have told him."

"And?"

"Apparently someone saw us kiss this morning. Gossip travels faster than light in this town." She gave Robin a sad smile. "By the time he got back from Aunt Flo, Hank was waiting for him with the big news."

Shortly after Sandy returned with two plates of food and dropped with a deep sigh in the chair next to the fair-haired woman. "What a night." Not being able to find a replacement for the sick girl, she had worked the tables alone and felt exhausted. "So? Are you gonna tell me what happened or do I have to read it in the newspaper Monday?" She tried to sound cheerful.

The girl smiled wearily. "Can you wait for another few minutes? I'm sure Sheila will be here soon and no doubt she wants to hear the story too." She stuffed another piece of steak in her mouth and chewed deliberately. "It's no fun story."

The red head nodded. "Fair enough? I'm gonna fix myself a drink. I think I earned one tonight." And with that she left the table, leaving the two to enjoy their meals.

"Kind of nosy, isn't she?" The raven-haired woman said around a mouth full after a long silence.

The blonde grinned. "That about sums up Sandy." She swallowed her food. "But she means well. Besides Sheila, she is the only friend I have." She added softly.

The girl's sudden forlorn look made the tall woman wince. "Listen? What happened with your father doesn't mean you have to cut off Sandy. You can keep in touch with her." She put her hand over a smaller one. "And as for Sheila? I think we can find a way too. Depends on what she is willing to risk."

Holly smiled gratefully. "What would I do without you?" And pushed her cleaned out plate away from her.

"Let's hope we'll never have to find out." She said, returning the smile. Three women moving behind the blonde caught her attention. Two, Sandy and Sheila, she knew and the other one was a shorter and older version of Sheila. She squeezed the girl's hand before she withdrew it, leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest. "Sheila? and I think your mother too."

Startled, the girl jumped to her feet and stood there frozen, watching the arriving party. "Mother?" She stammered, not knowing how to act. Her mother's open arms were all she needed to see and flew right in them.

"Oh baby?" The older woman whispered, holding her daughter tight. Sheila wrapped her arms around the two women and tears were flowing freely.

Sandy looked at the trucker awkwardly, feeling like a intruder in this gathering.

The trucker shrugged. After a few minutes she just grabbed a few paper napkins out of the dispenser on the table and got to her feet. "Water." she mouthed to the waitress, who took the hint, gathered the dirty dishes and trotted away. Mentally she grinned. Robin? old girl? You're getting better at this emotional stuff.

"Maybe we should sit down?" She offered to the three women, who started to untangle and held up the napkins. "I think there is a lot to talk about."

Holly watched her mother and sister divide the napkins and she took the remaining two. "Thanks." She said and a watery smile crossed her face.

The trucker grinned sheepishly. "Beats handing over my T-shirt." She turned her attention to her lover's sister. "Sheila?"

"Hello Robin." Came a weary answer.

The blonde had felt her face flush at the mental picture of Robin standing there in her bra and cleared her throat. "Mother, I would like you to meet Robin? Robin, this is my mother."

Her mother took the extended tanned hand and looked at the young woman. "Nice to meet you, Robin." A stiff smile played around her mouth.

Right. "Mrs. Warden." She said with a little nod. "Take a seat." With her free hand she waved to the table invitingly.

Mrs. Warden was pleasantly surprised by the low, firm voice. All night she had been wondering about the person who had seemed to be the instigator of this rift. At first she had felt angry? no furious with this woman, but she had spoken to Sheila about her youngest daughter and her feelings in the kitchen, while her husband was passing out on the couch in the living room. And now she saw the trucker as a possible? savior. She sat down next to her oldest at the table and watched while the tall trucker let Holly get passed her and then sat next to her.

The red head returned, put a tray with a pitcher of water and a few glasses on the table, pulled up another chair and dropped herself on it unceremoniously. "Oh man? What a night." she stated again.

Sheila took a deep breath. "So? What happened tonight?"

A strong hand appeared on her thigh and the girl cast a quick smile to her tall lover. The obviously loving gesture was not missed by the two women seated opposite of them but Holly ignored the looks and started to relate the events earlier that evening.

