DISCLAIMERS:

COPYRIGHT: Xena Warrior Princess, and Gabrielle, are the property of MCA/Universal and are used here without permission. No copyright infringement implied or intended. No dinars will be made on this story. The leading ladies resemble our two X:WP heroines. Any character or name resemblance to 'real' people currently living or dead is completely coincidental. The characters are mine... If you want to use them, please ask me first. Download it, print it out and pass it around if you'd like, but be sure to include these disclaimers.

SUBTEXT: This is a story about two women who are very committed to a caring and loving relationship. Sex is part of that relationship, but not the focus. There are some mildly graphic sex scenes within, but nothing explicit or kinky. If this type of love offends you, if you are less than 18 years old, or if love is illegal where you live, climb on board the anti-subtext train and get outta town.

VIOLENCE: Yes, this is definitely a dark episode, dealing with domestic violence. Violence of the type described within, is the work of a sick mind, but it is vital to the story line. If you are disturbed by this concept, you may want to consider reading something else. If you are currently involved in a violent relationship... GET OUT OF IT NOW... RUN - DON'T WALK, TO THE NEAREST EXIT!

TIME LINE: This is the seventh installment in a modern day Uber-Xena sequence, starting with "The 'Commitment'" and followed by "A Family in Blood", "Personal Preferences", "Fighting City Hall", "Visions in Paradise", and "What's In A Name?". Since these stories are continuations of each other, there are events mentioned within that will not make much sense if you haven't read them all in order.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: I strongly believe that love is love, regardless of how it is packaged, so please don't flame me for believing in something so wonderful. All flames will be flushed down the toilet, however, I do encourage constructive criticism. Send all feedback to warriorx@together.net. A very special thank you to Herbard for beta reading my copy. Thank you, my friend. You really made me feel good about this one. kd. :-)

Promise Me Paradise

By: kd bard

Started 01/07/99

Finished 01/19/99

CHAPTER I

Cat drove up to the curbside mailbox before pulling into the driveway. Reaching in, she extracted several business size envelopes.

"Bill, bill, junk, bill..." she said as she shifted through the mail, until she came upon an envelope slightly larger and thicker than the rest, crudely labeled 'Occupant'.

"Ma, Hurry! X-Men are on!" cried Seth from the back seat.

Placing the stack of envelopes on the seat just under her leg, she steered the car into the driveway, where she parked and turned off the ignition. Seth was immediately out of the car and heading for the house.

Turning around, Cat said, "Tara, Honey. Could you please unhook your sister's car seat?"

Tara did as she was asked, freeing the four year old child from the seat and allowing her to climb out of the car. Cat collected the mail and her handbag and headed for the house behind the girls. Entering the kitchen, she threw the mail on the counter and headed toward the stairs to change into a pair of shorts and T-shirt before starting dinner. She passed Seth lounging lazily on the couch, watching his favorite cartoon. Stopping by the couch, she leaned over and kissed the boy on the forehead. "Don't forget, Scout... Homework right after this show, okay?"

"Yeah, I know." he replied grumpily.

Cat ruffled his hair and continued on toward the stairs. Passing Tara's room on the way to her's, she peeked in and saw the two girls playing dolls. Poking her head in the door, she asked, "Homework tonight, Tara?"

Tara regarded her mother. "I got some spelling words to do." she replied.

"Okay." Cat replied. "You've got about a half hour to play, then you'll need to get it done before supper's ready."

"Ah, Mama!" Tara said, whining.

"What is it with you two?" Cat exclaimed to the child. "You're brother acted the same way about his homework!"

Shaking her head from side to side, she went to her room and changed her clothes. A short time later, she returned to the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee to brew. Picking up the mail once more, she sat at the table and started opening the envelopes. After opening the bills, Cat's attention was drawn to the thick envelope marked "Occupant'. Just as she lifted the corner of the flap, the phone rang.

"Hello?" she answered, cradling the phone between her shoulder and ear as she continued to peel the flap away from the envelope.

"Hi, Love!" Cat heard from the receiver.

Cat smiled brightly, leaning against the wall with the half opened envelope in her hand. She closed her eyes and sighed at the sound of her wife's voice. "Gods, that woman turns me into a pile of mush with her voice alone!" Cat thought.

"Hi, Sweetheart." Cat replied as she took a deep breath and continued to open the envelope. "What's up?" she asked into the phone.

"Just called to let you know I'm gonna be late. I'm in the middle of an emergency meeting with a domestic violence case we took on last week, and it will be about an hour before we wrap it up, okay?" Billie said in a serious voice.

"Okay... Is everything all right?" Cat asked, reaching into the envelope while speaking into the phone.

"It will be... she's beaten up pretty badly, Cat." Billie said with intense emotion.

Cat could hear the distress in her wife's voice. "Billie, Honey... try not to get too personally involved here." Cat said. "I know this hits pretty close to home, but I don't want to see you getting hurt, okay?"

"Cat... I can't help it. Damn... he beat her son too. Bad enough to put him into the hospital." Billie explained.

"Gods, Billie. How old is the child?" Cat said, with a shaky voice.

"Three... a little younger than Sky." Billie replied. "Cat, if anyone hurt our children like that, I'd...."

"I know... I know Sweetheart, I understand." Cat replied.

Cat's hand had stopped reaching into the envelope in mid stream when Billie spoke about the abuse. Regaining her senses, she reached further into the package and extracted several photographs.

"Anyway," Billie continued. "I'll be about an hour late, okay?"

Silence.

"Cat?" Billie asked.

Silence.

"CAT! Cat, are you there? Talk to me!" Billie said loudly, concern saturating her voice.

"By the Gods, Billie!" Cat said, staring at the pictures.

**********

Billie grabbed her jacket and keys. Pulling her coworker Art, aside, she told him that she had an emergency of her own at home to deal with, and that he would have to finish with the domestic violence case for her. He gladly accepted the chore and sent her home.

Rounding the corner on two wheels and screeching to a halt in the driveway, Billie quickly ran into the house to find Cat sitting on the kitchen floor, with her back against the wall, and the phone still in her hand. In the other hand, and all around the floor, were scattered 3x5 photographs. Tears were streaming down Cat's face.

Billie cautiously approached Cat and crouched down in front of her, reaching over and collecting the photographs from the floor and shoving them into her coat pocket without really looking at them. She suddenly noticed Seth and Tara standing in the doorway a few feet away, fear and confusion written plainly on their faces.

"Seth, take your sister and go into the other room, please." she said to her son.

Seth stood there, unresponsive.

"NOW!" Billie yelled, louder than she intended, causing the children to jump and scurry into the other room.

"Don't you EVER yell at them like that again!" Cat said, coming to her senses at Billie's curt tone with the children.

"Cat, I'm sorry...." Billie began, reaching out to the smaller woman.

Cat slapped her hands away. "Don' t touch me!" she said. "Don't touch me... just leave... please!" she demanded.

"Cat... What's wrong?...Talk to me..." Billie pleaded.

Cat rose to her feet and threw the remaining pictures at Billie. "What more is there to say, Billie? I think these pictures speak volumes by themselves!" she spat at the dark haired woman.

Billie approached Cat from behind and wrapped her arms around her. "Cat... please..." she began.

Cat's arms exploded outward, flinging Billie's away violently. She turned to face her wife with such venom and fire in her eyes that Billie took a step backward. "I am asking you to leave, Billie. Please don't make me call the police." she said angrily.

Billie's anger surfaced. Grabbing Cat's arms, she forcefully pushed her up against the wall and lowered her face to within a fraction of an inch of hers. "Look, I don't know what this is all about, Cat, but obviously, you've decided that I've done something wrong, so there's no point in arguing, is there?" Billie's chest heaved with each word.

"Leave her alone!" came a voice from the living room doorway.

Without releasing Cat, Billie looked over her shoulder at a very angry Seth, who was standing there with his fists clenched, Tara standing behind him, crying.

"Let her go, Mom!" Seth said. "I won't let you hurt her."

Billie was awestruck. She couldn't believe that her son had the gall enough to stand up to her that way. The irrational part of her mind also acknowledged that he was taking sides with Cat... AGAINST her.

Billie turned back to Cat. "See that?" she asked. "You've turned my own son against me.... DAMN YOU CAT!" she yelled into her face.

Cat's eyes narrowed into slits. "OUR son, Billie.... OUR son... and he's staying here with me. Now leave!" Cat demanded.

Billie looked like she wanted to beat Cat to within an inch of her life. Part of her wanted to release the monster that she knew she had lurking inside her, but the stronger part of her, held tightly to the reins of self control. "I've got to get away from her before I do something stupid." Billie thought. "If I hurt her, I'll never forgive myself.... I'll have to find a way to make her see...." she thought.

Pushing herself away from Cat, Billie collected the remaining photographs and the envelope they came in, then turned and stalked out the door.

Seth and Tara huddled in a heap on the floor with their mother as Billie's tires squealed out of the driveway and down the street.

************************************************************************************************ CHAPTER II

Billie drove blindly through the streets, not realizing where she was until she pulled into the parking lot of her office building. Throwing the car in park, she just sat there, replaying the events with Cat, over and over in her mind. She was still sitting there an hour later, when Art left the building to go home. Noticing her car, he approached it and found her slumped over the steering wheel, crying.

Art reached into the window and gently stroked her back. "Billie." he said gently. "Billie, come on, my friend... Talk to me." he said.

Billie looked up at him, incapable of coherent speech.

Art's heart melted at the sight. Both he and his wife Marge had become close to Billie and her family over the last couple of years, and to see her like this, with her heart obviously in shreds around her, was more than he could take. He leaned in and took her keys from the ignition, then helped her out of the car. Leading her to his own car, he headed home with her in the passenger seat. On the way, he called Marge on his car phone.

"Marge, Honey, it's Art." he began. "Look, love, I'm bringing Billie home with me... she's in a bad way... No... No, she's not hurt - not physically anyway..... Okay.... All right. Just fix up the guest room, okay? We'll be there soon. I love you." he said, hanging up and returning the phone to its holder. Turning to Billie, he saw that she was leaning against the door, her head on the window and her arms wrapped tightly around herself. Tears coursed their way down her face as sobs wracked her body uncontrollably. Ten minutes later, he was pulling into the driveway of his home.

Marge immediately took charge of Billie as Art brought her into the house. Leading her over to sit on the couch, she removed Billie's coat and handed it to Art to be hung up, then she took the tall woman into her arms and held her tight as sounds of sobbing filled the room. Her own heart broke at the sound, bringing tears to her eyes. She stroked Billie's hair, making soothing sounds in the woman's ear. Finally, after several moments, Marge pulled Billie's head down into her lap as the tall woman forced herself to relax in her friend's embrace.

When the sobbing had subsided enough to stop the jerking motions that racked Billie's body, Marge pulled her up into a sitting positing and offered her the glass of water that Art had brought to her earlier. While she drank, Marge pushed the hair out of Billie's face and tucked it behind her ear.

"Billie, Sweetie." she said. "Do you want to talk about it? Do you want us to call Cat?" she asked.

Billie's eyes flew open wide, filling with tears once more. "Sh..sh..she won't talk to me....Sh..sh...she threw me out." Billie said fretfully. "I've lost her, Marge... she hates me! My god, how will I live without her? Without my kids?"

Marge looked at Art over Billie's head, concern written all over her face.

Art sat down on the other side of Billie and circled her back with his arm. "You know, partner, We're here for you... We're ready to listen when you want to talk about it, okay?" he said.

Billie just nodded her head and finished her water. Handing the cup back to Marge, she dropped her head backward against the couch and closed her eyes, folding her hands in her lap. Moments later, emotionally and physically exhausted, she fell into a light sleep.

"Art, I'm going to turn down the blankets on the bed in the guest room. Carry her in there for me, will you?" Marge asked.

Art nodded as he reached down and removed Billie's shoes. Then, slipping his arms under her knees and around her shoulders, he lifted her and followed Marge into the guest room. Billie let her head fall into Art's shoulder. Reaching up, she draped her arm around his neck and allowed her friend to carry her into the bedroom. Art gently placed her on the bed while Marge tucked the blankets in around her. Art stood off awkwardly to the side as Marge leaned in and spoke softly to the tall woman.

"Billie, I don't know what is causing you so much pain, but I want you to know that Art and I are ready to listen when you feel like talking about it. Okay?" she asked.

Billie nodded.

Marge leaned in a kissed Billie on the forehead. "We love you, you know." she said to the distraught woman.

Billie just closed her eyes and nodded once more, while tears escaped from her lids.

**********

"Cat? This is Art." Came the voice from the phone.

"Art." Cat simply said.

"Cat, I think you know why I'm calling." he said.

"She's with you, isn't she?" Cat asked.

"Yes, she is. Cat, she's in pretty bad shape.... she's not hurt or anything, but she's total wreck." Art explained.

Silence.

"Cat?" Art asked.

"Art, It's late. I need to put the children to bed. I've got to go." Cat replied.

"Cat... I don't know what's happened between you two, but Billie is totally devastated." Art said.

"Ask her about the photographs, Art.... Look, I've got to go. Goodnight." she said, hanging up the phone.

Art looked at the receiver in his hand. "The photographs?" he thought to himself. Hanging up his receiver, he went in search of Marge, finding her just coming out of Billie's room.

"How is she?" Art asked his wife.

"She's sleeping.... finally." Marge replied. "Art, she's dying inside. I'm not sure what, but something major happened between them." she observed.

"I just talked to Cat... You know, to let her know Billie was here. She seemed very cold. The only thing she said was, 'ask her about the photographs'. I don't know what that means Marge, but I intend to find out tomorrow." Art said.

**********

Cat leaned over the sleeping child and kissed him gently on the forehead. Looking down into his face, she marveled again at how much he looked like his mother... true, he had is father's coloring, but is face and eyes were all Billie. Cat stifled a gasp as she covered her mouth to keep the sobs from waking the child. Pulling the blanket up to his neck, she tucked him in securely then headed for her own room. Once inside, she flung herself on the bed and cried.

"Billie... How could you do this to me... to us?" she thought. "I loved you so much... I gave you everything... all that I am. Why wasn't I enough?" she cried, as such torturous thoughts ran through her mind.

She played the scene over and over in her head. Opening the envelope, looking at the pictures. She found herself wondering where the photographs had been taken... and by whom.. "Maybe I don't know you at all!" Cat thought.

Thinking back to the scene in the kitchen... herself pinned against the wall... an enraged Billie pressed into her... a gallant Seth coming to her rescue. "For the first time since I met you, I was afraid of you, Billie. I actually thought that you would hurt me... that you would hurt the children. I was terrified." she mused to herself. "Can I ever forgive you? Can I ever trust you again?"

Cat found herself thinking of where Billie was now. "She's with you, isn't she?" She had asked. "Yes, she is. Cat, she's in pretty bad shape.... she's not hurt or anything, but she's total wreck." came the remembered reply. "Are you Billie? Are you hurting as much as I am right now?" she thought as she drifted off to sleep.

**********

Lids fluttered open, then slammed shut again to ward off the headache that followed the sunlight into her pale blue eyes. Raising a hand to her forehead, she massaged her temples, releasing the tension that had built up during her nightmare filled dream state. She felt as though she had drunk a case of whiskey the night before. Her mouth was dry, and eyes nearly swollen shut. She was disoriented, not really sure where she was. Sensing a presence in the room with her, she slowly opened her eyes into thin slits and scanned the room. There in a chair by her bed, sat a large, dark skinned man. He smiled when their eyes met.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, Billie." the man said.

"Art." was the simple reply.

Art leaned over and moved the bangs from her forehead. "How are you feeling this morning.... or should I say this afternoon?" he asked, looking at his watch.

Billie sat up abruptly. "Afternoon?" she exclaimed. "Art... what time is it?" she asked looking around with wide eyes.

"It's nearly 1 pm, Billie." he replied.

"Oh gods!" she said, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. "I've got to go... Cat..." she began.

"... knows where you are, Billie. I called her last night.... and you're not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on!" he stated.

Billie looked at Art. She looked like she was going to confide in him, then suddenly changed her mind. "It's nothing, Art. We'll work it out." she said.

"Don't tell me it's nothing Billie. I 'm the one who found you last night, remember? Whatever happened between you and Cat yesterday was a little more than 'nothing' to put you in the state you were in when I brought you home! Marge has been worried sick about you... and she wouldn't worry over 'nothing'. Understand? Now you're not going anywhere until you tell me what happened!" he demanded in an angry voice.

Art expected tears, but what he got instead was anger. Billie rose to her feet and paced back and forth across the room like a caged tiger. Finally, after several trips, she stopped and glared directly at Art.

"She threw me out!" Billie stated. "Is that what you want to know? Is it? She threw me out!"

Art kept his distance. This was a side of his friend that he didn't know existed. "Why?" he asked.

"How the hell am I supposed to know?" Billie shouted. "I called her yesterday to let her know I'd be late, when suddenly, there was dead silence on the other end of the line. I rushed home, thinking that she or the kids were in trouble, and when I get there, she's sitting on the floor crying, with pictures scattered all around her!" Billie explained, pacing once more.

"What happened next?" Art asked.

"I tried to console her and she just flew off the handle.... telling me not to touch her, and screaming at me to leave." Billie replied. Running her hand through her hair, she continued. "Seth and Tara were standing there watching the whole thing. I asked them to go into the other room, and I guess I became a little too loud and abusive with them, which only made her angrier."

Art was not liking this one bit. "Billie, you didn't hurt her or the children, did you?" he asked.

Billie looked up at him guiltily. "I grabbed Cat and threw her against the wall, holding her there by her arms, but no, I didn't hurt her... at least I don't think I did." she explained.

"And the kids were there the whole time?" Art asked.

"Yeah. In fact, Seth stood up to me, threatening to defend Cat if I tried to hurt her.... Art, my own son has turned against me!" she cried.

Art pulled Billie into his arms. "No, my friend, he didn't turn against you, he was just defending Cat. You should be proud of him for doing that." Art explained, allowing Billie to cry on his shoulder.

"Art, what am I going to do? I can't live without her... without them. By the gods, if I only knew what I did wrong!" Billie exclaimed.

Art took Billie by the shoulders and held her an arm's length away from him. "Well, when I called Cat last night, she told me to ask you about the photographs. Do you know what she is talking about?" he asked.

Billie's brow creased in thought. "I picked up a bunch of photographs that were scattered on the floor around her, but I didn't take the time to really look at them.... they're in my coat pocket." she said.

"Okay, wait here, and I'll get them.... and keep your chin up, Billie. We'll get you through this, I promise." he said.

She tried to smile through the pain in her heart. "Thanks, Art." she said as she sat down on the bed and waited for him to return.

************************************************************************************************ CHAPTER III

Billie sat on the bed, surrounded by about a dozen photographs... very vivid photographs... photographs of Billie in sexually compromising positions with an attractive blonde woman. She was struck speechless.

Art paced back and forth, one hand on his hip, and the other moving worriedly across his chin. He stopped in front of the tall woman. "Billie... This doesn't look good." he said. "No wonder Cat threw you out!"

Billie just continued to stare at the pictures, here eyes wide with confusion and fear.

