DISCLAIMER: CSI Miami and its characters are the property of Jerry Bruckheimer and CBS. No infringement intended.
WARNING: This story contains scenes of bloody violence. Reader discretion is advised.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.

Choices
By sinjenkai

Part 10

The second floor was dark save for the static on the TV, casting shadows about the room as Jordan opened the gate to the elevator and wearily walked through. Heading towards his room, he saw that this cousins, were sound asleep on the sofa, wrapped up in each other. Leaning over to give each woman a soft kiss on the forehead, as not to wake them. He was saddened by the lack of information he had come across at work. No one had been willing to talk, the situation was too tense, too many variables were involved. Jordan would tell them in the morning, right now it was time to sleep though. Rubbing his eyes, he disappeared into his bedroom.

Sunlight upon her face woke Calleigh from her long slumber. Carefully, sliding out from underneath her still sleeping wife, She stood up and stretched out her back, twisting about, listening to it pop.

Natalia opened one eye and did the same stretching out on the couch by herself groaning in satisfaction at the sensations it brought, smiling lazily up at Calleigh she yawned. "Morning.."

Leaning down to give her wife her morning kiss. "Morning my love. Did you sleep well?"

"I did..." the brunette threaded her hand in golden tresses, pulling her wife down for another soft kiss.

"Mmm, you taste wonderful baby." Calleigh dropped to her knees next to the sofa.

"Likewise.." Natalia stretched her body out beneath Calleigh's gaze, the white silk offsetting her bronze skin and the caramel highlights in her hair. Sitting up with her wife between her legs, the taller CSI traced Calleigh's face with her fingertips, feeling a rush of emotion. "I love you so much..."

Leaning forward to brush her lips again against ruby lips, Calleigh moaned. "We need to get back to our house Darlin'. There are quite a few things that I want to get into with you and we just can't do it here."

Groaning at the images flooding her mind, Natalia nodded. "I agree one hundred percent.. I'll flip a coin for who gets to ask your best friend.." The brunette's mood was crushed when she thought about how Grayson would answer their request.

"Well, I'm just gonna say, you win. She likes you better, and I don't care how you get her to say yes, just please get her to say yes." Calleigh pleaded, nipping along Natalia bronze jaw. "I want you in our bed, underneath me."

Tilting her head back to allow her wife better access, Natalia's arms slid around Calleigh's waist. "Me too baby... me too." Natalia didn't even want to think about what she would have to do for Grayson to acquiesce to her pleading.

Moaning, Calleigh moved her lips down the throat, her hands reaching behind Natalia to grab her firm ass, pulling her towards her, hard.

Clearing his throat loudly, Jordan kept his eyes downcast, embarrassed at catching them in a very private moment. He knew it was bound to happen, all of them sharing a house. He swore they could have his bedroom if this was the kind of actives he was going to keep interrupting.

"Oh umm, good morning Jordan." Calleigh stuttered, but not moving away.

The brunette wound herself around Calleigh, burying her face in her neck in embarrassment, grumbling and completely fine with letting her wife take the heat. Jordan smiled and walked past them into the kitchen to start breakfast. In minutes the smell of bacon, eggs, toast, and cheese grits filled the enormous space wafting through the air.

Helping her wife off the sofa, Calleigh went over to the fridge to get some juice, pouring it into three glasses, she took one and placed it next to Jordan before taking the other two to where Natalia was sitting. After grabbing Natalia's vitamins, she went to sit next the brunette. "So did you hear anything last night?"

Swallowing a gulp of his own juice, Jordan took his time before answering. "No, we've hit a snag. I think it's for the best though... No one is talking period. Apparently everyone is so scared that Delko is not only going after two cops, but a Cerano as well. The underworld wants nothing to do with him at all. No one will talk also after what happened to Denton... I'm not too clear on that part..."

Natalia swallowed her pills before asking. "What happened to Denton? Is no one talking at all?"

Jordan was stirring up the eggs. "I'm not exactly sure what happened to Denton, but whatever it was, it wasn't good. Evidently, it was very bloody."

Getting up, and walking away from the counter, Natalia walked over to the window and looked out over the bay.

Calleigh walked up behind her and started rubbing her back.