"He hit you?" the older sister exclaimed at one point and looked at the pained face of her mother.

"Yeah? I don't exactly know what happened next? since I was out cold." The blonde looked over at the raven-haired woman. "You care to fill in the blanks?" she inquired carefully.

"Well? There isn't much to tell? He struck me?"

"He hit you too?" the older sister interrupted again.

"It wasn't that bad? I think he was too far gone for a decent aim." She said feeling accountable.

Holly placed a small hand over the one on her thigh. "It's not your fault?"

Robin sighed. "Anyway? I kicked him a few times and it was over." She didn't mention that she had been ready to take the man's head off when she had him down. She wasn't sure if they would have appreciated that.

"By the time I got on my feet again, Robin had pinned him down with a knee on his chest." Holly grinned at the awed face of her sister, who this time wasn't able to interrupt again and finished the story.

They talked about the events for the better part of the next hour. To be more exact, the two sisters did most of the talking, Robin being her silent self and Holly's mother looking like she was fighting an internal battle, didn't add much to the conversation.

"How can we reach you?" Sheila inquired anxiously. "I don't care what Father says? I want us to be in touch." She heard her little sister's relieved sigh.

"You got a piece of paper and a pen for me, Sandy? Robin asked and smiled pleasantly. She took the requested items and wrote something down. "These are the phonenumbers of my home and cell phone. 'Til she decides what she wants to do, you can reach her here." She pushed the piece of paper towards the sister.

Sandy looked at the trucker questioningly. "Do you mind if I copy them for myself?"

"No? I don't mind." She gave the red head an encouraging smile. "I think Holly would like that." Next thing she knew, an arm flew around her neck pulling her to the side and a big sloppy kiss was placed on her cheek by a very grateful blonde. Uh oh?.

For a few moments there was only silence, then Sandy began to laugh slowly, followed by Holly and her sister and ultimately Mrs. Warden, as the sound of laughter rose. The two lovers looked at eachother and Robin leaned to the girl. "I think you just ruined my rep?" She said indignantly. What the hell. And she joined the laughter.

"I'm sorry, Robin?" The waitress wiped the tears away with the back of her hand. "You should have seen the look on your face." Quite a few minutes had passed but they were still hiccuping.

The tall trucker found her composure again. "It's okay? Guess we all could use a good laugh."

"Okay, it's time for me to get back to work? Bill is throwing dirty looks at me." Sandy climbed on her feet, placed her chair back at the table behind her and took off.

The blonde shifted slightly in her chair. "I think I need a BB." Seeing an inquiring dark eyebrow raised, she explained quickly. "Bathroom Break."

"Oh? Wait? I'll come with you." Sheila jumped to her feet, looking at the trucker with a mischievous glint in her eyes, who returned it with an eyebrow raised in challenge. Whoaaa? She got that eyebrow thing down pat? She grinned.

Robin watched the two make their way to the restrooms, then turned her focus on the older woman before her, who studied the raven-haired woman intensely. Oh great? Sandy decides suddenly to start working, Sheila interrogates my new lover and I'm about to be put under the microscope by the mother. Isn't life just great? She shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

Mrs. Warden sighed softly and lowered her eyes. "You know?" She sounded hesitant, her voice soft. "All evening I've been wondering if you're a curse or a blessing."

"Mrs. Warden?"

"No? please?" She had raised her hand in a stopping gesture. "Let me finish? before I lose my nerve." She lowered her hand back on the table again. "From my point of view, you're a curse. Holly is leaving and I don't know if I'll ever see her again." A single tear ran down a suddenly old face. Hazel eyes still fixed on something on the table. "But if I look through Holly's eyes, you're a blessing. You're her savior from a life that would have killed her." Now she lifted her eyes and bore deep into sapphire blue ones. "I know what I'm talking about? Thirty years ago, I was her."

The trucker let the words sink in and suddenly felt pity for the older woman.

"You love her, don't you? The question was there, straight out of nowhere.