"Billie..." Art said.

Silence.

"BILLIE!" he yelled... this time causing the dark haired woman to look up at him. In a calmer voice, he continued, "Billie... No offense, but why? Cat is the sweetest, most perfect person in the world for you.... The two of you complete each other... I've heard you say that! How could you do this to her?" he asked.

Billie's eyes narrowed into slits, a sneer appearing on her face. She swung her feet over the edge of the bed and shoved her feet into her shoes. Standing, she angrily collected the pictures and shoved them into the back pocket of her jeans. Turning sharply to face the big man, she spat into his face, "I thought you were my friend Art! How could you think... Arrgghhh!. I need to get out of here before I do or say something I'll regret!" she said, throwing her hands in the air and stomping out of the room. Grabbing her coat, she headed to the door.

"Billie, don't leave. I'm sorry. We need to talk about this." Art pleaded, grabbing her arm to stop her from leaving.

Billie looked at Art's hand on her arm. "Take your hand off me." she said through clenched teeth.

Art saw intense anger stirring behind her eyes and promptly removed his hand.

"At least let me drive you to where you want to go." he said.

"No thanks." Billie replied. "I'll walk.... Gives me time to think!" she said, raising her eye brows up and down evilly. "Tell Marge I said thanks for everything." she said as she walked out the door.

"Oh Shit... Oh Shit!" Art said, pacing back and forth as he watched her walk down the sidewalk away from his house. "I've got to warn Cat." he thought as he reached for the phone and dialed their home number. After several rings, he gave up, realizing that it was too soon for Cat to be home from work. "Damn!" he said out loud as he found the phone book and looked up the number of the hospital where Cat worked. It took several minutes before he finally had her on the phone.

"Cat... Cat, This is Art." he began.

"Art." Cat interrupted. "Look, If you're calling about Billie, I really don't want to discuss it, okay?"

"Cat, Listen to me." Art begged. "Billie just..."

"Did she show you the photographs, Art?" Cat interrupted again.

"Yes... yes she did, Cat. In fact, it was obvious that it was the first time she had really looked at them herself. Cat, I can't blame you for being angry." Art said.

Cat was suddenly choked up. In a small voice, she said, "Art, Look, I have to go back to work. Is there something you needed to tell me?" she asked.

Cat's question prompted him to remember why he had called. "Yeah... Cat, Billie just left here really pissed off... mostly at me because I was disgusted with the pictures, but I'm also worried that she has some ulterior motive. She had this evil, wicked look in her eyes when she left. I'm worried about her Cat, and I'm worried about you and the kids." he finished.

"Gods, Art... You don't think she'll...." Cat began.

"I don't know what she's capable of, Cat. What I DO know, is that she was a total mess last night. I have never seen her in such shape. She thinks she has lost you and the kids, and she's desperate. Desperation has driven people to do awful things, Cat." he explained.

"Art, I've got to go... I've got to pick up the kids at the daycare before Billie gets there first." Cat said, panic in her voice.

"One thing I've got to know before I hang up Cat." Art said. "Do you still love her?" he asked.

Without hesitation, Cat replied, "I'll always love her Art... I just don't know if I'll ever trust her again."

"I understand." he said. "Look, she's on foot. I'm going to ride around looking for her. I'll try to keep her away from you if I find her, okay?" he asked.

"Okay Art. Thanks." Cat said before hanging up the phone.

**********

Billie shoved her hands deep into the pockets of her coat as she stared straight ahead of herself while she walked away from Art's house.

"Damn you Art!" she said out loud. "How could you.... How could Cat...?" Tears started streaming down her face. All she could think about was her wife and kids. "Cat, I need you. It's not what you think. Oh Gods, How can I make you see?" she thought to herself.

Billie walked for hours, ducking between buildings when cars approached. She had seen Art drive by several times, obviously looking for her. Soon, she found herself in the downtown area, in a part of the city nicknamed "Hell's Hole."

She ducked into a bar as she saw Art's car approaching for the 100th time. She walked up to the bar, ordered a drink, and carried it to a table in the far corner of the room where she could see the entire bar at a glance. Pulling out the photographs, she spread them out on the table before her, staring at them as she sipped her drink, her heart breaking more and more with each passing minute. Several hours and several drinks later, she clumsily pulled the pictures into a pile and shoved them back into her pocket. Standing, she swayed on her feet and fell back into her chair.

The next thing Billie knew, she was being helped to her feet by a big burly man who was desperately in need of a bath. Her inebriated state made her helpless to resist being dragged out of the bar and into the alley. The man had a firm grasp on her upper arm as he half carried, half dragged her behind him, slamming her up against the wall behind the trash dumpster and pressing his sweaty body against her. Billie started to gag at the smell of him.

Her assailant reached up and grabbed her by the throat, roughly banging her head against the brick building to stop her from gagging. Having had too much to drink to adequately defend herself, her attempts at martial arts fell weekly on the man's muscular frame. Annoyed with her struggling, he reached up and backhanded her roughly across the face, sending her flying through the boxes and bags of rubbish piled beside the dumpster.

He laughed as he reached down and pulled her roughly to her feet, only to land a punch firmly into her stomach, She fell to her knees and threw up the countless drinks she had consumed in the bar. Disgusted with the sight, the man kicked her squarely in the side, causing her to double over in pain. Finally, laughing out loud, and spitting tobacco spittle all over her, he grabbed her shirt and pulled her to her feet once more, forcing her up against the wall and groping her with one dirty hand, while reaching down to unbuckle his belt with the other.

Billie's eyes were bulging out of her face as flashbacks raced through her mind. "No, this can't be happening again... No! Brian.. no more! Please! I won't do it again... I promise. Please Brian.. No more! Please!" her mind screamed as the belt rained down on her over and over. Crouching on the ground, she did her best to protect her face, while the wide strap fell across her back.

Suddenly, it stopped. The next thing she remembered was seeing her assailant laying on the ground next to her, his nose broken and bloodied as she lost consciousness.

************************************************************************************************ CHAPTER IV

Cat was suddenly awakened by a persistent banging. Sitting up abruptly in bed, she looked around, trying to determine where the noise was coming from. Hearing it again, she quickly pulled her robe on and headed down the stairs after stopping to get a baseball bat from Seth's room. Walking through the living room, she heard the banging again, and realized that it was someone knocking insistently on the kitchen door. She reached into the kitchen and turned on the overhead light before stepping inside. Her attention was drawn immediately to the back door where she could see Art through the window, struggling to hold something in one arm while banging on the door with the other.

Cat ran over to the door and opened it to her friend, muffling a scream when she saw what he was holding, or rather, who he was holding.

"Cat, Quickly... She's hurt pretty bad." Art said, dragging Billie inside and laying her on the floor.

Cat's medical training took over as she efficiently examined the tall woman. Looking up at Art, she said in a voice she was trying very hard to control, "Art, please carry her to our room, I need to get these clothes off her to see the whole extent of the damage."

Art lifted the semiconscious Billie into his arms and carried her up the stairs to her room. Cat followed behind, and before entering their room, took a deep breath to regain her composure.

"Lay her on the bed and help me remove her clothes." Cat instructed as she retrieved her medical bag from the desk in the corner.

Within minutes, they had her clothes off. Art took one look at his friend's battered body and ran into the adjoining bathroom to empty the contents of his stomach into the toilet. When he returned to the bedroom, Cat was looking into Billie's eyes with a small light, testing the responsiveness of her pupils.

"Art... Why didn't you bring her to the hospital?" Cat asked, her hands shaking violently as she examined her wife.

"She refused to go, Cat. She made me promise to take her home." Art replied.

Cat looked at him, her green emerald pools filling with tears. "What happened to her?" she whispered.

Art knelt by the side of the bed and took one of Billie's hands in his. "She tried to drown her sorrows in one of the seediest bars in town, Cat. Some creep had her in the alley, beating the shit out of her when I finally found her." he said.

Cat shot him a startled look. Looking back to her wife's face, she said, "Art, I need to see if she's been violated. Please go into the bathroom down the hall and soak some white towels in hot water while I examine her, okay?" she asked in a trembling voice.

Art nodded and rose to his feet, doing as he was asked.

While he was gone, Cat carefully examined Billie, spreading her legs and checking carefully for signs of sexual violation. When it became obvious that Billie had escaped that horror, Cat lowered her head to the bed and cried, silent, thankful tears to the gods.

Moments later, Art returned with the towels and looked hopefully at Cat. Cat shook her head 'no' and smiled slightly. Art released a breath he didn't realize he was holding and wrapped his arms around Cat, hugging her tightly and kissing her on top of the head. Pulling Cat out to arms' length, he asked, "What can I do to help?"

Cat handed him some of the towels as they worked together to clean the blood and dirt off Billie's tall frame. When they rolled her over to examine her back, Cat almost passed out at the sight of the welt marks that criss-crossed her wife's back and shoulders.

"Oh, Gods, no!" Cat cried, falling to her knees and feeling every stripe on Billie's back. "By the gods... she must have been terrified." Cat exclaimed.

Art walked over to Cat, pulled her to her feet and sat her on the edge of the bed. "Cat, Let me finish here, okay? Go make us some tea while I clean her up."

Cat nodded and rose to her feet, slowly shuffling out of the room, returning later with two cups of hot mint tea. Handing one to Art, she placed her own on the night stand and started examining Billie once more. Noting the large bruise on Billie's side, she pressed he palm of her hand into it slowly to determine if there were any broken ribs. Billie moaned at the contact.

"Art, help me sit her up. I need to wrap her ribs. I don't think anything is broken, but she's pretty well banged up there." she said.

After a few more minutes, they had tended to all of Billie's wounds, wrapping her ribs and rubbing salve into the welts on her back and split lip. Rolling her back over onto her back, Cat pulled the sheet up to cover her just above her breasts. Leaning over, she brushed a stray lock of hair off her forehead and motioned Art out of the room ahead her.

After placing another cup of tea in front of Art, Cat joined him at the kitchen table.

"Art, you should have brought her to the hospital." Cat said, reaching out and placing a hand on his arm.

Art looked down into his cup, then back up at Cat. "She wouldn't go, Cat. She insisted that I bring her to you." he said. "She said that if she was going to die, she wanted it to be in your arms."

Cat was startled. "She said that!?... Art, she isn't injured badly enough to die." she exclaimed.

"I know that Cat." Art commented. "Actually, I think she went to that bar on purpose, hoping that maybe this would happen... maybe hoping someone would put her out of her misery." he said.

Cat shook her head side to side. "No Art... Billie has too much to live for to have a death wish." Cat replied.

"Does she Cat?" Art asked. "She apparently doesn't think so... Cat, she thinks she has lost you and the children for good... I really think she went to that bar fully aware that this could happen." he insisted.

"If that's true, Art, then she's more unstable than I thought." Cat said sadly.

Art reached out his hand to Cat, palm up. Cat willingly placed her hand in his. "No, I don't think so my friend. She's not unstable, just distraught. She thinks she has lost the most precious things in her life,... her reasons for living. No, I don't think she's unstable, I think she just gave up, not wanting to live without you and the kids." he explained.

Cat sat there, looking down into her tea cup. "Art, you saw the photographs" Cat reminded him.

Art sighed deeply. "Yes, I did... and like I said on the phone, I don't blame you for being angry. But maybe... just maybe there's an explanation for all of this?" he asked.

Cat just raised her eyebrows at him.

"Did you ask her for an explanation, Cat?" Art asked.

Cat's face dissolved into one of hopeless despair. "No I didn't. I just reacted... I screamed at her and demanded that she leave... Maybe I should have let her explain." Cat said.

"Maybe." Art said, squeezing Cat's hand. "Cat, you don't need to forgive her yet. Give her time to heal, then let her explain before your decide to open your heart again." he said. "Okay?"

Cat just looked into her tea and nodded her head.

************************************************************************************************ CHAPTER V

Cat checked on Billie one more time before climbing into bed with Tara for the night. Within moments, she had fallen into a light sleep, her subconscious mind listening carefully to Billie sleeping in the next room. Before long, sounds of moans and protests woke Cat up.

Carefully rising out of bed, so as to not disturb the sleeping child, she silently made her way to her own bedroom, to see Billie wrestling with an unknown assailant in her dreams. Her head was trashing from side to side, sweat pouring from her hairline and beading on her upper lip. A string of protests came steadily from her throat. "Please, no... Brian, no more.... please... I promise not to do it again... please no more!", she pleaded in her sleep.

Cat's heart broke as she stood in the doorway watching the keeper of her heart struggle with her dreams. Unable to stay away, she approached the bed and crawled under the covers with her tall lover, pulling Billie into her embrace and holding her tightly, reciting soothing words of comfort into her ear. Soon, Billie settled down and fell back into a deep sleep.

Try as she might, Cat could not let go of the pain in her heart as she waited for Billie to fall back to sleep. When she was sure that her wife was sleeping, she once again slipped out of bed and rejoined Tara for the rest of the night.

**********

Cat was awakened the next morning by Seth, who was urgently shaking her awake.

"Mama... Mama! Mom is here... She's in your room and she's hurt!" Seth said with worry and concern etched across his voice.

Cat snapped awake and climbed out of bed. Looking around and running her hand through her hair, she saw that Tara had already gotten out of bed. "Where's your sister, Seth?" she asked.

"Tara's downstairs watching cartoons.... Sky is in with Mom." he replied.

Cat looked at him when she realized what he had said. Taking him by the shoulders, she lowered her face to his and said, "Seth, Uncle Art brought Mom home last night... a bad man had beaten her up... that's why she's hurt. She's going to be fine, Honey. All right?" she asked.

A string of emotions crossed Seth's face. He was happy that his mother was home, but upset with her condition, and wary of she and Cat fighting again. "Is she staying with us?" Seth asked.

Cat cupped one side of his face with her hand. "I don't know what's going to happen, love. We'll take it one day at a time and see, okay?" she said.

Seth nodded his head then hugged her. "I won't let her hurt you, Mama, I promise." he said.

"Sweetie, I don't think you have to worry about Mom hurting me... or any of you for that matter. True, we may fight now and then, but there's never been any hitting... never." she explained.

"I know." Seth said, ".... but Dad... he used to hit Mom, and..." he stammered.

Cat pulled him in close, agonizing over what this child had obviously witnessed between Billie and Brian. "I know, love. Please don't worry." she said, kissing him on the head. "I love your Mom, really I do. We just have some things to work out, but I promise you... no hitting. Okay?" she said.

"Okay. I love you, Mama... and I love Mom too!" he said.

She kissed him on the forehead. "Okay, Rugrat... Why don't you go watch TV with your sister. I'll be down shortly to make you some breakfast."

Seth nodded, then turned and scampered down the stairs. Cat turned and headed toward her bedroom. Pushing the door open slowly, she found Billie sleeping on her side, curled up around a still sleeping Skylar who must have crawled in with her mother in the middle of the night. Cat leaned on the door frame and allowed a stray tear to roll down her cheek as the stifled a sob with her hand.

**********

"Who wants more pancakes?" Cat asked, holding the spatula over a tall plate of cakes.

Seth and Tara both held out their plates eagerly as Cat served up more cakes to the children.

"Me too, Mama!" said a small voice from the kitchen doorway.

Cat looked up to see Skylar held securely in the arms of a very battered Billie. Blue eyes held green for a long moment before Cat finally broke the trance and turned toward the cubbard to grab a plate for Skylar. Billie walked with very slow and painful steps toward the table where she placed Skylar in a chair. Looking at the other two children, she smiled at them and opened her arms. Both of them rose from the table and rushed to her, causing her to wince at the bear hugs they gave her. Billie wrapped her arms around them, cooing words of love into their ears. Finally, with a kiss for each child, she sent them back to their seats to finish their breakfast.

Standing as erect as possible, given her injuries, she gingerly approached the counter and poured herself a cup of coffee, then refilled the cup Cat was drinking from, carrying it to the table for her, and setting down. Cat followed her with a clean plate and utensils for her to help herself to the stack of fresh pancakes and sausage in the center of the table. Billie passed on the food and opted to drink her coffee in silence, listening to the children chatter about their plans to go to the park with Stevie and Karissa later that day. Billie just sipped her coffee and watched her family interact, praying to whatever god that was listening, that Cat would let her stay.

After the children finished eating, Billie rose from the table and silently helped Cat clear away the breakfast dishes and load them into the dishwasher. As usual, Billie rinsed them and handed them to Cat, who arranged them neatly in the tray. As the last dish was loaded, their eyes met and held for a moment. Cat frowned and looked away, grabbing the dishcloth from the counter to wash the table.

"Cat." Billie said, trying to get her attention.

Cat continued to wash the table, not looking at the tall woman. "Billie, please... Not now." was all she said.

Billie lowered her chin to her chest and sighed deeply, then pushed herself off the counter she was leaning against to head back to their room. Several minutes later, Billie was dressed and headed back down the stairs to the living room. She went to each child and kissed them tenderly, telling them all that she loved them and that she would see them soon.

Cat, who had been downstairs in the laundry room during this exchange, came up the cellar stairs into the kitchen just as Billie was reaching for the door knob. All three children were standing in the doorway between the kitchen and living room, crying. Billie herself, had tears rolling down her cheeks. Cat took one look at Billie and said, a little more sternly that she planned, "Where the hell do you think you're going?"

Billie looked confused. "Cat... you said..." she began.

"I said , I didn't want to talk about it, Billie! It's too fresh... I need some time to deal with it, Okay? I didn't mean for you to leave... You're in no condition to go anywhere!" she finished.

Billie's face contorted repeatedly, trying to hold back tears of relief.

Seeing the stalemate between her parents, Tara wiped the tears from her face then walked over and took Billie's hand. "Wanna watch Barney with us, Mom?" she asked.

"Barney! Barney!" Skylar started to chant, jumping up and down.

Instead of the traditional groan usually invoked by any mention of the purple monster's name, Billie just smiled and said, "I'd love to, Sweetie." and allowed herself to be led to the living room, by a daughter on each hand.

After watching the trio walk into the living room, Cat sat down heavily into a kitchen chair, dropping the basket of clothes she was carrying on the floor by her feet. She suddenly felt a pair of small arms circle her neck as Seth hugged her tightly.

"Thanks, Mama." he said, before releasing her and running into the living room to join his mother and sisters.

"This is not going to be easy." Cat thought. "But then, anything worth working for rarely is!" she added out loud.

************************************************************************************************ CHAPTER VI

Cat walked through the living room on her way upstairs, carrying a pile of folded clothes to be put away. Passing the couch, she observed her lover's long form surrounded by children. Billie was sitting on the couch, watching a purple dinosaur dance across the screen. She had Skylar on her lap, wrapped securely in her arms, and was book-ended by both Seth and Tara, each holding on her an arm and leaning into the tall woman. Cat sighed deeply at the thought that this loving scene could be nothing more than a farce.

Returning to the living room a few moments later, Cat stopped at the couch to remind the children that they had to get ready for their trip to the park with Stevie and Karissa. "Come on guys... you'll need to get dressed. Jen will be here to pick you all up in a few minutes." she said.