Without turning around, Natalia sighed. "I know that she has to do things that I wouldn't approve of, but I hate to think that she would do something just because she could."

"I don't think that she would do that Darlin'. I think that she has more control than that."

Turning around to confront her wife, Natalia eyes were flashing. "Cal... that was the day that you were attacked and Jordan was hurt. Grayson wasn't thinking clearly because of that. She could have been so mad with rage, she lost control."

Taking his time, Jordan thought over all the scenarios his sister was likely of in a fit of rage. He suddenly realized he'd never see Grayson actually lose her temper and snap. The cold burn of fear lit its way up his spine, he had never really considered his sister to be sadistic, just ruthless and robotic. Clearing his throat and his mind of all the images that popped up, Jordan spoke.

"You'll have to ask her.." was all he could come up with. He normally wouldn't condone this course of violence, but this was a family affair now so he had the feeling Grayson's rules had probably changed.

Calleigh tugged at Natalia's hang. "Come on Darlin', let's eat some breakfast and we can talk to Gray whenever she gets up."

Shaking her head, Natalia declined. "I don't want anything. Just the thought of what Grayson could have done made me sick to my stomach. I'll just take a piece of toast."

Sighing and handing his cousin a piece of toast, Jordan thought to himself, wondering what she had done. Tanner had stopped by for a beer after he'd been home to see his family. Once he'd had several beers, on Jordan's tab of course, he'd loosened his tongue and just said Grayson had done a number one the guy. It took a lot for Tanner to bend the oath he'd sworn to Jordan's sister, but he'd talked only for seconds before leaving a huge tip, and disappearing into the night just like he'd come.

Waking up to the delicious feel of Sonia wrapped around her in the early morning light, brought a smile to Grayson's face, which was rare. For the first time in a long time, she hadn't had any nightmares, not to say she had them every night, but she always had them in successions of days, ending in a few glorious days of dreamless sleep. Opening her obsidian eyes, the deadly brunette bit her lip at the sight of what awaited her.

Full pouty lips still swollen from their evening escapades, long lashes caressing tan cheeks, long beautiful brown hair pouring over the woman's shoulders onto her own chest where their different skin tones mingled. Sonia's tan was more of a mocha tint, almost chocolately in its tone and softness. Grayson loved it, she couldn't stop kissing it, period. Biting her lip harder, she noticed her own tan against her lover's, instead of chocolate, she realized her skin had more of a gold tint, ah the joys of being European, she thought.

Grayson let her fingertips trace over Sonia's back as she closed her eyes to enjoy the moment and capture her thoughts before the woman woke and the light of day was upon them again. She had no idea what it meant to be someone's girlfriend. She'd never gotten that far into a relationship, normally it was sex. Realizing she was gay was a terrifying, but welcome epiphany, terrifying in what her Grandfather would do if he knew and welcome because finally she knew what was so different about her from every one of the girls on TV with their boyfriends. She'd tried to kiss a boy when she was eleven, it was disgusting then as it was now. The stunning brunette in her arms deserved better than what Grayson could give her, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to like hell to at least try to be a good woman to her.

If things got any worse, which she knew they were going to, she was still planning to disappear in the end, it was going to have to come to pass. She knew Sonia was going to hate her in the end, but she couldn't stop herself, drawn like a moth to a flame. The ashes of their passion were a testament to their craving for one another, both of them knowing deep down the other was not for them. But they needed one another, pure and simple. And not in that sweaty encompassing greed that lust can be, no, they needed one another in a different way. Grayson wanted to hold Sonia's hand when she was scared, but more than anything, she wanted to protect her from what Sonia was scared of.

Closing her eyes and relaxing back into the beautiful woman's embrace, Grayson quickly succumbed back to a dreamless sleep.

Sonia waited until she heard Grayson's breathing evened out before she opened her eyes. Slowly raising her head, Sonia looked over the golden body that was trapped underneath her. The first night that they were together, Sonia really didn't get the chance to appreciate the curves and muscles that played as she moved her fingers over her skin.

There were very fresh cuts on her face took her already dangerous look up to another level, but that's what made Grayson so attractive to her. She loved the bad girls and Sonia thought that Grayson could be the baddest one of all.