Stunned by the question, the raven-haired woman cleared her throat. "I know it sounds strange? since I only met her twenty-four hours ago but? yes, I do love her." Admitting it to herself had been one thing, but saying it aloud to the mother of the woman she loved was quite another story and uncharacteristically she started to fidget with a used napkin.

"I don't pretend to understand love between two women? I don't even pretend to understand love between men and women, since I have never experienced it?" She smiled sadly. "I just grew comfortable with the life that was forced upon me? a roof over my head? enough food on the table? two children to raise?" She swallowed laboriously. "Holly is too passionate a girl to accept that kind of life. Maybe in this day and age I would have fought it too? So? Maybe I just should keep on looking through Holly's eyes and hope that you are indeed a blessing."

"I don't know what to say." She said softly. The last thing the trucker had expected from this woman in such a narrow-minded town, was a progressive opinion.

The older woman smiled, hazel eyes gentled. "You don't have to say anything? Just take care of her."

"As long as she will let me?" The raven-haired woman vowed solemnly and handed the woman a glass of water.



* * * * *

"Come on?." Sheila drawled and poked her sister in the ribs. "Just answer? It's no big deal, you know?"

"Okay? Okay?" Holly surrendered. "Yes, I love her and yes, I told her that." The smaller girl thought her sister should get a job in the sheriff's office. I bet she can make a nun confess to the killing of Jesus.

"Whoaa? And she didn't run?" She asked slyly.

"Nooooo? She didn't run." The blonde smiled brightly at her sister. "In fact she told me she loves me too? Happy now?"

The taller sister smiled affectionately. "Nah? The question was if you are happy, but I think that smile answered it."

Holly opened her mouth to reply and then closed it again. She regarded her older sister thoughtfully. "You know? It's like I've found a missing part of myself."

Sheila's amazed look made her sister chuckle. "That's pretty deep for such a little toad as yourself, sis."

"I'm not a little toad." The blonde mocked and got herself promptly pulled into a hug.

"I'm glad you found your missing part." She gave her baby sister a kiss on her forehead.

"I just hope Mom can make peace with it?" Holly sighed softly. She didn't care much about her father at the moment but she didn't want to hurt her mother.

Sheila rocked them soothingly back and forth. "Well? She was pretty upset earlier tonight."

Holly startled, pushed herself out of the embrace. "Oh shit? and she's alone with Robin right now." She made a beeline for the door, only to be stopped by a hand grabbing her arm.

"Wait? She and I had kind of a talk at home. I think Mom is ok now."

The smaller sister wasn't completely convinced. "Let's get back anyway? I don't think Robin would appreciate it much if my second parent takes a swing at her too. You should have seen her with father?" Her voice trailed off. The hand had let go of her and she turned around, facing her big sister. "I think she came very close of seriously hurting him." She turned around again and quickly left the restroom..

Sheila was left behind and stared at the slowly closing door.

* * * * *

"Hi there?" Holly watched the two women sitting at the table in silence. It felt awkward, though not hostile. She wondered what had happened between her mother and her lover while she was away. Robin tilted her head, looking at her and she found herself drawn into clear blue eyes.

"Hi there yourself." Robin said, her voice low and vibrant. She smiled at the questioning face of the blonde and winked. "How about we go unload the car and get your things in the truck?"

The fair-haired woman let go of a breath she didn't even know she was holding and relaxed somewhat. "Sounds like a plan." She quickly exchanged a glance with her sister, who just joined them again.

"Hey? You're stealing my line." The raven-haired woman bantered, glad as she was that the sisters had returned and no visible damage had been done.

The blonde laughed shortly at the teasing trucker. She glanced at her mother. "Mom, why don't you and Sheila take the car and Robin and I will meet you by the truck." Her mother nodded. "Come on, Robin." The girl said as she grabbed a tanned hand and towed the larger woman behind her across the bar to the exit. Robin had just enough time to shrug at the puzzled look from the older sister.

"What's the matter with you?" The raven-haired woman asked, completely at a loss when finally the noise of the bar was gone and they were greeted by the silence outside. "Something happened in the restroom?" The little blonde kept dragging her across the parking lot and after a long moment she pulled the smaller woman to a stop. "Hey? Talk to me."