Three excited children jumped up and headed for their rooms to get dressed, leaving Billie sitting on the couch alone. Looking around, she noticed that Cat had dragged the vacuum cleaner out earlier with the intention of cleaning the rug after the children's show was over. Struggling painfully to her feet, Billie rose and plugged the machine in. Stepping on the foot pedal to turn it on, she started vacuuming the rug. Seconds later, the vacuum shut off. Turning around as fast as her injuries would allow, Billie saw Cat standing behind her with the electrical plug in her hand.

"What are you doing, Billie?" Cat asked.

Billie shifted her weight to one hip and narrowed her eyes, one hand on her hip and the other still on the handle of the vacuum cleaner. "What does it look like I'm doing?" she asked back.

"Billie, I didn't ask for your help." Cat replied sharply.

"I wasn't aware that I had to have permission to do chores in my own home Cat!" Billie retorted just as sharply.

Cat just threw the plug on the floor and stomped out of the room.

Billie took a deep, painful breath and sighed. Bending over slowly to pick up the cord, she plugged the vacuum back in and finished cleaning the rug. Wrapping the cord around the built-in holder on the vacuum, she rolled it to the hall closet and put it away. She could hear Cat banging dishes around in the kitchen the whole time.

Walking to the kitchen, Billie stopped in the doorway and watched the smaller woman move angrily around the room.

"Cat." she said, trying to get her attention.

Cat stopped at the sink with her back to Billie. Raising her hands out to the sides, she said impatiently, "No Billie! Leave me alone.... Please! this is not a good time!"

"Not a good time?" Billie replied, raising her voice. "When will it be a good time, Cat? Tell me that much, will ya?" she added angrily, hands on her hips.

Jennifer chose that moment to burst through the kitchen door.

"Hey, neighbors!" she said cheerfully before her mind registered the scene before her. She stopped dead and looked back and forth between Billie and Cat, taking in Billie's many cuts and bruises. "This is not good!" she observed.

Cat shot Billie a dirty look while saying to Jennifer, "I'll get the kids, Jen... They should be just about ready to go." Throwing the dish towel onto the kitchen table, she left the room to collect the children.

Billie shifted her feet and looked everywhere but at Jennifer.

Jennifer walked up to Billie and placed a hand on her arm. "Problems?" she said.

Billie looked into her friend's face and tried hard to hold back the tears of self pity. Now that Billie allowed her to see her face, Jennifer suddenly realized just how bad the tall woman's injuries were.

"My god, Billie... What happened?

"Stupidity, Jen... Mine." she answered.

Jennifer buried her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. "Wanna talk about it?" she asked.

"Yes, I do, but unfortunately, the one I need to talk to, isn't talking to me!" Billie replied. Hearing the children coming down the stairs, she reached out and placed a hand on Jennifer's shoulder. "This is something I need to work out with Cat, Jen. Taking the kids today really worked out well. Hopefully, I can get her to sit down and listen to me while they're gone." Billie explained.

Jennifer just nodded her head, then turned her attention to the kids who were scampering into the room excitedly... all except Seth. "All set?" she asked the children.

Walking into the kitchen with his hands buried in his pockets, he said to Billie, "Maybe I should stay here, Mom." Cat, who had come into the kitchen behind her son, looked at Billie sharply at his comment.

Billie knew he was worried about another conflict between Cat and herself... and if she had to be honest with her self, she was too, and for that reason, she certainly didn't want her son around to witness it.

Billie motioned for Jennifer to take the girls out to the car. Cat followed her out while Billie held Seth back. Kneeling down on one knee she took Seth by the shoulders. "Honey, I know you're worried about Mama." she said. "Sweetie, I won't hurt her... I promise. I love Mama very much, and I swear to you that I won't hurt her, okay?"

"You promise?" he said.

"Promise. Now go ahead and have a good time with Stevie, okay, Love?" she said. "Where's that smile I love so much?" she asked.

Seth smiled broadly and hugged his mother.

"Go on now... have fun!" she said, kissing him on the forehead.

Seth ran out the door just as Cat was coming back in. He stopped and hugged the smaller woman tightly before running out to the car.

Cat closed the kitchen door and leaned against it, watching Billie struggle back to her feet through the pain. A sweat had broken out on Billie's brow and upper lip from the effort. She pulled out a chair and sat at the table to regain her strength. Cat continued to lean against the door, watching the taller woman compose herself.

Finally, Cat broke the silence. "You wanted to talk? ...Then talk." she said.

Billie pushed a chair out with her foot. "Please, sit down, Cat." she said.

"No... No, I think I'm fine right here." Cat replied, continuing to lean against the door, crossing her arms in front of her.

Cat's refusal to cooperate, along with the pain, angered Billie beyond control. Rising to her feet, she glared at Cat and said, "I asked you nicely to sit down. I won't be so nice the next time. Now DO IT!" she bellowed.

Cat's defiance matched Billie's anger. "I don't think so, Billie... You're my wife, NOT my boss."

"Damn you, Cat!" Billie shouted, slamming her fist down onto the table. "Get your ass over here before you make me do something I'll regret later!" she threatened.

Cat's stubborn nature held. "Judging by those photographs, Billie, I'd say you've already done something you'll regret later!" she threw at the taller woman.

"Arrggghhh!" Billie yelled, grabbing her chair and sending it flying across the room. She stomped threateningly close to Cat, stopping within inches of her face, hands clenched in tight fists, her face, a mask of anger and pain. She tried desperately to calm the raging tide that was churning in her chest, but her warrior nature took over as she placed both hands against the door on either side of Cat, trapping her there. "I promised MY son that I wouldn't hurt you, Cat. Otherwise I'd give you the beating you so sorely deserve!" she yelled into her face.

Cat was pissed. Uncaring about the danger she was putting herself in, she shouted back, "What was that, Brian? Does it make you feel good to pick on someone weaker than you... Brian?"

Billie reached forward as though to wrap her hands around Cat's throat. Cat could see her struggling with herself to hold back, the veins in the taller woman's neck bulging and threatening to burst. Meeting Cat's eyes, she let all the pain and hatred she felt during her life with Brian, enter into them. Dropping her hands to her sides, Billie turned around and walked a step away, then turned back to Cat. Lifting her right hand, she pointed a finger in Cat's face. "Don't you EVER call me Brian again." she spat. "You have no idea what he was capable of!" she said.

"And just what was he capable of, Billie?" Cat challenged.

Billie was breathing rapidly, each breath sending waves of pain through her bruised ribs. She backed away a few steps and ran a hand through her hair. Looking back at Cat, she said, "Do you really want to see, Cat? Do you?... Okay!... You've got it." Billie reached out and grabbed Cat by the arm, dragging her over to the table and pushing her roughly into a chair. "Don't you dare move out of that chair." she said. Billie gave Cat one more warning look before she left the room.

Cat sat there, convinced that she had pushed the older woman too far. Her rational mind told her to get up and run while Billie was out of the room, but her heart told her to stay put. Moments later, Billie was back, breathing deeply and holding her side from her painful run up the stairs and back. Entering the kitchen, she threw the photographs that had started this whole mess, on the table in front of Cat.

"That is what he's capable of, Cat." Billie said angrily, pointing to the pictures.

Cat looked away, not wanting to see the hated images in front of her.

Billie grabbed a handful of Cat's hair and turned her face forward, forcing her to look at the pictures. With her free hand, she spread them out before the red headed woman.

"Look at them, Cat. Look closely." she said. Noticing that Cat had closed her eyes, Billie grabbed her chin and roughly turned her face to look at her. "Damn it, Cat! Open your eyes. You are so convinced that I'm guilty, yet you won't give me a chance to defend myself. Now open your eyes and look at the god damned pictures!" she demanded. "Please." she added in a much softer voice seconds later.

At the soft tone of the plea, Cat opened her eyes and looked directly at Billie. She saw every emotion Billie was capable of in the azure depths of her eyes. Somehow Cat knew that she held their future in her hands at that very moment, and that her next action would either begin to heal the wounds between them, or would tear Billie's heart completely out of her chest and cast it away. Taking a deep breath, Cat turned and looked at the pictures.

She stared at them for long moments, her heart seeing only hurt and betrayal. She covered her eyes with her hands for several minutes to regain her composure before looking at them again. Suddenly, she saw things she hadn't seen before. She reached out and picked up several of the photos and examined them closely. Tears started to roll down her cheeks at what the pictures implied. Cat looked at Billie, who was sitting in an adjacent chair with her hands folded in front of her on the table.

"By the gods, Billie..." she began. "These pictures... how old are they?" she asked.

"They were taken several years ago, when Seth was almost two.... and before you ask, yes, Brian took them." she replied.

Cat rose to her feet and circled behind Billie. She lifted the back of Billie's shirt and looked at the whip marks, comparing them to those in the photographs. She bent down and kissed the marks on Billie's back before lowering her shirt, causing a shudder to run through the taller woman. Returning to the table, she sat down once more.

Cat sat for a long time, looking at her hands and allowing tears of remorse fill her eyes. "Why did he beat you?" she asked.

Billie reached forward and picked up one of the photos. Dark bruises and blood stains could clearly be seen on nearly every one of them. Looking at Cat, she said, "I had told him earlier that day that I was gay, that I wanted a divorce. He beat me up and tied me to the bed while he went out and hired the prostitute in this picture. He forced me to pose for these photographs, threatening me with more beatings if I didn't. In the end, when it was all over, he beat me again anyway." Billie explained.

Cat was crying openly now. "Why, Billy? What did he think he would gain by photographing you like this?" she asked.

Billie shook her head and looked at Cat, a look of pure anguish on her face. "Back then, he used them to control me. By threatening to expose these pictures to my parents, he managed to delay the divorce for another year. After my parents were killed, he lost his leverage. Now, I don't know what he hopes to gain." she said.

Cat reached out to touch Billie's hand. Billie instinctively recoiled. The reaction was not lost on Cat, who quickly retracted her hand. "What are we going to do, Billie?" she whispered.

"We?" Billie asked.

Cat reached out again, this time taking Billie's hand firmly, not letting her lover pull away. "We." Cat said, noticing that Billie had lowered her eyes to the table.

Reaching over with her free hand, Cat lifted Billie's chin and looked into the bruised face she loved so much. "Billie." she said. "I feel like a total ass. I know now that I over reacted. I'm so sorry. You have every right to be angry with me,... I deserve whatever punishment you can think of, but please, don't hate me. I've been a jealous fool."

Billie dissolved into tears, opening her arms to the smaller woman. Cat quickly closed the distance between them as she slid onto Billie's lap and pulled the dark haired woman's head to her chest, reciting terms of endearment and apology over and over into her ear.

Billie too, made her apologies, expressing extreme sorrow for her rough treatment of the smaller woman. "I wouldn't have struck you, Cat." she confessed.

"I know that, Billie. What do you think gave me the courage to stand up to you?" Cat revealed.

"Talk about losing leverage!" Billie joked, causing a short laugh to escape Cat's lips.

Cat cupped Billie's face in her hands and looked intensely into her eyes. "I truly am sorry, Billie. I should have known that you would never betray me." she said, lowering her mouth for a tender kiss.

Billie grabbed her head and pulled her in closer, intensifying the kiss tenfold. Gaining entrance to Cat's mouth, her tongue explored the moist cavern there, bolts of desire shooting deliciously from her mouth to her groin. "Oh gods, Cat... I want to ravage you from head to toe." she moaned.

Cat pulled away from the caress. Tracing Billie's lips with her fingertips, she said, "I don't think so my warrior. You're in no condition for that right now." she paused. Seeing the distress on Billie's face, she continued, "...but I am." Rising to her feet, she took Billie's hand and helped her up. "Come with me, my love." she said, leading the taller woman upstairs to their bedroom.

After sitting Billie on the edge of the bed, she slowly removed her own clothing, intentionally staying just beyond the groping reach of her partner, and teased her seductively during the disrobing. Finally, she stepped into Billie's embrace and kissed her tenderly. Reaching down, she raised Billie's shirt, being careful not to disturb her ribs. Throwing the garment on the floor by the bed, she then removed her shoes and shorts. Soon, a very naked and aroused Billie was sitting on the bed before her.

Directing her to stretch out on the bed, Cat started exploring and kissing each and every bruise on the taller woman's body. The mixture of eroticism and pain was driving Billie crazy. Mindless of her injuries, she pulled Cat down on top of her, stifling a groan as the smaller woman landed on her chest.

"Billie.... be careful, love... You're hurt!" Cat exclaimed sitting up on Billie's abdomen, her knees straddling the taller woman. "Besides, this is MY show, remember?" she said, pushing Billie's hands off her waist and trapping them on the bed under her knees, before returning to her teasing exploration. Before long, Billie was writhing beneath her lover, rapidly approaching the edge of ecstasy.

"Now, Cat... I need you now... Please!" she begged as Cat filled her very core, pushing her into oblivion.

Several moments later, Billie lay in Cat's arms, listening to words of comfort from the smaller woman's lips as she floated back to reality. Neither woman anticipated the effect of their lovemaking on Billie's injuries, as her body shuddered and trembled with both pleasure and pain while she came down from the glorious heights Cat had taken her to. Tiny moans and groans escaped her lips as she recovered.

"I'm sorry, Billie.... It was too soon.... I should have waited." Cat apologized as she held the trembling woman close.

Billie's body shook of its own accord. "No Cat... Don't every apologize for loving me. I wanted this as much as you did. Don't be sorry." she said, burying her face deeper into Cat's shoulder as another wave of pain passed through her ribs.

After a time, Billie relaxed and the pain subsided. Reaching up to cup Cat's face, she said, "My turn." and started to kiss the smaller woman.

Cat pushed her away. "No, Billie... I'm fine. I'll take a rain check for later... When you're feeling better, okay? Right now, I want to wrap your ribs again and apply some salve to your wounds." she said, placing a tender kiss on Billie's mouth.

Billie looked at her with concern in her eyes. "Are you sure?" she asked, not wanting to leave Cat unsatisfied.

"Positive." Cat replied. "Beside, I want you fully recovered so that you can take some of that animal prowess I witnessed downstairs and apply it to our lovemaking!" she finished with a wicked grin on her face.

Billie grinned back. "You're on!" she said.

"Good... Now sit up so I can rewrap your ribs." Cat instructed.

Several minutes later, Billie's wounds were wrapped and massaged with ointment. Pulling a clean T-shirt over the dark haired woman's head, Cat pushed her down under the covers and instructed her to take a nap. "Doctor's orders!" she said, when Billie protested.

"What are you going to do while I'm sleeping?" Billie asked.

"Update my journal and start dinner. The kids should be back from the park soon, and I know they'll be hungry." she said. "No go to sleep." she scolded.

"Yes, Mommy!" Billie said as she pulled the covers up around her chin and closed her eyes, drawing a chuckle from Cat.

*********************************************************************************************** CHAPTER VII

Billie walked calmly into the office on Monday morning, conscious of the stares and curious glances she was receiving from her coworkers and office staff. Cat tried to talk her into taking vacation until the bruises faded, but her workload, and the domestic abuse case she was working on wouldn't allow it.

Sitting down at her desk, she opened the case file of one Peggy McBride, age 28, married for 4 years to Roger McBride. One son, Travis, age 3. She had been hospitalized no less than three times in the past four years, generally for internal injuries. Cause of injuries were listed as accidents, a fall down the cellar stairs, skiing accident, fall from a tree while building a clubhouse for her son. In addition to her hospital stays, there were several visits to the emergency room for various broken bones and sprains. To date, each injury had been blamed on accidents or on just plain clumsiness... that is, until three year old Travis was hospitalized with broken ribs and head injuries. Finally, officials at the hospital notified the police and 33 year old Roger McBride was arrested on the suspicion of spousal and child abuse. He was currently free on bail, but required to keep his distance from Peggy and the child through a restraining order.

Billie read through the paperwork in the folder until she came across photographs of the victims' most recent injuries. Billie stared at the 8x10 glossy's and suddenly realized that she could very well be looking at pictures of Cat, had she not controlled herself two days ago. Her gut clenched into a tight knot as she replayed the scenes in her head... pinning Cat against the door, reaching for her throat, grabbing her arm and forcing her into the kitchen chair. And what about Seth and Tara? Losing her temper and screaming at them a day earlier was uncalled for. "Gods, what's happening to me?" she thought, crossing her arms on the desk and resting her forehead on them.

Billie's internal struggle was interrupted by the telephone. It was Art.

"Hey Big Guy, how are you this morning?" he asked.

Billie smiled and replied, "Better than I could have been, Art. Thanks for the help Friday night."

"I'm glad I was there to help, Billie. I shudder to think what might have happened if I wasn't." he commented.

"Yeah, me too." she said.

"Look, Billie, I want to talk to you about the McBride case. Can you come to my office?" he asked.

"Sure, I'll be right there." she replied.

"Okay. I'm running to the cafeteria for a coffee first. Can I pick one up for you?" he offered.

"Please... large... black... and thanks." Billie said.

"Tall, strong and black... just like me, heh?" he joked.

"Yeah, Art... just like you... you moron!" she joked.

"See you in a bit, Billie." he laughed, hanging up the phone.

Billie returned the receiver to the cradle and smiled. She found herself thanking the gods for Art. He had grown to be a very close and trusted friend, and she could always count on him for help. Grabbing the McBride folder, she headed to Art's office, stopping at the ladies room on the way.

Billie reached Art's office at about the same time Art did. Pushing the door open with his hip, he allowed her to walk in ahead of him, then circled around the desk, placing her coffee in front of her.

"Thanks, Art." she said, sitting in a chair on the opposite side of the desk. She placed the folder on the desk and reached for the coffee with her other hand.

Art could see her hand visibly shaking. Looking into her face, she saw the strain around her eyes and across her brow. He also noticed the signs of the beating she had received two days earlier... hell, he couldn't miss them, they were all over her face.

"That guy sure did a number on you, Billie." he commented.

Billie's hand automatically flew to her face, lightly tracing the bruises along her jaw line. "Yeah, I guess he did." she replied, not knowing what else to say.

Art leaned forward. "How's Cat?" he asked.

Billie dropped her eyes to the desk. Moments passed in silence.

"Billie?" Art said.

Billie looked up at him, her eyes wide with unshed tears. She took a deep breath and steeled herself not to cry.

"You wanna talk about it?" her friend asked.

Billie looked down at the desk once more. "Cat's fine." she said softly.

"How's Billie?" he asked softly.

Art could see the tears roll down her cheeks.

"Billie's not so fine." she replied, looking up at him.

Art pushed his chair back and reached out his hand to Billie. "C'mere." he said.

Putting her coffee on the desk, Billie rose to her feet and walked over to her friend. He pulled her down into his lap and wrapped his long arms around her, holding her close. "Let it go, Billie." he said. "Let it out... I've got you."

Billie buried her face in the big man's neck and allowed herself to cry, finding comfort in the strong arms wrapped around her. She felt very safe and secure.

After a time, Art felt the tremors subside. When he was sure she had stopped crying, he said, "Okay... time to tell Uncle Art what this is all about."