Moving slightly, Sonia's body ached in places that it hadn't in a very long time, and she had to smother a moan that threatened to slip out as she remembered how well she was fucked the night before. She knew that they had said that they were dating, but was realistic in knowing that they were in it for as long as it lasted.

Feeling someone's eyes on her, Grayson opened her coal black eyes, not moving, knowing it was Sonia. She'd realized this as she'd taken a deep breath when she'd come back to a waking status, she could smell her perfume and just the spicy aroma her body seemed to contain. One of her first lessons in her early years was to separate and single out each sense, honing it to perfection.

"Enjoying the view?" Grayson husked, her voice still rough from sleep.

Sonia breathed. "I most certainly am. Very much so."

Closing her eyes and stretching her body to work out the kinks, Grayson let loose a deep feral groan, her body was completely relaxed and pain free. Her muscles no longer ached and instead of feeling tired, she felt energized and in sync with her own body.

"Do you mind if I ask you something?"

Obsidian eyes opened and focused intently on Sonia, she sat up wrapping the sheet around them and looked down at her. "Not at all, please.." she smiled warmly nodding for her to continue.

Sitting cross-legged next to the young woman, Sonia asked. "Where did you get the new wounds? What happened?"

Grayson took the beautiful Latina's hand, squeezing it softly in her own, she hated to lie, but once again as it always was, necessary for her own safety. "I'm a professional Mixed Martial Artist.." It wasn't really a lie, she was considered a professional, paid for her hand to hand combat skills and ability to always get the job done, no matter the cost did make her a professional fight and tracker.

"And sometimes, I'm not so professional... I fight occasionally on the side for fun." That part wasn't a lie, she enjoyed fighting, and it was relaxing to go through the motions. She didn't hate it, it freed her body from the trappings of being so small and so tiny, a small movement could devastate a two hundred pound man it came from her hands.

Keeping eye contact with Sonia was hard, because she was omitting so much, but she couldn't stay away from her no matter how hard she was trying.

Watching Grayson carefully, Sonia could tell that there was something that she wasn't saying, but knew she couldn't push. "I would love to watch you sometime."

Fighting down the urge to yell NO loudly, the deadly brunette smiled softly at her, leaning forward to kiss her softly, pulling back only to whisper against her lips. "Didn't you do enough watching last night baby?" Kissing her softly again she leaned back sitting against one of the head posts pulling Sonia into her arms.

"The only thing that I was watching last night was the inside of my eyelids. I would love to watch you in action though." Sonia leaned into the kiss.

Nibbling on her bottom lip, Grayson opened her legs, pulling the feisty Hispanic woman closer. "Is that another one of those invitations you keep tellin' me about?" She hoped Sonia hadn't heard the deepening of her accent, so much time in Texas every summer had worn off on her.

"As much as I would really like for it to be, I have to get home so that I can change clothes and get to work." Sonia reluctantly admitted.

Pushing dark chocolate hair out of Sonia's eyes, she kissed her as slowly and as softly as the Latina would allow, cupping her face in her hands. Finally breaking the kiss, she pulled them both towards the bathroom. "I promise I'll keep my hands to myself and help you cut out the middle man."The sculpted brunette pulled them into the bathroom, shutting the door.

Donning men's sweat shorts a size small to hang off her hips and accentuate her stomach muscles, Grayson pulled on a black sports bra and a white shirt with flip-flops, she walked out hand in hand with Sonia, smiling at her over her shoulder. The truth was she couldn't stop smiling right now, she had a beautiful girlfriend.

"What are you smiling at Grayson?" Sonia asked. "Like I don't already know."

"Just the fact that I'm the no longer Miami's most eligible bachelorette.. " Grayson smiled back cheekily.

Pulling open the bedroom door, she led them both out into the kitchen to say hi to her family, which Sonia wouldn't know about of course.

"Morning Grayson, glad to see that you could join us." Calleigh joked.

Turning to face his sister, he asked her with a straight face."Hey sis, could you hand me the frying pan. I want to make some pancakes, but can't seem to get to the pan?"