"No? Nothing happened in the restroom." Holly turned to face her lover. "What happened between my mother and you?"

"Aahh? So that is what this is all about?" She put an arm around the girl's shoulders and steered her towards the truck. "Well? We just had a little talk."

"And??"

The trucker grinned. "Let's just say I've been called many things in my life?" She paused at the startled look of the blonde and a smile crossed her face. "But a blessing hasn't been one of them?"

Holly stopped dead in her tracks. "What?" She exclaimed, her jaw almost hanging on her chest.

Robin's smile grew wider as she put a finger under the girl's chin and shut her mouth. "I think in a strange kind of way, she gave us her blessing."

"She did??" Her jaw dropped again.

"Uh huh?" The taller woman made a second attempt to close the blonde's mouth. "She didn't use that many words, but I got the impression she is kinda proud of you."

"She is??" And again her mouth dropped open.

The trucker gently rubbed her lover's upperarms, not taking the trouble to close her mouth for a third time. "You've got some serious work to do on your conversational skill, love." Robin teased.

"Yeah? Well?" She had to swallow once to keep herself from drooling. "Are you sure we're talking about the same mother?" This definitely didn't sound like the mother she knew. Sure Holly loved her, but her mother had always given her the impression that she was more trouble then anything else. To hear otherwise left her perplexed.

"How many do you have?" Despite of the whole situation, Robin found some amusement in the looks of her companion and a smile played around her mouth.

"Robin?" The girl called out exasperated.

The trucker pulled her in a hug. "I'm sorry?" She gave a kiss on top of the fair head and let her lips linger there. "I know it's not funny." She spoke softly in the girl's hair. Caught in the headlights of an oncoming car, they broke out of the embrace. "Come on? Let's get this finished." She murmured and they covered the short distance to the truck.

* * * * *

"Okay, this is the last of it." The raven-haired woman said as she handed two books to the small blonde, who stood in the cabin. She turned around to face the older sister, who sat lazily on the hood of the car. "Is there any stuff left? or did you clean out her entire room?" She jested as she wiped her forehead with the back of her hand and wondered if there would be any place left to sleep tonight.

Sheila grinned mischievously at her sister's lover. "Nice to see a pro at work." Secretly she had enjoyed watching the buff trucker as she got the stuff up in the cabin, where Holly had stored it away in various places.

"What do you mean pro?" She mocked. "I drive the thing? I don't load it."

"You could have fooled me." She said innocently. "Where else did those muscles come from?"

"Maybe?" She said menacingly as she slowly took two steps toward Sheila. "By beating up little girls like yourself." So you wanna play, huh?

The older sister saw the threatening approach of the moonlit trucker, that combined with the intense icy blue eyes, the knitted dark eyebrows and Holly's words in the restroom, made her shudder. Suddenly the woman hoped never to be on the receiving end if the trucker really meant it. A nervous smile played around her mouth and she got off the car, ready to bolt.

Mrs. Warden watched the whole scene in astonished fascination, although she was a little concerned about her daughter's safety. She wondered if the trucker had physically grown the last ten seconds. Over the tall woman's shoulder she could see a beautiful painting and even in moonlight, the resemblance was striking. All at once she saw what exactly had beaten her husband and a part of her was scared for her young daughter.

"Uhmm? Robin?" The blonde sat sideways in the drivers seat, legs dangling down. "Stop tormenting my sister and help me down." She had watched her sister fence with her lover in bemusement. Who plays with fire? Finally she had taken pity on her.

Robin's intimidating demeanor disappeared as she heard the blonde call to her, like night turning into day. Her face lightened, eyes softened and her body relaxed. A smile crossed the tanned face, then she winked at Sheila and quickly turned around, getting within two long strides beneath Holly. She heard a relieved sigh escape from the sister.

Had the blonde's mother been astonished before, now she was bewildered. The change in the trucker's attitude was amazing and that only because her youngest daughter had called for her. She watched as her daughter jumped down without the slightest hesitation, straight in the arms of the taller woman, who caught her with little effort. I wonder if my little girl knows what power she has over Robin. If that trucker only loves her half as much as I think she does, Holly holds a lethal weapon in her hands. I hope she realizes that.