Billie stood up and walked over to the Kleenex box on the credenza. Grabbing a handful, she wiped her tears away and blew her nose before turning back to face her friend. Art waited patiently for her to speak.

"Art, The first thing I did when I got here this morning, was go through the McBride file." she started to explain, pacing back and forth in front of his desk. "I, um... I read the report, then came across the 8x10's." she stopped talking and pacing, reaching up to stifle a sob with her hand. Taking a deep breath, she regained her composure, then continued. "Art, looking at those pictures, I realized that they could have just as easily been pictures of Cat."

Art's brow furrowed. "What do you mean, Billie?" he asked, not really wanting to hear the answer.

Billie grabbed the file and found the photographs. Pulling them out of the folder, she threw them on the desk in front of him. "Art... I came within a hair's breath of doing that to Cat this weekend." she exclaimed, pointing at the bruised face of Peggy McBride.

Art rose to his feet and placed his hands on the desk, leaning forward. "Explain yourself, Billie!" he said seriously.

Billie looked at him, her bottom lip trembling with emotion. "Saturday morning, after Jen took the kids to the park, I forced Cat into a discussion about the pictures we received in the mail." she said, starting to pace again. "She was being so damned stubborn. Art.... Art, I had her pinned up against the kitchen door, my hands nearly wrapped around her neck... I wanted so badly to beat the shit out of her." she confessed, her voice at near-hysterical levels.

"But you didn't" he said.

Billie looked at him. "No. No, I didn't." she said.

Art looked down at the desk and took a deep breath. Looking back up at Billie, he said, "Tell me to mind my own business if you want, but that son of a bitch you were married to beat you, didn't he?"

Billie held eye contact with her big friend. "More times than I can count." she replied.

Art slammed his fist down on the desk. "Damn!" he shouted. Looking back up at Billie, he walked around the desk and took her by the shoulders. "As of right now, you are officially off the McBride case." he said.

Billie's eyes grew wide. "No! Don't you dare do that to me, Art!" she shouted back, grabbing his arm as he tried to walk away from her.

Swinging back around to face her, he said, "Billie, you are too close to this. You can't possibly detach yourself emotionally from this one. Emotional involvement leads to carelessness. No... You're off the case." he said again.

"I won't let you do this Art. My personal experience will only help this case... please don't do this." she begged.

Taking her face in his large hands, he said, "And what will your personal experience do to you and Cat, Billie?"

"I promise, Art. If this case starts adversely affecting Cat, or the kids, then I'll voluntarily pull out. Okay?" she compromised.

He turned his back on her and ran his hand through his hair. Turning back, he said, "This is definitely against my better judgment, Billie. I'm warning you.... ANY indication at all that Cat or the kids are suffering, and I'll personally pull you off this case and beat the hell out of you myself. Understand?" he warned.

Billie smiled through her tears, offering her hand to the big man in a hand shake. "Understand." she said as her hand was enveloped in his.

**********

Billie returned to her desk and sat there, contemplating her conversation with Art. Deep down, she knew he was right about her level of personal involvement in this case. Just looking at the case photos brought back horrible nightmares of her own abuse at the hands of her ex-husband. Uncontrollable waves of anger and hatred surfaced with each memory. Near the end, she thought about how she voluntarily lent herself to the abuse to prevent Brian from turning his anger on Seth. The McBride boy was not so lucky. She promised herself that she would do everything in her power to see McBride go down for this.

"Where to start?" she thought to herself as she started planning her research for this case. Deciding to do a search on Roger McBride's past history, she picked up the phone and called Jimmy in criminal law. Giving the older lawyer his name, age, place of residence and social security number, she asked for a records search to be done on any criminal activities he may have been involved in over the past 10 years. Jimmy was the firm's Internet expert, with access to state and national criminal records. If there was a criminal record to be found, Jimmy would find it.

Her next task was to set up interviews with Peggy McBride and the boy, Travis. Billie knew that this would be the most difficult part of the case... dealing directly with the victims. She had seen so many domestic abuse cases turned around in favor of the accused, simply because the victim was too terrified to testify against them, or felt some sense of loyalty to the abuser. So many times, the victim returned to the abuser, only to allow the cycle to repeat itself, months, weeks, or even days later.

Billie sat there at her desk, staring straight ahead, her mind wandering to events nearly 10 years earlier. She had been working on her law degree, taking classes at night. One night in particular, she was late getting home. She had stopped to have coffee with another woman in her class before heading home. Seth was almost a year old. Letting herself into the house, she immediately noticed that Seth was crying. Going directly to his bedroom, she found him standing up in his crib, sobbing his heart out. Lifting him up and cradling him in her arms, she realized that he was soaking wet. It became apparent that Brian had neglected the child the entire evening. Billie quickly cleaned Seth up, changed his diapers and dressed him in clean pajamas. Retrieving a bottle from the refrigerator, she sat down with him in the rocking chair in his bedroom and sang to him while he fell asleep. Putting him in his crib, and covering him up, she quietly left the room, pulling the door closed behind her. She was livid, and immediately went in search of Brian, finding him laying on the living room couch, with several empty beer bottles scattered around him.

Before she had a chance to open her mouth, he was off the couch like a shot, grabbing her by the neck. "Where have you been, bitch? he demanded.

Trying to talk through the strangle hold he had on her throat, she choked out, "Hav.. Having coffee.."

"You were out fucking around on me, weren't you!... WEREN'T YOU!" he yelled.

"No... Brian.. No, I wasn't. Please let go." she said, grabbing at his arm.

He backed her up against the wall and slammed her head repeatedly into it. "You belong here with ME... taking care of that little bastard in the other room!" he screamed. "Not out screwing everything in sight!"

"I... I wasn't....." she stammered.

"DON'T LIE TO ME, YOU FILTHY WHORE!" he swore at her.

"Brian, stop... please!" she begged.

"I'll teach you to run out on me, bitch." he threatened. While he reached for his belt buckle, Billie raised her foot and kicked him in the shin. He let out a howl and immediately released the hold he had on her neck. Billie scampered away from him as fast as she could, but not fast enough. Catching her by the foot, he yanked on it as hard as he could, twisting it at the same time, causing an audible snap, and effectively stopping Billie's escape. While she lay there, grabbing her ankle, he climbed up and sat across her stomach, throwing blow after close-fisted blow toward her face. About half of the blows landed on target, the other half effectively blocked by Billie's flailing hands. When his own hands became too bloodied to continue, he removed his belt and snaked it back and forth across her back until stripes of blood could be seen through her blouse. Finally exhausted, he rolled off her and staggered to his feet, kicking her in the ribs for good measure. He returned to the couch in the living room and promptly passed out. Billie managed to crawl into Seth's room, where she locked the door and laid on the floor, trembling from anger, pain and fear through the remainder of the night.

That wasn't the first time he had hit her, but it was certainly the most severe... at least up to that point. It all went downhill from there. Not long after that particular beating, Billie had revealed her preference for women to Brian, and had asked for a divorce. He had beaten her so badly, she couldn't get out of bed for two days. Next, came the photographs with the prostitute, and the blackmail he had threatened her with, vowing to reveal her 'dirty little desires' as he liked to call them, to her parents. She couldn't let that happen... couldn't let him break her parent's hearts, no matter what she had to endure. The beatings became more frequent, but he was careful about where he hit her. Having to make up excuses for her injuries had been difficult, so she had learned to hide the abuse. For another full year and a half, she lived in her secret hell, until one fateful day, her parents were killed in a car accident. Brian had lost his leverage. She finally divorced him and ran away with Seth. She never did report him for his abuse... he never paid a penalty for his crimes... not until she met Cat, and he made the mistake of hurting his son, and raping the woman she loved. It took the pain of others to finally make her act on years of hate and anger that had built up inside of her.

And now, that hate had come back to haunt her. She found herself on the verge of beating the one person who had always treated her with respect, love and kindness... the other half of her soul... the keeper of her heart. She found herself falling into Brian's patterns. "Gods, please don't let me hurt her... or the children." Billie prayed to what ever god was listening. Closing her eyes tightly, she allowed the tears to cleanse her memory as they ran down her face.

*********************************************************************************************** CHAPTER VIII

Drawing herself out of her self-imposed hellhole of memories, Billie looked at her watch. It was only 1 pm. She fidgeted nervously, feeling very out of control of her emotions. Her anxiety level was very high, causing waves of desperation to run through her. Finally, unable to hold back any longer, she picked up the phone and dialed the hospital. After several minutes, Cat came on the line.

"This is Cat Charland." the voice said.

"Cat!" Billie said, her voice weak and shaky.

"Billie? Billie, Honey, are you all right?" Cat said, worriedly.

"Cat, Can you get out of work? Can you meet me at home?" Billie asked desperately.

"Billie, What's wrong... You're scaring me." Cat exclaimed.

"I need you Cat,... Please." Billie pleaded.

"All right... all right, Billie. I'm on my way. I'll see you at home in a few minutes." Cat said.

Billie grabbed her car keys, and headed out the door, nearly running to her car. Ten minutes later, she was pulling into the driveway of her house. Cat wasn't there yet.

Billie was pacing the living room floor five minutes later when Cat stepped into the kitchen. "Billie? Billie, where are you?" Cat called as she walked into the living room.

Billie saw her immediately and ran to her, pulling her close, wrapping her long arms around Cat's back and burying her face in the fragrant red-gold hair. Cat instinctively circled Billie's waist with her own arms. Billie was trembling fiercely.

Running her hands up and down Billie's back, Cat whispered tenderly in the taller woman's ear, "Shh,... whatever it is, love, it'll be all right. I love you, Billie... Shhhh."

Billie bent over and lifted Cat into her arms, carrying her up the stairs and to their bedroom. Laying them both on the bed, Billie just held the smaller woman close to her heart, whispering words of endearment. Cat soon realized that Billie was scared and looking for affection, tenderness, closeness, and security.... not sex. Reaching up, she pulled Billie's head down to her shoulder and wrapped her own arms around the tall woman. Maneuvering the quilt up with her foot, she grabbed it with her free hand and spread it out over both of them. Soon, Billie was sound asleep in her lover's arms, holding on tightly to the smaller woman. Cat laid there, staring at the ceiling and worrying about what was going through her wife's mind that could scare her so.

Turning her head, Cat placed a delicate kiss on Billie's forehead and whispered, "We'll get through this, love. Whatever it is, our love with get us through this. Don't worry... I will always love you."

**********

Billie didn't sleep but an hour.... Cat didn't sleep at all, holding the tall woman tenderly, and standing guard over her heart. Finally, Billie stirred.

"Hi!" Cat said, looking into the blue depths of her wife's eyes.

Billie just smiled.

"You ready to talk about it?" Cat asked.

Billie sat up and reclined against the headboard, pulling the quilt up with her and tucking it around her waist. Dropping her clasped hands into her lap, she looked at Cat. For several moments, she held Cat's gaze, not speaking one word.

"Billie?" Cat said, sitting up and taking her wife's hands in her own.

Billie dropped her gaze to her lap then looked up again. "Cat." she said. "I need help."

"Help? What kind of help, Billie?" Cat asked, confused.

"Professional help." Seeing Cat was about to protest, she held her hand up and continued. "Cat, There is so much you don't know about my past. So much I've been holding inside, keeping from you. I need help dealing with it before I end up hurting you or the children.... Please try to understand." she begged.

Cat could see how much this meant to Billie. "All right... Okay... help is good." she said, reaching up and tucking stray locks of strawberry blonde hair behind her ears. "Do you have someone in mind?

"I thought we could start with the doctor Tara saw after the kidnapping." Billie said.

"Dr. O'Brien... She's good. Okay, I'll call to make the appointment." Cat paused and looked at Billie for a long time. Finally, she leaned in and kissed Billie tenderly. "I'll be right back." she said, getting off the bed and retreating to the living room to make the call. While Cat was gone, Billie leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes.

Moments later, Cat returned. "We're in luck... Dr. O'Brien has an opening at 4 pm today. That's just an hour away." she said. "Let me give Jen a call to see if she can pick the kids up at daycare for us, okay?"

Billie just nodded her head as Cat made the call. Hanging up the phone a few minutes later, she turned to Billie and said, "All set. Do you want anything to eat before we leave?" Cat was really uncomfortable with the situation. She had never seen Billie in this kind of funk and she didn't know how to deal with it.

Billie shook her head 'no' to Cat's question.

"Okay... Is there anything else I can do for you while we wait?" she asked.

Billie looked up and asked pathetically, "Can you hold me?"

Cat was by her side immediately, pulling her down into her embrace, holding her close to her heart and whispering "I love you's " over and over into the tall woman's ear.

While Cat was holding her, she heard Billie whisper, "I'm sorry, Cat."

Cat's head snapped back sharply. "For what?" she asked.

"I came so close to hurting you the other day." she said.

"No Billie... You would not have hurt me. I trust you completely... I trust in our love." Cat exclaimed.

Billie started to cry. "Don't be so quick to trust me, Cat.... You could end up getting hurt if you do." she said.

"Never." Cat said. "Never."

The two women laid there, the taller one wrapped around the smaller woman's body like braided rope, until it was time to leave.

**********

Billie and Cat sat in the waiting room of Dr. O'Brien's office, side by side, hands clasped, neither saying a word. Finally, the door opened and the doctor motioned Billie into the room. Billie rose to her feet, never releasing Cat's hand. Cat remained seated. Looking up into the taller woman's eyes, Cat answered the silent question by rising to her feet and following Billie into the room.

Dr. O'Brien sat opposite the two women, watching Billie hold desperately onto Cat's hand for support. These two were a very curious pair. At first glance, one would expect the taller, dark haired woman to be the stronger of the two, but in fact, it was the petite red head that carried the emotional strength for the pair. Dr. O'Brien decided to break the ice by starting with a question that would put them both at ease. "How is Tara?" she asked.

Both women smiled broadly. It was obvious that they both loved the little girl desperately. After determining that Tara was flourishing quite nicely, the doctor lead into the real reason for their visit.

"Billie." she began. "Why don't you start by telling me what prompted this visit."

Billie looked at Cat nervously, then back at the doctor. "I... ah... I... Damn, this is hard." she said looking around.

"Would it be easier if Cat left the room?" the doctor asked.

"No!" Billie said vehemently. "No... this concerns her... she has a right to be here." Billie explained.

"Billie... It's okay, really... I can wait..." Cat began.

"No Cat. I need you here... with me... please." Billie replied.

Cat looked at her intensely, seeing the near-panic in her wife's eyes. She nodded her head and grasped Billie's hand tighter.

Billie brought her hand up and kissed Cat's knuckles. "Thank you." she said.

Dr. O'Brien was touched by the gentle intimacy of the act. "These two are very much in love." she thought.

Billie looked at the doctor again. "I'm afraid of hurting Cat... and the children." she said.

Cat's eyes grew wide. She opened her mouth to speak when Dr. O'Brien raised her hand to stop her. Turning to Billie, she asked, "Why would you be afraid of hurting your wife and children, Billie?"

"Because it's all I know." she answered.

"Billie!" Cat said. "We've been together for more than four years, and you have never once hurt any of us in anger. How can you say that?" she asked.

"Yes I have, Cat. Two days ago... I yelled at the kids for no reason... I had you pinned against the door. I wanted so badly to hurt you during that argument." she explained. "Cat, I sat at my desk today at work, thinking about that fight... I panicked, Cat. The anxiety was overwhelming. That's why I called you... I needed to feel you, to know that you still loved me, even though I had treated you so badly." she finished, crying now.

Cat opened her arms and took Billie into them, holding her close and rubbing her back. "Of course I still love you. Billie, you did not hurt me... please stop beating yourself up for something you didn't do." Cat said.

Dr. O'Brien interrupted. "Cat." she said. "Did Billie pin you against the door?"

"Yes, she did, but.." Cat began.

"And did she threaten to beat you?" the doctor asked.

Cat looked from the doctor, to Billie and then back to the doctor. "Yes, she did, threaten, that is.... but she didn't do it... she couldn't!" Cat said confidently.

"Couldn't she?" the doctor prompted.

"No! No! I don't believe that she could." Cat exclaimed, rising to her feet. "I trust her! I trust in our love for each other!" she said.

Billie was now sitting silently, looking at the floor. The doctor turned to her. "Billie, do you believe you could do it?" she asked the tall woman.

She raised her head and looked at the doctor. "I sometimes feel that I need to hurt others the way I have been hurt." Billie replied.

Cal fell to her knees in front of Billie. Taking her wife's hands in hers, she said, "Billie, I have never hurt you... how can you say that?"

Billie freed one of her hands and cupped the side of Cat's face. "Not you, Cat... never you." she said.

"Then who?" Cat asked.

Cat and Dr. O'Brien spent the next hour listening to the horror that Billie's marriage to Brian had been.

By the time Billie was finished, both women were a total wreck. Even Dr. O'Brien had tears in her eye. Cat had crawled into a corner of the room, trying to escape the terrifying visuals that were coming out of Billie's mouth. When it was over, she crawled back over to Billie and laid her head in the taller woman's lap. Billie gently stroked Cat's hair as she fought to control her own emotions.

Dr. O'Brien rose from her chair and retrieved a water pitcher and glasses that were on a nearby table. Helping Cat to her feet and guiding her back to the chair next to Billie, she gave them both a drink and poured one for herself. Several moments of silence followed as the women composed themselves.

Finally, Cat turned to Billie and took her hand in her own. "Billie, I knew he was abusive, but I had no idea...." she said, starting to cry again.

"Billie, what do you think prompted these memories and these feelings now?" Dr. O'Brien asked.

Billie told her about the photographs that had arrived in the mail, about the abuse case she was assigned to at work, and about the feelings that had started to haunt her when they had taken on the McBride case. The photographs in the mail just intensified the issue.

"Where do you think the photos came from?" the doctor asked.

"I don't know." Billie replied. "I want to confront Brian, but..."

"No Billie! I don't want you anywhere near that bastard!" Cat said forcefully.

"Cat, he can't hurt me now." Billie said.

"He can't? Why do you think you're here, Billie? He's not only hurting you... He's killing you!" Cat exclaimed.

"Cat, I need closure on this... I don't know what else to do." Billie explained.

"And if he denies it and abuses you further... even verbally? Then what?" Cat asked.

Billie just shook her head back and forth. "I don't know..." she said softly.

"Billie, Do you think it's a good idea for you to be working on this case?" the doctor asked.

Billie's head shot up. "Now you sound like Art." she replied.

"Art?" questioned Dr. O'Brien.

Billie's face broke into a half-grin. "Yeah, my partner in crime at work... Actually, he's my superior, but don't tell him that...He might actually start thinking he can boss me around." she explained.

Dr. O'Brien was happy to see that Billie's sense of humor was still intact through this ordeal. Even Cat broke into a grin, she noticed.

"Art threatened to take me off the case because I was taking it 'too personally'. He made me promise that I would voluntarily withdraw from it if my family ended up in danger because of it..... I suspect he thought the danger would come from me." she concluded.

"Art said that?" Cat said unbelievingly.

"Ah huh." Billie replied.

"Why that son of a..." Cat started sputtering before Billie clamped a hand over her wife's mouth, shooting the doctor an apologetic grin.