Without even looking up, Grayson smirked before pulled her shirt and bra off the hook with one hand, the other hand plucked off the frying pan, handing it out to her enormous brother. "Word to the wise, when I have kinky sex in the kitchen, someone please remind me to pull my clothes off the cooking devices?" Grayson's face broke into a large smile, throwing the clothes in the general direction of her bedroom.

Smiling widely, Jordan scooped up her pants and underwear with a rubber gloved hand. "Here, you also left some on the floor, and they almost made me slip. Thought that we were taught to pick up our clothes."

Any comment she was about to make in return was ruined by the comment about being raised to pick up after themselves, her Grandfather had cruel tactics, even when they were young. She smiled instead. "Well, I'm going to walk my girlfriend down to her car... So we'll talk later.." Grayson smiled again, taking Sonia's hand in hers, leading her towards the elevator.

In a singsong voice, Jordan joked. "Grayson's got a girlfriend, Grayson's got a girlfriend."

"Jordan, quit." Calleigh admonished.

Tugging Sonia into the elevator and pinning her against the wall, Grayson pushed the button, having already pulled the gate shut, not even looking at her brother. "You're just jealous.." As the elevator started to slide downwards, she crushed their lips together in a passionate kiss and flipped him off over her shoulder.

Shaking her head, Calleigh laughed at the young man. "You are so bad. You just can't give her a break can you?"

"Why should I? She's been top dog since the minute we were born, hell she had to be first and best even then!"Jordan smiled at Calleigh and Natalia.

Natalia turned back to the window, slowly munching on her toast, thinking about what Grayson might have done to Denton. She knew that this was a dire situation, and their lives were in danger, but she had a hard reconciling someone else's pain.

Finally, after about ten minutes, Natalia saw Sonia's jeep pull out of the complex and moments later, Grayson bounced up the steps, playfully on her toes. She picked up her clothes, and carted them into her bedroom, dumping them in the appropriate place, coming back out, she noticed Adonis and Echo curled up around Natalia's feet. That was strange, normally her dogs were more interested in Calleigh than Natalia, and Grayson just assumed Calleigh was better with animals. Looking up, she watched as her cousin simply ate toast for the umpteenth time in a row. "What's with the toast?" Grayson nodded at the food item in her hands as she opened up the fridge pulling out three bottles of water, walking towards the stairs to work out in the gym on the third story.

"What did you do to Denton, Grayson?" Natalia asked. "Jordan couldn't get any information last night at the bar, because everyone is afraid that you'll do the same thing to them, so what exactly... What... Did... You...Do?"

"Come upstairs and we'll talk about it.." Grayson walked up the steps, never stopping or waiting for them to follow. Natalia could demand all she wanted, it'd get her nowhere fast. Things had changed, there was no room for mistakes any longer.

Natalia pushed away from the windowsill, heading towards the elevator, the dogs following close behind, while Calleigh and Jordan pushed away from the counter to join her.

Grayson started to wrap her hands slowly, her eyes staring at the wall of black and red paint. 'I'm a stitch away from making it and a scar away from falling apart' never seemed as true as they did now. Sighing, she kept her back to the elevator, waiting for the trio of people to arrive in the room with her.

Opening the elevator gate, Jordan walked forward, looking for Grayson. At the far end of the room, he saw his sister, wrapping her hands, her back to them, the white shirt gone, standing there in sweat shorts down to her knees, the muscles in her back rolling occasionally.

Adonis and Echo for their part trailed Natalia, never straying more than a foot or so from her.

Taking a deep breath, Natalia tried again. "Grayson, please tell me what you did to Paul Denton." She leaned against a wall a few feet away from the young woman.

"I walked into the bar he was in... I'll admit, my temper wasn't in check." The assassin conceded, stepping away from Natalia. Her good mood had vanished the moment Natalia had started talking earlier. She dove into her stretches, her limber body moving this way and that.

Standing on the other side of Grayson, Calleigh asked. "Did he do something to you in the bar? What happened?"

Finally standing up and being properly warmed up, the young Italian moved to towards a punching bag. She struck out with a brutal leg kick, making the whole bag shudder and move down the line three feet. "Well for starters he told me to fuck off and then he threw a drink in my face before he ran out the back door..," Grayson spun around kicking again, the bag moved even further down the line.

"I can't imagine that it was the first time that someone threw a drink in your face Grayson. So what else happened."