"Thanks?" Holly said and released her hold on the trucker, hands trailing down the strong arms. "Perhaps one day I'll learn how to get out of that thing properly."

Blue eyes twinkled brightly, as her hands lingered for a few moments longer on the girl's waist. "Oh, I don't know?" She drawled softly, her voice low and seductive. "I kinda like how we end up."

"Mmm?" She moaned. "I see your point."

A low laugh bubbled up from the trucker's chest. "Time out. We have an audience."

The blonde felt a blush rise and was grateful for the dark cover of the night. A sheepish grin flickered across her face before she moved over to her sister and struck a pose of pretended annoyance, arms crossed. "You can thank me now."

"Thank you?" The older sister inquired carefully. Behind her sister she saw the tall woman casually lean back against the truck, arms crossed too and her heel resting on a step of the cabin.

"I just saved you from a nasty spanking."

"You know?" Sheila said contemplatively. "I think you might be right." A big grin split her face and she pulled her little sister in a hug. "Thank you." She whispered.

Mrs. Warden watched her two daughters in the embrace, a lump forming in her throat. Maybe this would be the last time she ever saw this picture and she safely stored it away for the future. The older woman walked over and placed her hands on their backs, running them up and down in motherly affection. "I think it's time to go home." She said with a choked voice.

Sheila squeezed her little sister hard, not knowing when or even if she would ever see her sister again. "I love you." She said, her voice hoarse with unshed tears.

The younger sister returned the tight grip. "I love you too." Her voice wasn't more then a soft whisper, tears running down her face.

"I'll call you soon." She promised as she broke out of the embrace and walked over to the door of the car. She hesitated for a brief moment, then turned around to Robin. "You'd better take good care of my little sister?" She called to the tall trucker, who just nodded once and then she turned back and got in the car.

With a quivering finger, she removed the tangled hair from her daughter's face. "It's about time you found some happiness and I hope this is it. She seems like a good person, honey." She took her youngest daughter in her arms. "And he can't tell me that you're no longer my child? Because you'll always will be." She had so much to tell her daughter, but she felt like she had ran out of time. "I love you, Holly?" Her voice abandoned her and she gently pushed the blonde away from her and hurried to get in the car.

"I love you, Mother." She said silently as she slowly raised her hand to wave them goodbye.

It took only a blink of an eye for Robin to get behind her young lover. She wrapped her arms around the girl, her chin resting on a fair head as they both watched the car back up and move away.

Mrs. Warden turned around in her seat as her oldest daughter drove away. Through the tears in her eyes, she saw two moonlit people standing as one and they grew smaller and smaller, then the car made a turn and they were out of view. "I really hope that you've found what you've been looking for, my little girl." She whispered softly and turned back in her seat.



* * * * *

Holly was very grateful when she felt the protective arms hold her since her knees were about to give in. Emotionally she was completely drained and there were no more tears to spend. It didn't happen every day, that your life as you've known it ends. She felt scared and tired. And yet? at her back there was the promising warmth of her future. The blonde turned around in the strong arms and put her own arms around the slim waist. She peered up to the trucker's still face. "Well?" She said weary. "Sandy was right? What a day. Who would have thought of this twenty-four hours ago?"

Robin tilted her head and kissed the girl gently, mere a brush of lips. "I guess it's just you and me now."

It was such a simple statement and a ghost of a smile crossed Holly's face. "I like the sound of that." She let a hand roams a strong back. "I love you? Gods, it feels good to say that."

The trucker grinned. "It feels good to hear it too." She kissed the girl again, nothing heavy, just a confirmation of their feelings. Whatever would happen, they were in it together. As they broke off, she sighed quietly. "Maybe we should get some sleep?"