When she removed her hand, Cat continued her sentence. "... four flushing , knock kneed, two toed billy goat! He's going to get a piece of my mind!"

"Do you think you can handle the case, Billie?" the doctor asked seriously.

Billie looked at her thoughtfully, then said. "I think I have to, Doctor. I could never forgive myself if I didn't help this woman break the cycle. Her three year old son is already in the hospital because of that bastard. I don't want to see her end up there as well, or in the morgue for that matter."

"And you think you can do that without putting yourself or your family in jeopardy?" the doctor asked.

"Billie answered her honestly, "I don't know."

*********************************************************************************************** CHAPTER IX

The drive home was very quiet. Cat drove while Billie sat with her head leaning against the passenger door window. Several times, Cat reached over to run her hand up and down Billie's arm, drawing a sigh from the taller woman. When they pulled into the driveway, Billie sat up and turned to look at Cat.

"Thanks for coming with me, Cat." she said in a soft voice, a crooked smile on her face.

Cat reached out and took Billie's hand, bringing it to her lips and kissing the palm softly. Placing the hand on the side of her own face and leaning into the touch, she said, "Thank you for letting me share that with you Billie. It must have been really hard for you to talk about."

"I didn't realize how much the pain was building up inside of me. I guess this case I'm working on just brought it all to the surface. Unfortunately, you became the unintended target for that pain, Cat." Billie looked down at her lap, then back to Cat. "Can you ever forgive me?" she asked.

Cat turned completely toward Billie and took her face in her hands. "Billie... there's nothing to forgive... Sweetheart, you didn't do anything wrong!" she insisted. "You didn't hurt me, Billie!"

"I could have, Cat... God knows, I wanted to." she replied.

"But you didn't... Don't you see, love... You didn't do it... You couldn't do it.... Please believe that, Billie." Cat pleaded.

"I want to Cat... I really want to." she answered as she reached up and rubbed her forehead.

Seeing the gesture, Cat asked, "Are you all right, love?"

"Yeah, Just a headache." she said.

Cat couldn't help but notice that the headaches were coming more frequently, and seemed to be centered around the area of her head where she had been shot a year earlier during Tara's kidnapping rescue.

Cat reached up to feel Billie's forehead. "No fever." she said. "Look, Mom and Dad are coming home for the summer in about a week. I'd like Daddy to take a few CAT scans, and maybe an MRI of the gunshot wound. Okay? Maybe there's a reason for these headaches."

Billie didn't like the idea of more poking and prodding and hospital tests. "It's just a headache, Cat... It'll go away." she said.

"And just when did you get your medical degree, Billie?" Cat asked.

"Come on Cat. Don't make such a fuss, okay?" Billie replied.

"At least think about it, all right?" Cat urged.

"Okay... Okay, I'll think about it. Right now, however, I need a couple of painkillers and a nice warm bed." Billie said.

"All right, let's get you settled , then I'll fetch the kids from Jen's." Cat said, getting out of the car and following Billie into the house.

A half hour later, Billie was securely tucked into bed while Cat sat at Jen's kitchen table nursing a hot cup of tea.

So, You wanna talk about it?" Jennifer asked.

"Uh?" Cat said, her head snapping up at the sound of her friend's voice. "I'm sorry, Jen... My mind was somewhere else. What did you say?" she apologized.

"I said, Do you wanna talk about it? Obviously, something is bothering you, Cat." Jennifer explained once more.

Cat looked at Jennifer, emotions running rampant across her face. She wanted so badly to discuss this with her best friend, but she didn't want to betray Billie's trust. Finally, looking back down at her mug, then back at Jennifer, she said, "I can't Jen.... I really want to, but I can't. I hope you understand."

"It's okay, I understand." she said, placing her hand on top of Cat's. "But, if there's anything I can do..."

"'I'll let you know." Cat finished for her. "Count on it."

Jennifer smiled and offered her friend a refill.

"Gods, no... Thanks anyway, Jen. It's already 6 pm... I've got to get the kids home and start supper." Cat said as she poked her head into the living room and told the kids to get ready. Returning to the kitchen, she wrapped her arms around her blonde, curly-haired friend and hugged her fiercely. "What would I ever do without you, Jen?" she asked. "Thanks for picking up the kids... it was really a big help." she finished.

"Any time Kiddo." Jennifer said, hugging her back. "Give the Tall One a kiss for me, okay?" she asked.

"Sure!" Cat said beaming. "Now that's one message I don't mind delivering!" she chuckled.

Within minutes, Cat and the children were on their way home. Cat sent them into the family room to play while she made supper so that their noise wouldn't disturb Billie. After she had put the casserole into the oven, she quietly climbed the stairs to the second story and slowly pushed her bedroom door open. Looking in, she could see Billie sprawled out across the bed, holding her head in her hands. The bed was torn apart, the blankets in a tangle around the tall woman's body. She was obviously in a great deal of pain.

Cat made her way quickly to Billie's side and slipped into bed behind her, sitting with her back against the headboard. She gently rolled Billie over until her dark head was lying in her lap. Billie's eyes were shut tightly against the pain from the invading light. Painful moans were emitting from her throat. "It hurts, Cat... god it hurts." she cried weakly.

"Relax, love." she said softly, placing her fingertips on Billie's temples and rolling them around in small circles. "Let it go... don't fight it, Honey... relax." she continued the massage, speaking in soft, soothing tones at the same time. Soon, Billie's body visibly relaxed as she sunk down bonelessly into the bed. Cat continued the ministrations for several more minutes, until she was sure that Billie was sleeping soundly. After a time, she carefully worked her way out from beneath her lover. Pulling a quilt up over her, she darkened the room some more, then quietly slipped out, after placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

**********

Billie rose the next morning feeling better than she had in days. The last thing she remembered from the day before was drifting off in Cat's arms, the ache in her temples being gently soothed away by miracle fingers. This morning, she felt great. Waking up long before the alarm, she just laid there savoring the look and feel of the beautiful woman sleeping beside her.

After a time, Billie got out of bed and stretched her arms high over her head, leaning to each side and working the kinks out of her muscles from her long sleep. Walking over to the window, she lifted the shade to reveal a beautiful sunrise peaking over the horizon. "No sense wasting a beautiful day." she thought as she pulled on a T-shirt, shorts and pair of running shoes. Returning to the bed, she leaned over and kissed Cat tenderly on the cheek, then grabbed her hooded sweatshirt and headed for the door.

Once outside, Billie took a few moments to stretch before starting her run. As she reached the end of the driveway, she noticed Jennifer coming down the road, out for an early morning power walk.

Billie waved. "Morning, Jen... How 'bout a run?" she asked, jogging in place until the blonde woman caught up to her.

"Run? I'm not much into running, Oh Goddess of Tall Women.... but I'll make a deal with you... I'll run with you if you'll walk with me... on and off. Okay?" she compromised.

Billie grinned at her friend's expressions. "Okay, Sprite... You've got a deal... but we run first, all right?" she said, taking off down the street, with Jennifer right on her heels.

After they had run about a mile, Jennifer called a halt and slowed down to a walk. Not being used to running, she was quite winded. "O...Okay... Enough for now....We walk.." she said between breaths.

Billie started jogging circles around her, taking short jabs at her arms as she darted in and out.

"Billie! Stop that!" Jennifer demanded.

Billie continued to pick on her friend.

"Damn it Billie! If you don't stop, I'll sick Cat on you!" she threatened.

Billie stopped immediately. "I know when I'm outclassed." she said, laughing.

Soon, the women were rapidly walking down the street, keeping an easy pace for Billie's long legs. Jennifer had to really push her shorter legs to keep up.

"Hey, I thought we were walking! Take the stilts off so I can keep up, will ya?" she asked.

Billie took pity on her friend and slowed down, pacing herself at Jennifer's speed.

Jennifer locked arms with Billie. "So, are you feeling better?" she asked.

"Yeah. Damned headaches. I get them every now and then. They knock the wind right out of my sails." Billie explained. "Thank god for Cat's magic fingers." she added.

Jennifer looked at Billie and raised her eyebrows into her hairline. "Don't go there girlfriend... That is way more information than I need!" she said.

It took a second for Billie to realized that Jennifer had misunderstood her. Having the good graces to blush, she punched her friend in the arm and said, "Get your mind out of the gutter, Jen. Geesh! Cat gives great massages. Her fingers are good for things other than that, you know!" Billie explained.

Now it was Jennifer's turn to pick. "That? What do you mean... that? Explain yourself woman!" she said.

Billie closed her eyes into narrow slits and said in a low, growly voice, "Jennnnnifer!"

"Yikes!" Jennifer peeped as she took off running again. Billie right on her heels.

Jennifer could run pretty fast when she had the Scourge of Death on her heels, so it took Billie a few moments to catch up and finally tackle her to the grass where she tickled the woman unmercifully. It wasn't long before Jennifer screamed her surrender, allowing herself to be pulled back to her feet by her tall friend. Soon, they were jogging at an easy gait, back to their respective homes after wishing each other a pleasant day.

**********

Cat was still asleep when Billie returned from her run, so she tip toed quietly to the bathroom and turned on the shower. Seconds later, she was standing under the warm spray, delighting in the tingly feel of the water as it danced across her skin. Suddenly, she felt a pair of arms circle her waist and a warm, soft body press against her from behind.

"Jen?" she said, with a wide grin on her face.

That remark earned her a slap on the bare butt. "Ow!" she exclaimed.

"I'll Jen, you! Billie Charland!", Cat said before claiming the tall woman's body from behind once more.

Cat let her hands roam across Billie's chest and abdomen. Reaching for the soap, she lubricated the way with rich mounds of lather, swirling it in patterns across the taller woman's torso and legs. Billie threw her head back and moaned as Cat's hands circled up and around her breasts, teasing each one into a peak of awareness. Slowly making her way downward, Cat's hands drew circles on Billie's lower abs, hips and buttocks, kneading the supple flesh as they moved. Billie pressed herself back against the smaller woman, trying to remove all space between them. Suddenly, Cat's hand plunged down between Billie's legs, the soap paving the way with slickness. "By the gods, Cat!" Billie screamed as she instantly plunged over into the abyss of ecstasy. Cat held the weak-kneed Billie up for several moments as tremors tore through her body. It was a long time before she was strong enough to support her own weight. Finally, Billie turned in Cat's arms and pulled the smaller woman in close for a mind shattering kiss. Forcing her backward up against the shower wall, Billie proceeded to return the favor, until Cat too, was a trembling pile of mush in her lover's arms.

Long moments later, Cat looked up at Billie and asked, "How are you feeling, love?"

"Like I've just made love to the most beautiful woman in the world." Billie said, kissing her. "It doesn't get any better than this." she added.

**********

When Billie arrived at work that morning, the first thing she did was drop by Jimmy's desk to check on the query she had asked him to do on Roger McBride the day before. Unfortunately, Jimmy had called in sick, so the report would have to wait until the next day.

Detouring to the vending machine, she stopped to get a coffee, then went to her desk to go through her mail and organize her workload for the day. Checking her calendar, she saw that she had an appointment at 1 pm with Peggy McBride, and a meeting with Art on the McBride case at 3 pm. In the meantime, she had briefs to file on the case, and interviews to set up with the McBride's friends, family and neighbors.

By the time she sorted trough her mail and scheduled the appointments, it was nearly 11 am. Grabbing her coffee cup, she headed to the vending area for a refill. Her phone rang before she got two feet from her desk.

"Billie Charland." she said into the receiver.

"Ms. Charland, This is Sergeant Lang at the Police Department." the voice on the other end said.

Billie's heart rose to her throat. Trying remain calm, she replied, "Yes, Sgt. Lang. What can I do for you?"

"Ms. Charland, we have a Caitlain Charland here. She says she is your, ah, wife?" he said.

"Oh gods!... Cat!" Billie thought. Into the phone, she said, "Yes, she is. Is she all right?" Billie said quickly.

"She's fine, Ms. Charland.... Ms. Charland, can you come to the police station right away? We have a few questions for you before we release your wife." he said.

"Release her?" Billie said. "Why is she being held, Sgt.?" she asked.

"Ms. Charland, your wife was arrested about an hour ago at the county correctional facility for assaulting one Brian Charland." he said.

"Whaaaat?" Billie said in disbelief. Regaining her senses, she said, "Yes... Yes, of course, I'll be right there."

Grabbing her purse and keys, she headed to her car. "Damn it Cat... What the hell is going through your mind?" she thought.

Arriving at the police station about 20 minutes later, Billie identified herself at the front desk and was led into a dingy looking office at the back of the station house. A few minutes later, an attractive woman entered and introduced herself as Detective Matheson. Had Billie not been in such as state of worry over Cat's situation, she may have noticed that Dt. Matheson was indeed a beauty, with long auburn hair, green eyes and deep clef in her chin, all complimented by a peaches and cream Irish complexion. Where Billie was too preoccupied to notice Dt. Matheson's appearance, Billie's good looks were certainly not missed by the detective as she coolly looked her over, holding her hand in introduction just a little longer than necessary.

Finally realizing where the detective's attentions lay, Billie snapped her hand out of the woman's grasp and demanded to see Cat. "I want to see my wife, Dt. Matheson." she said, with special emphasis on the word wife.

Dt. Matheson walked a circle around Billie. Stopping in front of her, she said, "Yes... In a moment. First I have some questions for you. Please sit down." she said, indicating the chair Billie had just vacated.

Billie sat.

Pulling a chair in front of Billie, Dt. Matheson sat and crossed her legs, leaning forward so that her forearms were resting on her crossed knee. Tilting her head to one side, she raised her eyebrows and looked directly at Billie.

Billie smiled to herself. "Oh, you are good!" she thought, watching the scene play out in front of her. "Time to teach this rookie a lesson." she thought as she also leaned forward and smiled brightly into the woman's face.

"Tell me, Ms. Charland." she began.

"Billie... call me Billie." the dark haired woman said huskily, interrupting the detective.

"Billie... Yes. Tell me, Billie, is your wife always this violent?" the detective asked.

"Only in bed." Billie replied, pulling her bottom lip in between her teeth.

The detective gulped and cleared her throat. "Really?" she asked.

"Ohhhh Yeah!" Billie said smugly, adding a smile and a wiggle of her eyebrows for emphasis.

Detective Matheson rose and walked around to stand behind her own chair, obviously trying to put some distance between them. Billie sat back and crossed her legs, laying her forearms on the arm rests of the chair and tilting her chin down toward her chest so that she had to look up at the detective through her eyelashes. Her skirt had risen to nearly mid-thigh, exposing a mile of skin on her long shapely legs. The effect was very unnerving for the detective.

"Uhm, what is your relationship to Brian Charland, Billie." she asked.

Raising her chin up, Billie replied, "He is my ex-husband, father of my son, creator of my worst nightmares. Why do you ask?" she finished.

"Just trying to figure out why your wife would attack him, Ms. Charland." the detective replied.

Billie rose to her feet and approached the detective, backing her up against the wall. Billie had a good seven inches on her in height with 2-inch heels on. Coming to within an inch of her face, she said, "Well, if you're through with your little seduction attempt here, let me see her and I might be able to help you with that question...okay?"

Dt. Matheson turned red to the roots of her hair. Slipping out from between Billie and the wall, she told Billie to follow her while she led her down the hall to the holding cells.

Billie stepped into the holding cell and felt the door close and lock behind her. Leaning back against the bars, she crossed her arms and ankles and looked at Cat, raising her eyebrows into her hairline. Cat sat on the cot in the room, her hands folded in her lap. Looking up, she met Billie's gaze. Billie could see the anger smoldering behind Cat's eyes.

"Wanna tell me what happened?' Billie asked.

Cat grimaced and shook her head back and forth disgustedly, looking at the floor.

"Cat?" Billie asked.

Cat looked at her again and saw open arms waiting for her.

"C'mere." Billie said as Cat walked into her embrace and wrapped her arms around the taller woman's waist. Billie held her close. "Are you all right?" she asked.

"Billie, they took my wedding rings!" she said angrily.

"Huh?" Billie replied.

"They took my rings!" Cat said angrily. "They took everything... My watch, my earrings, my wallet!"

Billie cupped Cat's face with her palm. "Cat, that's standard procedure. You'll get them back when we leave." she assured the distraught woman.

"Billie, I promised you that I would never take them off! Damn them!" she exclaimed.

"Look, Cat, it's okay. Right now we have more pressing matters to take care of. Now, what possessed you to attack Brian?" Billie asked.

Cat pulled out of Billie's embrace and walked to the other side of the room, arranging the bangs on her forehead with her hand as she went. She stopped and pivoted back toward Billie. "I'm sick of his shit, Billie... First the photos, then the letter... " she explained.

"The letter? What letter?" Billie asked, stopping Cat in mid sentence.

"We received a letter today... addressed to me. They took that from me too!" she complained, referring to the police officers at the front desk.

"What did it say, Cat?" Billie said, pulling Cat over to the cot and sitting down with her.

"It was awful, Billie. Disgusting. He made several references to our 'sick kind of love', and about us settling for each other because we couldn't keep a man satisfied. He even mentioned writing to the editor of the paper about how we are living sinfully and raising children in an environment filled with evil lust. That was the final straw!" she ranted, jumping to her feet and pacing back and forth. "I will not stand by and let him blemish your name or harm our kids in any way!" she finished.

"So you decided to go to just waltz into the prison and put and end to it?" Billie asked incredulously.

Cat marched over to Billie and shook a finger in her face. "Don't you talk to me in that tone, Billie. You would have done exactly the same thing... Don't you dare deny it!" she said forcefully.

Billie stared at her wide-eyed. She hated to admit it, but Cat was right. She would indeed have done the exact same thing.

Billie rose to her feet and walked to the door. Leaning her back against it, she looked at Cat. "So what happened at the prison?" she asked.

"They escorted me to a visitor's room and then went to get Brian. Billie, he was so smug when he came in, I just wanted to scratch his eyes out right there and then. We sat down at the table across from each other. My skin was crawling just being that close to him. I wanted to puke." she explained.

"So why did they arrest you?" Billie asked.

"Well, I asked Brian to stop harassing us and he acted really ignorant about the whole thing. I told him that I didn't appreciate the pictures he sent.... nor the letter. Billie, ...He just laughed in my face and said 'You reap what you sow, Bitch'. He was so smug and arrogant, I couldn't take it any longer, so I lunged at him across the table."

Billie couldn't hide the grin that crossed her face.

Cat saw the grin and grinned back. "He's got a nice scratch down the left side of his face to show for his arrogance." she added. "I would have done more, but the guard pulled me off him.... and now, here I am!" she said, raising her hands out to the sides.

"You realize that you'll have to go to court for this if he presses charges." Billie said.

Cat walked into Billie's arms and laid her head on the tall woman's chest. "That's okay, I've got the best lawyer in town." Looking up, she added, "Hey, don' t you have to 'check my briefs' or something?"

Billie looked down at her and smiled. "You are incorrigible." she said, kissing the smaller woman on the nose. "Come on, let's get you out of here."