"I chased him into the alley, he nearly took my head off with a two by four. I grabbed it, slammed it into his face, before I could so much as finish him off, the bastard shattered it with a movie like karate chop." Grayson growled and punched the bag so hard it swung out wildly towards Calleigh, Grayson grabbed it and got it under control. Stepping away from the bag and further away from her family, Grayson continued to talk. "Things got pretty heated before he punched me hard in between my legs, brought me to my knees. So I stabbed him in the leg with a knife, and I twisted it... " She finished. She wasn't really planning on telling them anymore.

Shaking her head and stepping closer to her cousin, Natalia pushed her. "That wouldn't be enough to scare anyone into silence. There has to be more."

Turning around and executing a series of body bending flips and turns, just to make sure she could still perform them, Grayson moved with liquid grace. Pure death in motion, she spun around landing in a deep crouch to face her cousin. "Fine... I connected his hand to his testicles... with a knife." She smiled viciously.

Natalia looked at the young woman for a moment, her face slowly turning white before a tinge of green worked its way all the way up to her forehead. She turned to head towards the bathroom before, but before she went two feet, she vomited over the floor.

"Oh my god Natalia..."Jordan rushed forward, catching her in his arms easily. Grayson ran to get a washcloth and a paper towel, she quietly handed them both to Calleigh before stepping away and crouching low onto her knees to wait.

Wiping her wife's mouth, Calleigh quietly asked Jordan to carry her downstairs. Watching him pick her up so carefully, she let him head towards the elevator before stopping in front of the kneeling woman. She stared at Grayson a long moment, her jaw clinching and unclenching along with her fists, before she turned and walked away without saying a word. Quietly she said something to Jordan, and closed the gate, watching it as it went out of sight.

Taking a deep breath, she turned and walked back over until she was standing directly in front of the still kneeling woman. With her voice as low and cold as it had ever been, Calleigh simply stated. "You love shocking the hell out of people don't you? You just couldn't figure out another way to tell her. You couldn't say that you put him out of commission for a long time, and that you preferred not to go into details. She would have let it end if you had told her that, but no, you had to show that you are a big bad person."

Standing up to her full height, Grayson stared down at Calleigh. The deadly brunette wanted to tell the blonde to shove it out of her ass, no one excluding Stefan and her Grandfather spoke to her that way. Taking a deep breath and counting to ten, she began to speak. As deadly as Calleigh sounded, Grayson sounded psychotic, her voice nothing above a calm voice.

"I could give a flying fuck about shocking people... If you don't recall, I am not a people person.." Grayson sneered. "If you want to run this show sweetheart, have at it.." Grayson leaned down, her face inches from Calleigh growling out her last statement. "But until then, stay the fuck out of my way." Standing back to her full height, she walked around Calleigh and towards the punching bag, punching it so hard the chain holding it to the ceiling, snapped in half making it drop to the floor.

"Is that supposed to make me frightened of you Grayson, because it does. I'm not going to lie to you. Parts of you scare me to death." Calleigh dogged her footsteps. "But, do you know what scares me more? That Natalia has to see how little of you is human, because your grandfather, Stefan and Benedict has turned you into a killing machine, and that there is nothing in you worth saving."

"There isn't anything worth saving anymore. After Delko has been caught and dealt with, you can keep your contact limited to my brother." Grayson snarled like a wounded animal, retreating further away from Calleigh towards the end of the gym that had her weapons hanging up on the walls.

Calleigh pursued her. "We can't do that. Don't you get it. Natalia has let you in her heart, and it would kill her to have to walk away from you. You are her family, and you even say that family is everything. Grayson, please look at me."

Grabbing the steel pike off the wall and leaning against it, she glared hard at Calleigh, her face a blank mask. She held her ground though.

Walking over to grab the other spike off the wall, Calleigh took the ready stance while taking a deep breath. Swinging the spike overhead, Calleigh aimed for Grayson's head.

Ducking under the swing, Grayson sidestepped the next blow before flipping over her easily, landing in a crouch on her toes, before sweeping the blonde's feet out from under her, pinning her with the end of the pike. "Stop. This isn't a game. I could kill you without realizing it."