* * * * *

It was just before sunrise, the time that birds awake and started singing their song. Slowly Robin's awareness returned as she listened to the surrounding sounds, her eyes still closed. Besides the singing of the birds, which she was accustomed to, there was another sound. She quietly grinned as she slowly identified the sound as the deep, even breathing of a sleeping Holly. She opened her eyes and peeked down to see the girl spread out half on top of her, head on her shoulder, an arm draped over her stomach and a leg possessively wrapped around one of her own. It felt nice? very nice.

This had always been her favorite time of the day and the time she usually got out of bed, whether on the road or at home. But now her young lover had her pinned down, there was no way she could get out of this hold without awakening her and she wasn't even sure if she wanted to. She tried to recollect the last time she woke up in the morning with someone else. She smiled sadly. That must have been with my mother? How many times had she slept in her mother's bed the first night after her father had gone away again when she was little? Later, her 'one night stands' had never lasted a whole night, there had never been a 'morning after'. And now she relished the feeling, the warm body and the comfortable weight on top of her. No, she definitely didn't want to move, so she closed her eyes again and just enjoyed this foreign sensation.

Kaboom? kaboom? kaboom? was Holly's first perception in this new day. The sound rumbled in her left ear. She slightly opened one eye, trying to determine her whereabouts. Kaboom? kaboom? kaboom? Slowly she became aware of the nature of the sound. It was the strong, steady heartbeat of her newly found love. Reluctant to let go of the reassuring sound, she finally lifted her head and peeked up. The tall woman's face looked peaceful and relaxed, she was seemingly asleep. Her tousled bangs covered her forehead.

"Haven't you been told it's rude to stare?"

Holly smiled as two eyes opened and loving blue orbs looked straight into her soul. "I thought that you were asleep."

"Well?" The trucker drawled. "I've been awake for some time but I seem to have some trouble moving this morning." She looked meaningfully to the arm and leg holding her in place.

The blonde grinned sheepishly but didn't move a muscle. She was just fine were she was.

"Good morning."

Emerald green eyes sparkled mischievously. "I liked your good morning yesterday morning better ?" She felt the body underneath her shifting and before Holly could say another thing, large hands had gripped her under her arms, was she pushed up and had to look down? way down into devilishly gleaming blue eyes. Matching the eyes was an evil grin playing around the trucker's mouth. "Whoaa?" She yelped.

"Did you now??" Came a low, rumbling voice.

"Robin?" The girl said, closing her eyes. "Remember me? I'm the one uncomfortable with heights. Let me down? Please?" She felt the chuckle vibrating through the strong arms holding her and peeked through one eye. "Please??"

"I think you're lucky I liked that good morning too." Robin commented slyly as she slowly lowered her lover on top of her. Warm lips met in a deep and passionate kiss, their desire blazed up as tongues danced and shivers went up and down their bodies, to finally settle deep down in their loins.

Holly broke off first, needing some air. "Hot damn?" She gasped. "I like this one even better."

"Uh huh?" The trucker breathed, lazily running a finger down the girl's jawline and then over wet lips. "You're beautiful." She added in a whisper.

Looking down in quiet wonder, Holly just blinked once, green eyes going teary.

"What?" Robin asked startled.

One lonely tear traveled down her cheek and it took a long moment before she could speak. "No one has ever said that to me?"

Now it was the trucker's turn to look astonished. "Never??"

"Never?"

Robin cupped the young face in her hands and wiped the tear away with her thumb while she pulled the girl closer till their lips almost touched. "Well, you are?" She said softly and kissed her again.

* * * * *

It had been a lazy morning but they were finally ready to face the world again. "How about we make it an early lunch and get on our way?" Robin suggested while she moved some of Holly's stuff out of her way. "By the way, maybe you would like to take a shower here. You won't get another chance before Monday evening."

Holly looked at the trucker sheepishly. "Oh? Yeah, I would like that." She started collecting some clean clothes. "I would never have thought about that, this is all kinda new to me."

Collecting some clean clothes for herself, Robin glanced over her shoulder to the girl and smiled. "Keeping yourself presentable on the road takes a bit of planning. Not all places have those nice bathrooms they have here. Come on."

A half an hour later they sat clean and with fresh clothes on their backs at their table and were waiting for their grilled cheese sandwiches. "You know?" Holly said pensively. "I don't even know where we are going."