*********************************************************************************************** CHAPTER X

Detective Matheson released Cat from custody pending the filing of official assault charges against her by Brian. The red haired detective leaned casually against the desk while they were waiting for the clerk to retrieve Cat's possessions from the storage room, eyeing Billie appreciatively. Billie sat back comfortably in one of the chairs, legs crossed, boldly challenging Dt . Matheson with a look of her own, while Cat paced back and forth, nervously waiting for her stuff, quite oblivious to the exchange going on between the two women.

Finally, the clerk returned with a large yellow envelope and pushed a sign-out log in front of Cat for her signature, before handing it over to her. Tearing the envelope open, Cat quickly sought out her wedding rings and put them back on, smiling at Billie as they slid over her knuckle. Billie rose to her feet and joined Cat at the desk while she retrieved the rest of her personal effects from the envelope. Wallet, earrings, bracelet, watch... all there. The last item she pulled out was the letter she had received in the mail earlier that day. Billie took a quick look at the envelope and noticed that something wasn't quite right about it. Making a mental note to herself to look at it closer that evening, she handed it back to Cat and asked her if she was ready to go.

Turning toward the door, Billie found her path blocked by the attractive detective. Leaning in, she said to Billie in a low voice, "It could have been good, you know."

Seeing what was going on, Cat wormed her way in between the two women, with her back to Billie. Shooting visual daggers at the detective, she said in a low growly voice, "Back off!"

The detective turned shocked eyes toward Billie, who had grabbed Cat's arm to restrain her. Billie smiled and said, "Watch out... The Cat has claws... just ask Brian!"

Chuckling, Billie led Cat around the woman and out the door.

Billie gave Cat a lift back to her own car, which was still at the prison. Throwing the car in park, she leaned over and took Cat into her embrace and kissed her passionately.

"What was that for?" Cat asked breathlessly.

"For defending me against the she-wolf, my little tiger." Billie said with a chuckle.

Cat smiled back. "Billie, you hardly need defending... I just wanted to set the record straight with her... you belong to me.... hands off!" she said.

"Oh, I think she got the message all right." Billie said, then added. "Look, I've got a 1 pm appointment with the domestic abuse victim, and a 3 pm meeting with Art. I should be home by 4:30 pm. Okay? Think you can stay out of trouble for that long?" she teased.

"I'll show you trouble." Cat growled in mock indigence.

"Promise?" Billie said, wiggling her eyebrows up and down suggestively.

"Ohhhh Yeah." Cat replied, kissing her once more before climbing out of the car.

**********

When Billie got back to her office, and logged on to her terminal, she found an e-mail waiting for her from Jimmy. It was nearly 1 pm, so she had only enough time to scan the subject matter before Peggy McBride arrived. The subject simply said 'Roger McBride Criminal Record'. Billie itched to open the file, but her 1 pm appointment was waiting, so she logged off, then rose to invite Peggy into her office.

Peggy was still a young woman... in her late 20's, however, several years of living with an abusive husband had aged her dramatically. "Gods, I could have ended up like her." Billie thought as she led Peggy to a chair.

After asking permission to use a tape recorder, Billie ran Peggy through the formalities of prosecuting the case, then asked the woman for a brief history of how she met Roger, how long she had dated him before they married, and generally, what his behavior was toward her and others during their courtship. His behavior had appeared to be normal prior to their marriage. He was loving, attentive and affectionate. His charm won her friends and family over immediately. It was only after the their son was born that things started to go downhill.

"Why do you suppose that happened?" Billie asked, sitting on the edge of the desk near the seated woman.

"I don't know." Peggy said, shaking her head. "Maybe he was jealous... I just don't know."

"Jealous?" Billie asked. "Of the child?"

Peggy looked down at the hands in her lap and nodded her head. "Travis required a lot of attention when he was a baby. He was colicky and he cried and fussed a lot. The crying made Roger nervous. He would scream at me to shut him up." she said.

Billie couldn't imagine she or Cat being jealous of the kid's presence in their lives. Hell... the kids were their lives!

Peggy looked up at Billie. "Do you have any children, Ms. Charland?" she asked.

Billie smiled. "Call me Billie... And yes, I have three, a boy and two girls." she said proudly.

"Then you must understand what's it like to have a fussy child. I can't really blame Roger... Travis did cry all the time... it even wore on my nerves on occasion." she explained.

Billie put a hand on Peggy's shoulder. "I do understand how a crying baby can be nerve wracking, Peggy, but I don't understand how violence can be a solution for it." she said. "Don't be so quick to defend his actions!"

Peggy became irritated at Billie's tone. "Who are you to tell me what not to defend?" she asked sarcastically.

Billie rose to her full height and approached the woman. Kneeling on the floor in front of her, she reached up and took Peggy's chin in her hand. "I am someone whose been where you are right now." Billie said. "I have scars on my back to prove it.... Only difference is, I didn't let him get to my son."

Peggy dropped her eyes to her lap again and whispered, "I'm sorry... I didn't know."

Billie rubbed her back. "It's all right. Like you, I took the steps necessary to get out of the marriage. It took three years of beatings for me to realize I could do it, but I finally did." she explained.

"And what about the future, Billie? Is there a future for me if I leave Roger?" she asked through tears.

"Yes there is, Peggy. The rest of your life is waiting for you, but you need to get rid of the baggage before you can move on." Billie said.

"And you.. Did you move on?" Peggy asked.

Billie smiled as she cupped the distraught woman's face in her palm. "Yes, I did... I am married to the most perfect person in the world, and we have two daughters beside our son. Yes, Peggy, I did move on, and so can you." she replied.

Billie got up off the floor and walked to the office door. Opening it, she asked the secretary to bring her two cups of coffee. Then turning back to Peggy she said, "Okay, my friend, this is the hard part. I need you to tell me about the beatings... in detail... don't leave anything out. Do you understand?"

Peggy just nodded her head sadly.

A knock on the door produced two cups of steaming black coffee. "Thanks, Jose." Billie said, closing the door. After offering sugar and powdered creamer to Peggy, the women went to work documenting the nightmare Peggy had been living in for the past four years. Finally, it was over and both women were emotionally drained. Throwing the empty Kleenex box in the trash, Billie circled Peggy's chair and wrapped her arms around the woman, hugging her tightly. "I'm proud of you." she said. "Now go on home and get some rest, okay? We've got a long road ahead of us."

Peggy hugged her back and thanked her, then left the office.

Billie sat back in her chair and took a deep breath. She really liked this woman, she decided, and hoped that she would be strong enough to break the cycle of abuse she had allowed herself to be trapped in. Checking her watch, she noticed that it was nearly time for her meeting with Art. Grabbing her briefs and notes she had taken during the interview with Peggy, she headed to Art's office.

**********

Billie had to fight her way through the kitchen door when she got home. Shoes and school bags littered the doorway, creating a virtual minefield of booby traps to trip over. Stepping over the mess, she put her briefcase and jacket in the coat closet and headed to the living room. Leaning against the archway between the living room and kitchen, she crossed her arms and observed the kids laying disarrayed all over the furniture, watching cartoons. She cleared her throat and said, "Funny, you don't look like the Three Little Pigs!"

The kids looked up at the sound of her voice. They could tell by her stance that they were in trouble. "Huh?" Seth said.

Billie crooked her index finger at then in a 'come hither' fashion. All three children scampered to their feet and followed her back to the kitchen. She stopped just short of the mess in front of the back door. Pointing to it, she said, "You guys know better than that... let's get it cleaned up, okay?"

"Aw Mom!" they said together, begrudgingly picking up their things.

Soon the mess was organized and put away and the children dispersed back into the living room to resume watching their show, while Billie headed upstairs to change out of her work clothes. Billie met Cat coming down the stairs. She stopped her in mid-flight and took her hand, leading her back up the stairs, where she dragged her into their room and closed the door. Turning to look at Cat, she saw the concerned look in her wife's eyes.

"Is everything all right, Billie?" Cat asked.

Billie backed Cat up against the door. "Everything is fine...I just need a little help getting out of these clothes. Know anyone who can do that for me?" she said.

Cat smiled seductively. "I might." she teased, reaching up around Billie's neck to pull her down for a kiss.

Billie groaned as Cat's tongue fought for entrance into her mouth. After kissing her thoroughly, she moved to Billie's chin, then ear. Billie tilted her head back to give Cat free access to her neck. Cat sucked greedily, leaving red marks that were sure to bruise the next day. Billie just moaned at the sensations shooting from her neck to her groin, her arms circling Cat, reaching down to grasp her firm bottom, and pulling her in closer to her own heated center. "By the gods, Cat, do you have any idea what you're doing to me?" Billie whispered.

Cat reached down and lifted Billie's skirt. "I don't know... let's see." she replied, pushing Billie's panties down, then sliding her hand between the wet folds. Billie moaned loudly. Suddenly she drove three fingers deep into the taller woman's core. Billie screamed out Cat's name as her knees started to buckle. Cat swung them around so that Billie's back was against the door. Holding the taller woman up with her own weight, Cat proceeded to drive Billie to the edge of oblivion and back.

As the last of the tremors left her body, Billie slowly rose back to her full height. Reaching out, she pulled Cat in for a long deep kiss. "I love you, Cat." she said. "Let me show you how much."

Just as Billie lowered her mouth for another searing kiss, a knock was heard on the door behind them. "Mama?" came a small voice.

Billie groaned and lowered her forehead to Cat's. "Tonight... I promise." she whispered, kissing her gently.

"I'll hold you to that!" Cat replied.

"It's a date, love." Billie said, kissing her again and then retreating to the bathroom to shower.

*********************************************************************************************** CHAPTER XI

Cat and Billie decided to treat the kids to pizza and miniature golf that night. There was a newly opened indoor miniature golf course that featured world famous landmarks at each hole. Among them were Mount Rushmore, Stone hedge, The Eiffel Tower, the Sphinx and the Redwood Forests. After two rounds through 18 holes, they called it quits and headed for the car. Seth bragged mercilessly about his winning scores.

"Hey, when you're good, you're good!" the ten year old said.

"You cheated!" came Tara's reply.

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!" continued the banter until Billie said, "Well, I think y'all cheated!"

Cat gave her a hip check while they walked along. "You're just mad that you got the lowest scores!" she teased.

"Yeah, Mommy, Even I beat you.. and I'm just little!" Skylar added as she walked along holding Billie's hand.

Billie leaned down and scooped the youngest child into her harms. Skylar instinctively wrapped her legs around Billie's waist and her arms around her neck. Billie leaned in and planted a loud raspberry into her neck. Skylar giggled with glee. Addressing all of them, she said, "Well, I was at a disadvantage."

"Oh really?" came the reply from Cat, her eyebrows raised into her hairline.

"Yes, really... Those little clubs are too short for my height." Billie explained.

"Face it Mom," Seth said. "You just stink at miniature golf."

"I'll show you who stinks, young man!" Billie threatened as she put Skylar down and reached out to her son with "The Claw".

Seth knew a tickle fight was about to ensue, so he took off on a dead run toward the car, with Billie right on his heels. Within seconds, she had him thrown across the trunk of the car, ticking him into submission. "Give?" she asked, continuing to tickle him until he surrendered.

As Seth was recovering from his torture, Billie looked up at Cat and the girls, who were approaching them. A movement to Cat's left caught her eye. Looking over, she saw a car speeding toward her family.

"Cat! Look out!" she shouted, pointing in the direction of the car.

Cat turned to her left to see the car bearing down on them. She had just enough time to grab the girls and thrust them forward toward Billie before the car clipped her on the side, spinning her around and sending her crashing to the ground. The car continued to speed away.

"Cat!... Oh my god! Cat!" Billie screamed as she ran toward her wife. Billie reached her in seconds. "Cat, Honey, are you hurt?" she asked.

Cat was conscious, and laying on her side, with her upper body propped up on her hands. She was dazed and confused. She looked up at Billie and said, "Oh gods... Billie, the girls?"

"They're okay... thanks to you." Billie said as all three children ran to them. Skylar was crying and Tara was picking up stones from the ground, trying to throw them at the car that had long sped away. Seth had simply knelt beside Cat and reached for her hand.

"Cat, are you hurt?" Billie asked again.

"I don't think so." Cat began as she tried to sit up, gasping in pain in her hip at the attempt. "Oh... Well.. maybe. Billie, help me up." she said.

"Cat, maybe I should call an ambulance." Billie suggested.

"No... I'm all right, I don't think anything is broken,... just bruised. Give me a hand here." she said, reaching out.

With Seth on one side and Billie on the other, they helped her to her feet as she gingerly tested her weight on her legs. Skylar had stopped crying but had wrapped herself around Cat's waist. Billie peeled Skylar off Cat and picked her up, balancing her on one hip. Skylar rested her head on her mother's shoulder. Turning to the child, Billie whispered in her ear, "It's okay, Sky... Mama will be all right, I promise." She kissed the child on the forehead as the tike nodded her head.

Between Billie and Seth, Cat was able to limp to the car and climb into the front seat. Soon the family was headed home. Billie kept throwing nervous glances over at Cat during the ride. It was apparent that Cat was in pain. "Cat, I'm taking you to the hospital... and I don't want an argument!" she said, holding up her hand as Cat started to interrupt.

Ten minutes later, Billie and the kids were waiting in the emergency room while Cat was being examined. At Billie's request, the receptionist called the police to report the incident. The police officer was still interviewing Billie when Cat hobbled out of the examining room on crutches.

Billie immediately rushed to Cat's side and helped her to a chair. Taking the diagnosis sheet from Cat's hand as she sat and talked to the officer, Billie read over the instructions for follow-up care. "Contusion to the bone... no break... ice for swelling... elevation.... stay off for two days... crutches for one week.... follow-up appointment in two weeks." she read to herself. Folding up the sheet, she shoved it into her hip pocket and turned to the conversation going on between her wife and the officer.

"No, I can't think of anyone who would want to hurt me." Cat said.

"I can." Billie interrupted. "...but he's in jail... couldn't possibly be him." she finished.

"Is there anything else you can tell me about the car, Ms. Charland?" the officer asked.

"Yeah." Seth piped in. "It was a black 1994 Buick Regal."

The officer raised his eyebrows, looking at Billie, not sure whether to believe the child or not.

"Trust him." Billie said. "He's a huge race car fan... he knows his cars."

"Okay, then." the officer said. "I'll let you know if we find anything. Have a nice evening." he said as he walked away.

Turning to Seth, Billie said, "Keep any eye on your sisters for me while I move the car closer to the door, okay?"

Seth nodded as Billie ruffled his hair. Leaning in to Cat, she placed a light kiss on her forehead and said, "I'll be right back... don't move."

Cat gave her a look that said, "I'm not a cripple!", but obediently sat and waited for her to return. Soon, they were on their way home.

**********

When they got home, Billie helped Cat into the house and up to bed. Cat protested that she didn't need to be confined to bed, but Billie insisted that it would be the most comfortable place to keep her leg elevated on several piles of pillows. After she had Cat settled, she supervised the kid's baths. Baths over, they all sat around Cat on the bed, eating graham crackers and drinking hot cocoa.

Trying to lighten the mood, Billie started telling jokes. Unfortunately, she wasn't very good at it. In fact, she was so bad, that Skylar had curled up next to Cat and had fallen fast asleep in the middle of one.

"I got one! I got one!" Seth said excitedly.

"Okay Scout, let's hear it." Cat said.

Seth began, "There was this guy named Mahatma Gandhi who walked barefoot everywhere. He walked barefoot so much that the skin on his feet was thick and hard.. He was also some kind of priest or had visions or something. He was really skinny and weak because he went on a lot of hunger strikes and because his diet was so bad, he had really bad breath. He became really famous, but no one could remember his name, so they called him 'Super callused fragile mystic plagued with halitosis.'" Seth sat back and waited for their reaction. Billie and Cat looked at each other and groaned in unison, then broke out laughing.

"I don't get it!" Tara said.

"Duh, Tara... You know.... Super-cala-fragi-listic-expi-ala-dotious?"

Tara just frowned, "Ha, Ha! Very funny Seth!" she said sourly, angry that she hadn't gotten the joke in the first place. "Well I got one that even funnier." she said.

"Out with it, woman!" Billie said jokingly.

Tara grinned at her mother. "Okay, There was this mommy tomato and daddy tomato crossing the street. The baby tomato was following them. The mommy tomato and daddy tomato were already across the street, but the baby tomato was dragging his feet. The daddy tomato went back to the baby tomato and hit him on top of the head, squishing him flat, then he said Catsup!"

Billie nearly spit out her cocoa, she laughed so hard. Even Seth grinned uncontrollably. Cat shook her head from side to side, chuckling at her daughter's dry humor.

"Okay, Rugrats, it's late. Time for bed." Billie said.

After lots of hugs and kisses for Cat, Billie ushered the kids off to bed, carrying Skylar to her own room and tucking her in. She stopped to kiss and tuck the older kids before returning to Cat.

When Billie returned to the bedroom to collect the cocoa mugs, Cat was massaging her leg, a frown etched deeply into her forehead. She was obviously in a lot of pain. Billie sat on the bed next to the injured woman. Reaching up, she brushed a stray lock of strawberry blonde hair off her face and tucked it behind her ear. "Hurts, huh?" she said.

Cat just nodded.

"Let me take care of this mess, then I'll get you a couple of painkillers, okay?" she said.

"All right." Cat replied.

After rinsing the mugs out and loading them into the dishwasher, Billie made the rounds of the house, locking the doors and turning off the lights. She retrieved a couple of extra strength pain relievers from the medicine cabinet in the downstairs bathroom before heading back upstairs. As she passed through the dark living room, she noticed the red light blinking on the answering machine. Walking over, she pushed the 'play' button. A man's voice came over the speaker, obviously muffled by a cloth or a hand.

"Tonight's 'accident' was just a warning. Next time, I won't be so careless. Back off Billie!" the message said.

Billie stood there stunned. "Back off? Back off from what?" she thought. Flipping the top open on the answering machine, she grabbed the tape and headed upstairs. When she reached their room, she drew a glass of water out of the bathroom sink and gave the painkillers to Cat. She paced back and forth at the foot of the bed while she waited for Cat to finish her water.

Cat set the water glass on the night stand and turned to Billie. "What's wrong, love?' she asked.

Billie was taping the cassette tape on her open palm. "Cat, What happened to you tonight was no accident."

Cat drew her brows together in a frown. "Billie?" she said.

Cat put the cassette into the player on the bureau. "Listen to this." she said.

After the tape played, Cat looked at Billie, fear evident on her face. "Who?" she asked.

"I don't know, love, but I intend to find out." Billie said as she resumed her pacing.

"What are we going to do, Billie?" Cat said cautiously.

Billie stopped. "Cat, where is the letter you received in the mail?" she asked.

"In my purse." she replied. "It's on the telephone stand in the hall downstairs."

"Be right back." Billie said as she ran out of the room. Moments later, she was back. Walking into the room, while staring at the envelope, she narrowed her eyes into slits and pulled the letter out of the sleeve. She unfolded the letter and read it. Cat could see angry emotions fly across her lover's face as she read.

Finally, she was done. Looking up at Cat, she said, "Cat, Brian did not write this."