Scissoring her legs, Calleigh got lucky and knocked Grayson on her ass, and scrambled to her feet. "That's the fucking point. You are doing things without realizing, but right then you thought... You pulled the strike." Calleigh had her pinned with her own spike.

After having Natalia eat some crackers to settle her stomach and some water, Jordan had helped Natalia back into the elevator, having a feeling that Calleigh and Grayson were having a confrontation of sorts. Opening the elevator gate, he was right, surveying the scene he saw Calleigh standing over Grayson, who was pinned to the floor by a steel pike in the middle of her chest.

Leaning down, Calleigh whispered. "You chose not to fight back, why?"

"Because you aren't my Target." Grayson answered her in a flat monotone voice, staring up at the ceiling.

"That's right, I'm not, and neither was Denton. He was someone you needed to get information from. He may have know more than what he told you, but there's no way that you'll get any more from him. Grayson, please don't let the darkness win. We've seen the beauty in you through your brother, how you've decorated the Complex, and how you care for Sonia. You can get Eric without losing you." Calleigh pulled back the pike and offered the young woman her hand.

Slapping Calleigh's hand away, Grayson crawled to her feet, ignoring the blonde, her cousin, and Jordan, who was watching her warily. "There isn't anything for it to take over, that it doesn't already have." Grayson waved them all away from her and walked towards the stairs.

Natalia shouted. "Grayson!"

Stopping but never turning around completely, the deadly brunette waited at the top of the staircase for her cousin to continue speaking.

Walking over to the fuming young woman, Natalia walked around until she was facing her.

Natalia could see that her anger was barely contained as her eyes were as black as night, and her breathing was shallow. "You did what you had to do to keep Calleigh safe. Thank you. Just next time, tell me that I really don't want to know the details, and I'll stop. I'll push you until you say something like that. I have a feeling that Cal was saying the same thing, but she's more direct and in your face. Sorry about that, but I love her."

"Understood." Grayson ground out staring past Natalia at the wall.

"So would you mind if we went back to the house today? They should be done painting, and we need to wash our clothes, not to mention, have some time to ourselves?" Natalia asked sweetly.

"That is not possible, I can't let you out of my sight." The assassin couldn't allow them to be without her supervision for even a moment. Things were too out of control now.

Sighing, Natalia offered a compromise. "How about you coming with us then? We need to get more clothes and to dump whatever food is in the fridge."

"Deal." Grayson answered swiftly, pick and choosing her battles wasn't always her strong point but she had her moments.

Turning around to walk across the room and snatch the steel pike from Calleigh, she looked at her impassively. "Don't play with me like that again." She turned around and crouched low and threw the pike HARD, looking like a modern day Spartan warrior. The steel pike slice through and out the other side of one of the many swinging punching bags on the other side of the room.

"Hey! If you can find the big marshmallows, we can put them on the end of the spike and make 'Smores.' What do you think?" Calleigh smiled at the young woman.

Walking past and around Calleigh silently, the hit woman walked down the stairs and out of sight to her bedroom to change. "You have five minutes to be ready to walk out the door." was her only reply.

Turning his head to stare down Calleigh in bewilderment, the male Cerano gaped at the blonde CSI. "That has to be one of the stupidest things I've ever seen any one, let alone a scientist and a cop, do." Jordan berated Calleigh. "You could have been killed, or worse... maimed."

"I did what I thought was right. She has to think about what she does. She has a family now." Calleigh stood toe to toe with the young man.

"I don't disagree with what you're saying, I'm disagreeing with your methods. Pissing her off and then toying with her like that? Not only is that dangerous, it's pointless Calleigh, she could have lost her temper. What then? You heard what she did to Denton..." He left it open ended, making his point very clear.

Calleigh turned to Natalia. "You understand why I did it, right?"

Turning to face her wife, Natalia could hardly contain her anger. "I understand why you did it, but how you did it was really stupid. She's a killer Calleigh. As much as I hate to admit it, my cousin is an assassin, and she could have killed you."

"But I was trying..."

"I know what you were trying to do, but you did the exact same thing that she did. You didn't think. What would have happened is she hadn't been able to pull her punch... You would be dead, and I would have to live with the knowledge that my cousin killed my wife. Did you think

about that? No, you didn't. You just wanted to make your point... Well guess what.. You didn't." Shaking her head, Natalia sighed. "Let's just go get dressed and go to the house."