"Well, first we go to Freefield, about 300 miles from here. There the trailer will be unloaded and then we go back to the office." The trucker explained as Sandy put two plates on the table.

"Mind if I join you guys for a few minutes?" The waitress said and looked at her friend after she had thrown a prudent glance to the tall woman. "It will be a while before I'll see you again."

Holly smiled at her long time friend. "Sure, have a seat. I was just trying to find out where I'm going."

"And? Any place interesting?" The waitress switched her gaze from Holly to Robin and back again.

The young woman grinned. "I don't know. Ever been in Freefield?"

Sandy shook her head. "Nope." And turned her gaze to the raven-haired woman.

The dark haired woman saw the other two women look at her in anticipation and smiled at them mildly. "We're just gonna unload the stuff and we'll be on our way again."

"Right, to the office." Said the blonde nodding her head. "And where is that?"

Robin had just taken a big bite out of her sandwich and it took a few seconds for her to chew and swallow it. "Seven Hills." She laughed when she saw the blank looks on the faces. "It's a fair sized town, about? uhm? 400 miles from here." And she took another bite.

"And we go back empty?" The girl asked as she wiped some juice of her chin.

The trucker nodded her head as she took a zip of her coke. "Yes, no return cargo. It was a last minute thing. They wanted it delivered Monday morning at the latest. I lost almost half a day because there were two crates missing when I picked it up, otherwise I would have been there late Friday afternoon and home on Saturday."

"Well, I for one liked how it turned out." Holly gave her dark lover a mischievous smile which got her a wink in return.

They finished their lunch while the two childhood friends chattered about nothing specific, Robin felt content just watching the two. It was noon when they finally were ready to go.

"Let me get the truck." Robin said, getting to her feet and gave her young lover some space for another goodbye. "I'll meet you out front in a few." She squeezed the girl's shoulder as she passed her.

Holly's goodbye to Sandy was one of mixed feelings. On the one hand she was sad because she would leave her only friend here behind but on the other hand she was exited that she would leave this stinking town and everything it stood for.

Sandy gave her friend a last hug. "Be careful out there, Holly and good luck with tall, dark and gorgeous." She heard the small blonde grin softly.

Holly let go of the waitress. "I know it sounds a bit dreamy but I think that won't be a problem." A thin smile played across her face. "I'll call you soon. You have the phone numbers, right?

Sandy nodded, not really trusting her voice at the moment. Although she was glad for her friend, there was lump stuck in her throat.

The robust sound of a truck engine grew stronger as the black colossus pulled up and stopped next to them. A heavy door slammed shut and the tall trucker appeared from behind the cabin, absent-mindedly raking a hand through her hair.

Holly leaned a bit closer to the waitress. "I love it when she does that. It looks so?" She whispered, searching for the right word.

"Sexy." Whispered Sandy back and they both giggled.

Robin studied the two girl's warily. "Ready?" She asked, her voice low and soft as she slowly moved to the door on the passenger's side. What's wrong with them?

After giving her old friend a quick kiss on her cheek, she turned around and trotted over to the truck. "Yeah, I'm ready."

The trucker yanked the door open and watched the small blonde climb in. "You're getting better at this." She commented after the girl had safely gotten in.

"Yeah." She said, smiling proudly. "Before you know it, I'll be your regular mountain goat." She moved her gaze. "We'll call soon." She called to the waiting red head just before the door slammed shut.

Sandy gave her an affirmative wave and saw the trucker starting to make her way back to the driver's side. "Robin." She called after her, making the tall woman turn slightly and look over her shoulder with a questioning eyebrow raised. "Take care of her." She sounded almost pleading.

Robin gave the smaller woman a reassuring smile. "No problem." Then she turned back, continued her way and climbed in the cabin.

Slowly the truck started moving away from the waitress, Holly waved her goodbye. She raised her own arm and saw the back of the dusty trailer grow smaller as she heard a long low blow of a horn die in the air. Good luck, my friend. Taking a deep breath, she turned around and entered the bar.

* * * *

The End