"What do you mean?" Cat asked.

"This isn't his hand writing." Billie explained.

"Are you sure?" Cat questioned.

"Cat, Honey, I lived with the man for three years... Yes, I'm sure... This is not his handwriting." she replied.

"Oh gods, Billie. Do you mean there's someone out there stalking us?... Billie, the kids... I...." Cat began.

Billie climbed into the bed beside Cat and pulled her into her arms. "Shhh... It's okay. I'll think of something. First thing in the morning, I'm calling the police to request a patrol car to be stationed outside the house. I have an idea who may be behind this, Cat. I'll look into it as soon as I get to work tomorrow. All right? Sleep now, love, you're safe. I love you, Cat." she said.

Within moments, the painkillers Cat had taken kicked in and soon, she was sound asleep in her lover's arms. Billie on the other hand laid awake for hours, staring at the ceiling and praying to the gods that she could keep her family safe.

**********

The first thing Billie did when she got to work the next morning, was check the e-mail that Jimmy had sent to her on Roger McBride. He was Billie's primary suspect. It made sense... the McBride case was the only one she was working on at the moment. The file was organized in descending order, with the latest offenses listed first. The most recent entry was his arrest for spousal and child abuse, followed by several entries over the past three years for aggravated assault involving bar room confrontations. Billie continued to read. Suddenly, a named jumped out at her and hit her in the gut, knocking the wind out of her... Brian Charland.

"Bingo!" she said out loud as she read how Brian and McBride had been arrested as 18 year olds for car theft. "There's the connection." she thought to herself. Logging off her account, she grabbed her car keys and headed to the parking lot. "You've got a lot of explaining to do, Brian." she said to herself as she pointed her car in the direction of the prison.

An hour later, Billie was sitting across the table from Brian. A long angry looking scratch could be seen down the left side of his face. "Good girl, Cat." she thought to herself.

"What do you want, Billie?" he asked. "You and your girlfriend have caused me enough trouble already."

"Wife, Brian. She's my wife." Billie said.

"You're a sick Bitch... you know that?" he replied.

Billie looked at the table and sighed. Looking back up at Brian, she said, "Look, I'm not here to talk about my love live, okay? I want to know why you sent those photographs and that letter to Cat." she said, baiting him.

"Go to hell, Slut. I don't have to answer your questions." he said.

"Okay, Brian. Have it your way." she said rising to her feet. "I'll be back in about an hour, with your mother in tow." Billie started walking toward the door.

"Wait!" Brian said. "Jesus Christ, Billie. Do you have to be such a fucking bitch? She'll rag on me until the day I die if you get her involved in this, and you know it!"

Billie returned to the table and leaned over it, supporting her weight on her hands. "I only want answers, Brian. My family is in danger here, and I will do ANY thing I have to, to protect them.... including involving your mother. Have I made myself clear?" she asked.

"Shit!" he said, rising to his feet and pushing his chair back violently. Brian walked to the opposite side of the room, running his hand through his hair as he went. "Shit!" he said again.

"Well?" Billie asked.

Throwing his hands up, he said, "All right... All right. I didn't write the letter. Roger did. I did give him the pictures though." he confessed.

"Why?" Billie asked.

"With the kind of record Roger has, he'll end up here for a very long time... guaranteed, if you successfully convict him of beating his wife and kid. He was desperate. When he discovered your last name was Charland, he contacted me to see if I knew you. When he realized you were my ex-wife, he enlisted my help to stop you." Brian explained.

"And you were oh so eager to help him, weren't you, Brian?" Billie asked sarcastically.

"Why not? You never did me any favors... In fact, I'm locked in here today because of you." he said.

"You are one sick bastard, Brian. Don't you care that you're hurting your son and daughter as well?" she asked.

"They're not mine any more, Billie. You saw to that when you forced me to sign the papers giving them up." he said.

Billie stood to her full height and looked at him. Shaking her head back and forth, she said, "I guess you've made up your mind and there's no changing it, Brian. I would advise you to get a life and stay out of mine from now on." Billie turned to go, stopping at the door. Turning back to him, she said, "Oh, and by the way, that scratch on your face... it didn't happen, right?"

He looked at her for a long time. She stood firm, refusing to be the first to look away. Finally, he dropped his eyes and said, "Right."

*********************************************************************************************** CHAPTER XII

Billie called Cat on her car phone on her way back to the office from the prison.

"Hello?" a voice said on the other end of the phone.

"Jen?" Billie asked.

"Hey Tall, Dark and Dangerous... What's up?" asked their precocious friend.

"Just calling to see how Cat's doing." she replied.

"She's being a cranky bitch... that's how she's doing. How do you put up with her anyway?" Jen asked humorously.

"I figured she might be. Are the kids driving her nuts?" Billie asked.

"Actually, no... There all in the family room playing. She's just sick of being stuck in bed." Jen explained.

"Did she tell you what happened yesterday, Jen?" said Billie.

"Yeah, she did. It's kind of scary. That's why the kids are downstairs and not outside. She didn't want them out in the open." Jen replied.

"Good move... Hopefully, it won't be for long. I'm on to a lead that I think will solve the problem. I just called to tell Cat about it. Is she asleep?" Billie asked.

"Hell no! She's upstairs plotting ways to make us all as miserable as she is. Hold on and I'll get her for you." Jen offered.

A few moments later, Billie heard the click of the portable phone, followed by a soft "Billie?"

"Hi, love. Just called to see how you're doing, and to give you some news." Billie said.

"How am I? I'm going abso-freakin-lutely out of my mind!. Billie. I hate this! Christ, I can't even go pee without help!" Cat exclaimed.

"You need help to pee?" Billie repeated, chuckling.

"It isn't funny, Billie! Cat complained.

"I know... I know, love. I'm sorry. Look, I called to tell you that I know who the stalker is." Billie said.

"Who?" Cat demanded.

"Roger McBride." Billie said.

"McBride... Isn't he the one you're prosecuting for beating his wife and child?" Cat asked.

"Yes... And do you want to hear something funny? He knows Brian... In fact, he got the photographs from Brian." Billie explained.

"Billie, Why would he want to hurt me?" Cat wanted to know.

"He's trying to get to me through you, love. He knows he'll go to jail for a long time if he's convicted, and he wants me to back off... just like he said on the answering machine message." Billie said.

"Damn. What are we going to do about it?" Cat asked.

"Well, I'm going to visit with his wife, just to verify that the letter was written by him, then I'm going to the police." the tall woman replied.

"Billie, be careful, okay... We need you... Don't go get yourself killed, all right?" Cat pleaded.

"Don't worry Sweetie... I'll be careful... I promise." Billie answered.

**********

Billie arrived back at work and immediately gave Peggy McBride a call.

"Hello?" said the voice on the other end of the line.

"Peggy? Peggy, this is Billie Charland. I need to see you as soon as possible. Can I come over?" Billie asked.

Peggy hesitated. "Ah... Ah.. I guess so." she said uncertainly.

"Peggy, is everything all right?" Billie asked.

"Yes, everything is fine." she replied. "Can I ask what you need to see me about?" she questioned.

"I have some notes to go over with you and some questions to ask. Look, it's very important, or I would set up a meeting here at the office. Is now a good time?" Billie asked.

Now is fine, but can I meet you somewhere? Peggy asked.

Warning bells started going off in Billie's head. "Okaaaay." she said slowly, giving her the name of a coffee shop nearby. "I'll meet you there in about 15 minutes, then." Billie said, hanging up the phone. Ten minutes later, Billie was sitting in a booth in the corner of the diner, waiting for Peggy to arrive.

Twenty minutes later, Billie was convinced that Peggy wasn't going to show. She had started to rise to her feet when she spotted her come in. She was wearing oversized sunglasses and a decorative scarf around her neck. "Damn." Billie said under her breath.

Peggy spotted her across the room and waived her hand to acknowledge her. Moments later, she was sliding into the booth across the table from Billie. She did not remove the glasses, even though she was inside the building.

Billie looked at her closely while Peggy squirmed under the scrutiny.

"Peggy..." Billie began.

"Billie... What is it that you need help with?" Peggy said, interrupting Billie, obviously knowing what Billie was about to say.

Billie took a deep breath and let it out. "Okay, I can take a hint." she said to herself. Out loud, she said, "Peggy, I have a question for you about Roger. It will sound kind of odd, but it definitely has some bearing on this case."

"Okay." Peggy said, adjusting her glasses.

"Peggy, how does Roger feel about homosexuals?" she asked.

Billie could see Peggy visibly start. Her hand flew up to nervously arrange hair. "Ho... Homosexuals?" she repeated.

"Yes... gays, lesbians. Has he ever voiced his opinion to you about that particular subject?" Billie prompted.

Peggy fidgeted in her seat. Looking up at Billie through her sunglasses, she said, "Yes. He hates them."

Billie sat back in the booth and crossed her arms. Nodding her head up and down, she narrowed her eyes and asked, "Does he know that you're gay, Peggy?"

Peggy's head snapped up. "I... I... Oh god." she said, dropping her chin to her chest and starting to cry.

Billie let her cry for a few moments before saying. "He knows, doesn't he?"

Peggy just nodded her head, wiping her eye with the Kleenex she had dug out of her purse.

"Is that why he beats you?" Billie asked.

Peggie looked up. "Is that why your husband beat you?" she asked right back.

Billie just smiled. "Okay, I deserved that, I guess. But to answer your question, no... my husband started beating me long before he knew that I liked women." Billie replied.

"Well, not Roger. I told you that our marriage was fine until Travis was born. Truth is, Travis' birth was pretty much coincidental with my 'coming out'. I met someone while I was pregnant, who made me feel very special. When I realized I was in love with her, I told Roger. He went ape-shit and nearly killed me. He threatened to kill my lover as well, so I broke it off with her to keep her out of danger. I haven't seen her since." Peggy explained, anger and bitterness clouding her voice.

Billie reached her large hand out across the table and placed it on top of Peggy's smaller one. "I'm sorry, Peggy." she said.

Peggy composed herself and then said. "What made you ask that question, Billie?"

"Peggy, I have reason to believe that Roger has been stalking my family, trying to get me to back off this case. We received some photographs and a letter recently that obviously came from someone who hates the concept of gay relationships. My wife and daughters were also nearly run down by a speeding car which I have reason to believe was being driven by the same person who sent the letter. I thought at first that it was my ex-husband, but after confronting him, in jail, I might add, and doing a criminal records search on Roger, I am convinced that he is behind it." Billie explained.

Without warning, Billie pulled the letter out of her pocket and threw it down on the table. Peggy audibly gasped when she saw the hand writing, confirming Billie's suspicion. "It's his hand writing, isn't it, Peggy?" she asked.

Peggy just nodded.

"Go ahead and read it, if you'd like." Billie offered.

Several minutes later, Peggy handed the letter back to Billie. "I don't know what to say, except I'm sorry." Peggy remarked.

"It's not your fault, Peggy." Billie said. "You've given me what I need to go after him, and for that, I thank you for."

Peggy just nodded and then rose to her feet. "I must be going... Is there anything else you need?" she asked Billie.

Billie rose with her. "Yes, there is." Billie said. "I need you to promise me that you'll call me if you need help." she added, handing her a business card with her work and home numbers on it. "Any time, night or day. I mean that Peggy." she finished.

Peggy took the card and murmured a soft, "Thank You.", then turned and left the diner.

**********

The next day, Billie filed a formal complaint against Roger McBride for stalking and harassment, adding one more offense to his long list of crimes. A restraining order was also issued, although Billie knew it was only as good as the paper it was written on. If McBride chose to violate the order, it would be too late to do anything about it until after it happened. After seeing what he had done to his own wife and child, she had no qualms about him being capable of doing the same, or worse, to Cat and the kids. So, she spent the next couple of weeks holding her breath and praying to the gods that he would be smart enough to stay away.

The legal case was progressing against him at a steady pace. Interviews with friends and family produced mixed results, ranging from "Roger's a great guy", to "I suspect one day he'll kill her". Looking at the case as a whole, the outcome would ultimately depend on Peggy McBride. Her testimony and medical records were vital to the success of the prosecution. It was for this reason, and for genuine fear for the woman, that Billie became alarmed when she was unable to make contact with Peggy for an entire week. She left voice messages on her answering machine, mailed notices to her house, and even went to her home a couple of times to seek her out. Each time, she was unavailable.

Finally, when Billie was on the verge of filing a missing person's report on her, she surfaced. Billie was home, relaxing with Cat and the children in the family room, eating popcorn and watching a movie. She was cuddling on the oversized sofa with Cat, while the children were laying at all angles around and on top of them. Billie loved this time of day. She craved the emotional and physical affection she received from her family. They were her life, and she would do anything to protect them, even give up her own life if necessary.

When the phone rang, Billie shifted Skylar's off her lap and onto Cat's as she volunteered to answer it. Rising to her feet, she noticed how the kids seem to flow in to fill the void she had just vacated on the couch, scooting a little closer to Cat. She smiled at the sight.

Picking up the extension they had installed in the basement, Billie spoke into it. "Hello?" she said.

"Billie?" a raspy voice answered.

"Yes." she said.

"Billie, I understand you've been looking for me." said the voice.

"Peggy?" she asked. "Peggy, are you all right? Your voice sounds funny."

"I'm fine... just a little cold." she replied.

"Peggy, where are you?" Billie questioned, not believing the explanation.

"Home. Sorry I've missed you, I've been in and out a lot." she explained.

Suddenly, Billie heard a painful groan from the other end. "Peggy... What's happening... Talk to me!" she said urgently.

"Relax... I'm fine, really...He didn't mean to..." Peggy interrupted herself.

"I'm on my way Peggy." Billie said into the phone.

"No!" came the hysterical reply. "No! I'm fine... Billie, don't, you'll only make it worse."

"Peggy!" she said again in a pleading voice.

"Billie, please... don't... please." cried the woman. By this time, Cat had joined Billie at the phone, hearing her end of the conversation, and becoming alarmed for the woman on the other end of the line. She placed a hand on Billie's arm and looked at her questioningly.

Billie wrapped her free arm around Cat and pulled her in close.

"Peggy, is he there with you now?" Billie asked.

"Yes." came the simple reply. "He's in the bathroom right now... I've got to go, he won't be in there long." she explained.

"Peggy, I want you out of there. Promise me you'll leave when he falls asleep.... Promise me, or by the gods, I will drive over there right now!" Billie threatened.

"All right... I promise." Peggy replied. "I've got to go." she said, hanging up.

Billie stood there, listening to the dial tone coming out of the phone in her hand. She looked down at Cat and once again thanked the gods that she had had the good sense to get help, before she placed Cat in the same situation Peggy was in. She hung up the phone and wrapped both arms around Cat.

**********

Billie felt like a caged tiger. Nervous energy caused her to pace back and forth across their bedroom floor.

"Billie, love, please come to bed. She'll call if she needs you." Cat urged.

"Cat, I have a very bad feeling about this. Very bad." she said. "I really want to go over there."

"Honey, if you're that worried, call the police. I'm sure they'll send a car over to check things out. After all, he's not supposed to be around her right? If he's there, they can arrest him for violating the restraining order." Cat reasoned.

Billie stopped pacing and looked at Cat. "You're right." she said, walking over to sit on the bed next to her wife. Taking Cat's face in her hands, she leaned in and kissed her tenderly. "You always know what to say, don't you?" she asked. Kissing her again, she said, "I'll be right back... gotta make a call... don't go anywhere, okay?"

"You're kidding, right? I have plans for all that penned up energy you seem to have... I wouldn't dream of moving a muscle!" Cat replied huskily. "Hurry back!"

Billie placed a call to the police station, and finally, after much argument, convinced them that there was reason to at least check out the situation. That accomplished, she returned to her wife, who, true to her word, helped her to released the excess energy she had. Several hours later, they lay spent in each others arms, skin against skin, sweat and essences mingling together in a sexual afterglow that permeated the room. Billie shifted so that she way laying totally on top of Cat, their noses a fraction of an inch away from each other. Placing a gentle kiss on her wife's lips, Billie said, "Cat, I love you with all of my heart. Thank you for trusting in us, in our love. Gods knows, I have given you reason not to. I will cut off my own hands before I ever do anything to hurt you, my love... or the children. I promise."

Cat looked into the azure depths of her lover's eyes. "Billie." she said. "I don't need that promise. I do trust you. I know you would never hurt us." Reaching up, she pushed an errant lock of hair behind Billie's ear. "Now lay down here with me and let me hold you love, let me chase away your demons." she said, reaching up to kiss the dark haired woman.

Billie smiled and shifted her weight to the side, laying her head down on Cat's shoulder and wrapping her arm securely around the smaller woman's waist.

Cat leaned her head over and kissed Billie tenderly on the head. "Sleep well, my warrior. I love you." she said as they both drifted off to sleep.

*********************************************************************************************** CHAPTER XIII

Billie was in the shower early the next morning when the phone rang. Cat, who had been cheating the clock to get a few more minutes of sleep, rolled over and grabbed the receiver. Looking at the time and seeing 5:15 am flashing in the semi-darkness, she wondered who could be calling at such an early hour.

"Hello?" Cat said sleepily.

"Help me!" the weak, broken voice on the line said. "Help me, please..."

"Peggy?" Cat asked. "Peggy, is that you?" Cat covered the receiver with her hand and yelled to Billie.

Billie was out of the shower in a shot, running into the bedroom, naked and dripping wet. "Cat?" she exclaimed as she ran into the room.

"Billie... It's Peggy." Cat explained handing the phone out to Billie.

Billie grabbed it quickly. "Peggy." Billie shouted into the phone breathlessly.

"Bill..ie... Help me... please...hel..." came the broken voice from the other end of the line. Suddenly, a thumping noise was heard, and then nothing at all.

"Peggy!" Billie shouted.. "Peggy, Honey... Talk to me... Peggy!" She looked frantically at Cat.

Cat scrambled out of bed and quickly threw on some clothes. Getting Seth up, she sent him over to fetch Jen. Coming back into the bedroom, she noticed that Billie was still standing there, naked and wet, holding the silent phone in her hand. She approached the tall woman and took the phone from her hand. Hanging it up, she turned to Billie and took her wife's face in her hands. "Billie." she said gently, making eye contact with her lover. "Honey, get dressed. I've sent Seth over to get Jen... We'll leave as soon as she gets here, okay?"

Billie didn't say a word. She just nodded and did as she was instructed as Cat went downstairs to wait for her son and best friend to return.

Minutes later, Jen came charging into the house behind Seth. "What is it with you two?" she asked. "Geesh... Your lives are like a soap opera! What happened this time?" she asked.

Cat filled Jen in on what was happening with Billie's client. "I'm sorry to pull you out of bed, Jen... I know we depend on you to much." Cat apologized.

Jen grabbed Cat's shoulders and shook her lightly. "Don't you ever let me hear you apologize again for needing a friend... got it? Damn it, Cat! Haven't you figured out yet that Fred and I love you two? We would do anything for you... anything. Is that clear?" she scolded.

Billie had come into the kitchen just in time to catch the last part of Jen's speech. Walking up to her wife and best friend, she wrapped her long arms around both of them and hugged them close. "Thanks, Jen.... We love you too. Thanks for helping us out... again." she said, placing a kiss on Jen's head.

"You're welcome... now go help your client and don't worry about things here. Okay?" Jen said.

Billie grabbed her jacket and approached Seth, who was sitting at the kitchen table, concerned about his early morning summons. She leaned over and wrapped her son in her arms. "Thank you, love bug. Go on back to bed, okay? We'll be back soon, Sweetie." Kissing him on the forehead, she swatted him on the butt lightly as he headed back upstairs.

**********

Billie was silent as they drove through the pre-dawn morning. Cat sat close to her love in the car, rubbing her hand up and down her thigh as she drove, maintaining a comforting contact. The way Peggy sounded on the phone, Cat knew that what they might find when they got there would not be good. Looking at her wife's dark profile, it became apparent that Billie was of the same mind. When they had driven about half way there, Cat said, "Maybe I should call ahead for an ambulance, Billie." Billie just nodded as Cat reached for the car phone. "What's the address?" Cat asked as she placed the call.

Minutes later, Billie pulled into the driveway of Peggy's home. Gaining entry into the house was not a problem, as the front door was wide open. Billie cautiously entered first, protecting Cat from any imminent danger that might still be lurking within. Seeing that the way was clear, she let Cat into the room. Both women searched the downstairs, but found no evidence of foul play. Billie climbed the stairs to the second floor, again holding Cat off behind her. After searching two empty bedrooms, the came across Peggy's body lying in the middle of a king sized bed. There was blood everywhere... on the bed, on the floor and even splattered on the wall. Billie ran to the bed and turned Peggy over. Her face was almost unrecognizable, it had been beaten so badly.

"Oh Gods!" Billie said as she climbed up onto the bed and cradled Peggy's head in her lap. "Cat, help her, please." she said, turning to her wife.

Cat immediately began examining the critically injured woman. Her blood pressure was dangerously low and one pupil was unresponsive, signaling a head injury. Cat avoided eye contact with Billie, knowing the prognosis would show on her face.

Peggy's eyes fluttered open suddenly as Billie spoke to her, trying desperately to assure her that everything would be okay, knowing in her heart that there was very little chance of that. Reaching out a bloodied, broken hand to grasp Billie's arm, Peggy pleaded desperately in a ragged voice, "Don't let him have Travis... please."

Billie began to cry. "I won't, I promise." she said as Peggy slowly sank into the bed and closed her eyes. Billie looked up at Cat, looking for the dreaded confirmation of what had come to pass.

Cat reached for her pulse, finding none. She dropped her chin to her chest and sighed.

"Cat?" Billie said.

Cat looked up at Billie. "I'm sorry." she said, watching her wife and lover dissolve into tears.

A noise from downstairs alerted them to the arrival of the ambulance crew. Cat silently left the room to direct them to the body. When they returned to the room carrying a stretcher, they found Billie standing with her back to them, looking out the window into the sunrise. Cat just walked up behind her and wrapped herself around the tall woman.

It was well into the morning before the homicide department finished with the scene, photographing both the body and the room, and taking blood, hair and fiber samples. They interviewed Billie and Cat extensively before giving them permission to leave. Moments later, Cat and Billie were the only two left in the house.

Billie sat there in the living room chair where she had been interviewed by the police officer, staring straight ahead. Hearing that they were free to go, Cat held out her hand to Billie, who continued to stare.

Dropping down to one knee in front of the dark haired woman, Cat reached out and rubbed her arm. "Hey, love. They said we could leave. Are you ready to go?" she asked.

Billie looked at Cat as though she was seeing her for the first time. Her eyes filled with tears. "I can't leave." she said.

"What do you mean? There is nothing you can do here, Billie." Cat explained.

Billie stood and walked slowing around the living room, picking up nick nacks, running her fingers over the pictures of Travis that were proudly displayed on the mantle. Cat silently watched her make her pilgrimage around the room. Finally, from a far corner, Billie turned to Cat and said, "Take the car and go home, Cat. I'll be all right. I'll catch a cab later"

"No, Billie." she replied. "I won't leave you. I go where you go." the smaller woman said.

"Cat, I don't want you here... Now GO!" Billie shouted.

"I will NOT leave you here, Billie!" Cat said firmly.

"Damn it, Cat! Get your ass in that fucking car and leave before I beat the shit out of you!" she screamed clenching her fists at her side and taking a step toward Cat.

Cat was totally taken back. Never before had Billie used such force and language with her. Overwhelmed by hurt and anger, she grabbed her medical bag and left, without looking back.

Billie was shaking with rage. Clutching the mantle as hard as she could, she fought to regain control of her senses. "All I need is a little control.... rage is good... Oh yes, rage is very good!" she thought to herself. "Now all I have to do is wait.... just hold onto the rage and wait." she mused.

Cat drove blindly through the streets. She didn't want to go home and let the kids see her in this state. She knew they'd be all right with Jen, so she drove around in circles, finally, stopping at the park. Almost by instinct, she found herself sitting under the tree they always used for family picnics. In her mind's eye, she could see Seth and Tara climbing on the monkey bars while Skylar played in the sand box. She and Billie would relax under the tree, usually with her leaning against the tree trunk and Billie lying with her head in Cat's lap. The would share whatever they happened to be eating, grapes, chips, crackers... sucking the crumbs off each other's fingers and silently promising paradise to each other later that evening. Cat stifled a sob with her hand as she slowly lowered herself to lay in the grass. Soon, the distraught woman had fallen into a light sleep.

It was several hours later that a cool breeze woke Cat up. Glancing at her watch, she saw that it was nearly dinner time. She sat up, a little disoriented, and looked around. Suddenly, she remembered why she was there and her heart broke all over again. Then, she surprised herself. Instead of crying, she began to get angry... REAL angry. "Damn you, Billie Charland... You had no right to treat me like that, and you're NOT going to get away with it!" she seethed internally.

Getting to her feet, she ran back to the car and called home.

"Hello?" a tiny voice said.

"Sky? Sky, Honey, it's Mama." Cat said.

"Hi Mama, when are you and Mom coming home?" she asked.

"So Billie's not home yet." Cat concluded to herself. "Sky, Sweetie, can you please tell Jen that Mama needs to talk to her?" Cat asked the child. She heard Skylar yell for Jen as she waited.

"Cat?" Jen said. "Cat, is that you?"

"Yes, Jen... How are the kids?" Cat asked.

"The kids are fine, Cat. Where are you?" Jen asked.

"It's a long story, Love... Remind me to tell you about it some time. Hey, has Billie called?" Cat asked.

"She's not with you?" Jen questioned.

"No, she isn't. We, ah... we... Let's just say I've got a few things to settle with her once I get my hands on her." Cat said angrily.

"Whoa, girl. Remember the last time you flew off the handle without listening first." Jen reminded her.

"Jen, she told me to get my ass in the fucking car before she beat the shit out of me.... Now, don't you think I have reason to be angry with her?" Cat exclaimed.

"Ouch!" Jen said. "Boy, when she blows it, she blows it BIG time, doesn't she?" Jen asked.

"Big isn't the word for it, Jen.... Look, I'm not sure how late we'll be..." Cat began.

"Don't worry about it.... I'll take the kids home with me tonight... all three of them. That'll give you some fighting room without little ears around listening. Okay?" Jen suggested.

"Jen, I love you... You know that, don't you?" Cat asked.

"Ditto, little sister... Ditto. Now go find your lady and get this mess straighten out. All right?" Jen said.

"I'll try, Jen. I'll try... and thanks again. We owe you big time." Cat said.

"And don't you forget it!" Jen said jokingly. "See ya later, Sweetie."

**********

It was nearly dusk by the time Cat pulled back into Peggy McBride's driveway. The house was dark. She was sure Billie would have left by now, but she had looked for her everywhere else she could think of, including the seedy bars she had visited when they had had their last big argument.

Cat shut off the car and quietly crept toward the house. She pushed open the front door and stepped inside. It was very dark as she groped her way through the doorway, stumbling into a coat rack near the door. Suddenly, she felt something crash heavily down onto her head as her world faded away into blackness.

Reaching down, she turned the body over and felt around in the darkness. "This is NOT a man." she thought to herself. Rising quickly to her feet, she reached for the table lamp and turned it on. There, lying unconscious on the floor, was Cat. Billie felt like someone had punched her in the stomach. Falling to her knees next to the small woman, she carefully examined he bump she had just put on her wife's head. "Damn you, Cat. Why can't you EVER do what you are told? Why does everything have to be an argument with you? Now look at what you've made me do?" she fumed, more angry than worried. The bump was bad enough to knock her out, but not serious enough to cause her any real damage.

Billie fell back to sit on the floor, raising her knees and resting her forearms on them. She was shaking her head from side to side at her unconscious wife when she heard a voice behind her.

"Well, well, well.... Looks like someone did me a favor here." The voice said. "That was intended for me, wasn't it?"

Billie turned around sharply and looked Roger McBride in the face. "You BASTARD!" she screamed, jumping to her feet in an instant. All the rage, anger and hurt that she had locked away through three long years of abuse at Brian's hands came to the surface as she unleashed her fury on McBride. Catching him off guard with her sudden attack, she was able to place a roundhouse kick to his head, sending him flying across the room. He didn't stand a chance. She rained blow after blow upon his body, non stop until he was reduced to a pile of quivering flesh and broken bones. When she saw that he wasn't getting back up after that last kick, she straddled his body and started on his face. He was unconscious after the third punch, but Billie kept hitting him.

Suddenly, she felt her arm being grabbed as she drew it back for another blow. She whipped her head around, ready to attack whoever was restraining her... until she realized it was Cat. Her eyes were wild with blood lust as she stared at her wife.

Cat was terrified by the look in Billie's eyes. She knew in that instant that Billie was capable of murdering this man. She also knew that she had to stop her... no matter what. If Billie crossed that line, there were be no turning back, no way to recover what they had together, no way for them to return to their peaceful and loving life.

Billie instantly snapped out of her trance and climbed off McBride. Coming to her feet, she took Cat into her arms and held her tight, trembling violently. Cat led her to the couch and sat her down while she picked up the phone and called the police. Putting the phone back into its cradle, she took Billie's hand and led her out of the house and into the car. Moments later, they were pulling into the parking lot at the park. Cat helped Billie out of the car and led her to their favorite tree. Sitting down and leaning against the trunk, she pulled Billie down next to her and lowered the dark head into her lap and began to stroke the long hair. Not a word was spoken between them. Soon, the reclining figure relaxed and slept, while the red haired woman stood guard over her treasure.

*********************************************************************************************** Epilogue

Billie opened her eyes and looked up into the face of her lover. She smiled as a hand absently reached down and brushed the bangs from her forehead, fingers lingering over the slight scar that disappeared into her hairline. Her lover was staring straight ahead, oblivious to the vigil being kept from her lap below. A light breeze brushed the hair back from her face, as the sun brought out its red-gold highlights. Billie took a deep breath and sighed. It was hard to believe that it had only been two short weeks since she was lying in this same exact position, under this same tree in the park, her head in her lover's lap. Only then, it was late at night. Her hands had been covered with the blood of a madman, and her heart was filled with anger and rage. She knew that Cat had saved her life that night, for if she had carried out her plan, the darkness would have overtaken her forever.

Billie reached up and touched her lover's face. Cat looked down at her and smiled. "I love you." Billie said.

"I know." Came the reply.

"Cat, I can't stop thinking about that night... about how I almost...." Billie started.

Cat reached down and covered her lips with two fingers. "Shhh." she said. "No more... I don't want any more apologies, love. You didn't know it was me... pure and simple." Cat explained.

Billie kissed the fingers covering her lips, causing a barely audible moan to escape from Cat's lips.

Taking Cat's hand from her mouth and placing it over her heart, she said, "Cat, This is yours. I give it to you freely... please don't ever give it back."

"I will protect it with my life, Billie." Cat replied.

"Thank you... For everything." Billie said. "You saved me Cat. I almost killed him, you know."

"But you didn't Billie. McBride is in jail where he belongs, and with the evidence the police have against him, he'll surely go to jail for the rest of his life. Peggy's murder will be avenged." Cat said. "Everything always seems to work itself out, Billie. McBride is in jail, Travis is healthy again and living happily with his grandparents, and we are here, together, intact, even after all we've been through."

"Things wouldn't have worked out this well if not for you, Cat. You saved me from destroying my soul. I will never be able to repay that debt, but I promise to spend the rest of my life trying." she continued.

Cat looked at her lover and smiled, chuckling lightly. "It was a matter of self preservation, my love. You are my soul mate... the other half of my soul. If I had let you destroy yours, then I would have been lost as well." she explained.

"I am hoping that with your help, Cat, I can keep my dark side in check. I'm so afraid that one day I won't be able to control it, and I'll end up hurting you, hurting us." Billie said sadly.

"Never." Cat said. "Like Dr. O'Brien said, as long as we have each other, there is no darkness we can't control." Cat explained. "I'm glad you decided to continue seeing Dr. O'Brien, Billie. I'll be there with you, every step of the way, love. We will get us through this. I promise." Cat finished.

Raising herself up onto her elbows, Billie reached up and pulled Cat's mouth down to hers for a searing kiss, leaving the smaller woman trembling with desire.

Pulling slightly away to look into the tall woman's eyes, Cat whispered, "Promise me Paradise, Billie."

"I promise." Billie said as she pulled her down for another kiss.

"Hey! You two gonna do that all day? The ice cream truck is here... can we have some?" a voice said.

Billie broke the kiss and looked up. Seth was standing there, grinning ear to ear, looking back and forth happily between his mothers. "Well?" he said, flinging his hands out to the sides when he didn't get an immediate answer. Tara and Skylar were jumping up and down on each side of him chanting, "Ice cream... Ice cream... Ice cream!"

Billie threw her head back and laughed, then lunged at her son, grabbing him around the waist and pulling him down to the ground in a wresting hold.

The girls thought this was quite funny, so they joined in by jumping on top of Billie and their brother.

"Hey! Hey! No fair!" Seth complained.

Billie lowered her face close to Seth's. "I'll make you a deal." she said. "You let me win at miniature golf next time we play, and I'll buy you an ice cream.... how's that?"

Seth looked stubbornly at his mother. He hated to lose on purpose!

By this time, Cat had made her way around the pile of bodies and was laying face down on the grass so that her head was within inches of Seth's and Billie's. Reaching up to brush the corn silk colored hair from her son's forehead, she said, "Well, Sport, ice cream does sound awfully good!"

The girls, who were both sitting on top of Billie, who was on top of Seth, chimed in. "Come on, Seth... give! We want ice cream."

Seth suddenly realized that decision to have ice cream or not, was in his hands. "Cool!" he thought to himself. Deciding to be difficult, he said, "Well... Maybe I've changed my mind. Maybe I don't want any ice cream?"

"Mom!" both of the girls whined together.

Billie twisted around to look at the girls. "Don't be such 'Whine-erellas'. If your brother doesn't want ice cream, then I guess we'll just have to.......... TICKLE HIM!" Billie shouted, forming her hands into claws and diving into her son's belly for the full torture treatment. Cat rolled over and laughed as Billie's sudden movements caused both girls to tumble off her back onto the ground.

Moments later, after laughing himself into hiccups, Seth gave up and agreed to get ice cream. Billie climbed to her feet then lent a hand to her son.

"Go save us a place in line." she said to him, as he and his sisters scampered off toward the ice cream truck.

Billie turned to Cat, who was still lying on the ground, wiping tears of laughter off her face. Reaching down, she pulled Cat to her feet and into her embrace, hugging her fiercely.

Breaking free of the embrace, Cat reached up and placed her open palm gently on the side of Billie's face. "Thank You." she said.

"For what?" asked a confused Billie.

"For keeping your promise." Cat explained.

"My promise?" Billie asked, still confused.

Cat locked arms with her lover and started leading her in the direction the children had gone. "Yes." she said, sweeping her hand around, taking in everything, especially their family. "Just like you promised...you have delivered Paradise."

Billie smiled warmly at the smaller woman, then threw an arm around her shoulder, pulling her in close. Cat's arms naturally found its way around Billie's waist as they walked together into the rest of their lives.

THE END

************************************************************************************************

NOTE TO READERS:

Domestic abuse is a horror that no one should have to live with. A overwhelming percentage of the victims are women and children. Children who witness or fall victim to such attacks have a higher probability of becoming abusers themselves, or to seek out abusive relationships as adults. Again, if you are currently involved in a violent relationship... GET OUT OF IT NOW! Help break the cycle of abuse... no one deserves to suffer the pain, humiliation and disrespect that so characterizes abuse. You are not alone... help is out there. A future free of abuse is waiting for you... please take that step - for you, and your family.

Take Care of You,

kd bard

NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE

http://www.ndvh.org/

1-800-799-SAFE (7233) *** 1-800-787-3224 (TTY)

Each month, nearly 10,000 callers - victims of domestic violence, their families and friends across the U.S. - receive crisis intervention, referrals, information and support in many languages.

One call summons immediate help, in English or Spanish, 24 hours a day, seven days each week. We also have interpreters available to translate an additional 139 languages. The Hotline may be reached toll-free by phone from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline links individuals to help in their area using a nationwide database that includes detailed information on domestic violence shelters, other emergency shelters, legal advocacy and assistance programs, and social service programs.

National Domestic Violence Fact Sheet and Statistics

• More than three out of every 100; or 1.8 million; women had been severely assaulted by male partners or cohabitant (i.e., they were punched, kicked, choked, beaten, threatened with a knife or gun, or had a knife or a gun used on them) during the preceding 12 months. Other estimates are that higher proportions of women (between 8.5 and 11.3 women per 100) are abused by husbands or boyfriends in the United States.
• Of the 5328 women murdered in 1990, FBI data indicate that more than half were killed by someone they knew, about half or more of them by a husband or boyfriend.
• A minimum of 16 % of American couples experienced an assault during the year they were asked about it, and about 40% of these involved severely violent acts, such as kicking, biting, punching, choking, and attacks with weapons.
• Nearly one out of eight of the husbands had carried out one or more acts of physical aggression against his wife during the 12 months preceding questioning.
• Nearly 2 in 3 female victims of violence are related to or know their attacker.
• About 1 in 3 of the attacks involving a weapon involve a firearm.
• About 1 in 3 of female victims of violence have been injured as a result of the incident.
• A 1993 national poll found that 34% of adults in the United States report having witnessed a man beating his wife or girlfriend and that 14% of women report that a husband or boyfriend has been violent with them.
• In addition to the fact that women commit fewer homicides than men do, a significant proportion of partner homicides by women occur in response to the partners' aggression and threat.
• During the last decade, domestic violence has been identified as one of the major causes of emergency room visits by women.
• From 20% to 30% of the women who are seen by emergency room physicians exhibit at least one or more symptoms of physical abuse:
  • More than one-half of all rapes to women over the age of 30 were partner rapes
  • 10% of the victims were pregnant at the time of abuse
  • 10% reported that their children had also been abused by the batterer
  • 86% of the victims had suffered at least one previous incident of abuse