Turning, Natalia headed towards the elevator with Jordan following close behind.

Calleigh stood there for a moment before she joined them. Pulling down the gate, she punched the button for the second floor, and the ride down was quiet.

After getting off the elevator, Calleigh walked into the bedroom to put on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt along with a pair of sneakers. Gathering up their dirty clothes, she bundled them up and was about to leave Grayson's bedroom, when Natalia walked in.

Putting the clothes on the bed, Calleigh walked over to wrap her arms around her wife's waist. "I'm truly sorry Darlin'. You were absolutely right. I shouldn't have done that. I don't have an excuse other than I really wanted to make a point, and all I did was prove that I'm a lot like her."

Leaning down to brush her lips against Calleigh's, Natalia murmured. "I'm just scared that if you push Gray too much that one of these times, she not going to be able to stop herself from hurting you."

"It won't happen again Darlin', I promise." Calleigh rose up for another kiss.

Sighing, Natalia leaned her forehead against Calleigh's. "Please don't Darlin', because I don't want to worry about you anymore than I already do with Eric."

Quietly they stayed that way, just enjoying each other's presence until Jordan stuck his head into the room.

"Hey lovebirds, the blockhead is downstairs waiting for you two in the Rover." Jordan leaned against the doorframe.

Not pulling away for a moment, Calleigh looked up at her love before turning towards the door. "Is she still upset?"

"I can't really tell, she isn't talking more than one word answers, so most likely, yes she's still pretty sore at you. You'll be fine, she gets over things pretty quickly." Jordan offered before walking into the room wrapping them both in warm bear hug. "She adores you both even though she's loathe to admit it. If she didn't, when you had her pinned to the floor, she could of grabbed the pike, and slammed it into your mouth, but she laid there... remember that." Jordan let them go and kisses them each on the cheek before entering the bathroom to get to his own room.

Sighing, the blonde squared her shoulders. "Well, let me go face the lion."

Taking her wife by the hand, Natalia chuckled. "It's okay babe, I happen to be one hell of a lion tamer, and I'll protect you."

They walked down the stairs arm in arm until they were in the garage.

The black Range Rover was idling in the late morning sun, the windows were rolled down and inside Grayson's head was down as she fiddled with the iPod attached to her stereo. She was now in jeans, a white t-shirt, and converse all stars. Her hair was loose and wavy, her traditional mirrored sunglasses in place, her attention was focused on the device in her hands.

Calleigh walked up to the vehicle before opening the front passenger door so that Natalia could sit up front.

"Both of you can sit in the back, I don't mind being your driver." Grayson growled from the front seat.

"If you don't mind, Gray, I would prefer that Talia sit up front as that's where the air bag is." Calleigh shrugged. "I would just feel better if she did."

Calleigh closed the door, before she opened the back door, climbed in and buckled up. Closing the door, she tried joking. "Home Grayson."

Shrugging in response, the dark haired assassin waited until both women were in the SUV before she pulled away from the curb and merged into traffic. In twenty minutes later, they were parking in the DuVista's driveway and Grayson hopped out to open both of the doors, her hand at her back under her t-shirt where her pistol was hidden.

The female Cerano looked cautiously over the house, not noticing anything out of the ordinary, she led the way up the front drive, her hand at the back of her jeans as she took the keys from Natalia and opened the door quietly. As she walked into the room, one thing stuck out horribly to her, things had been moved around. The pictures on the fridge were titled wrong, the barstools were pushed too far apart. Grayson swung around pulling out the pistol, and moved towards the master bedroom. "Someone has been here... Don't move." Sliding her back to the wall, Grayson swung the pistol around the corner, looking for the intruder who still had to be there since the house didn't smell so stale after days of being empty.

Calleigh drew her own gun, from the small of her back, standing to the side of Natalia so that she could see both the front of the house and inside . "What's up Grayson?"

"Things have been moved... Have you two been to the house without my knowledge?" She growled, checking the laundry room and garage, which were empty. She stalked back into the room looking around before realizing that the guest bedrooms hadn't been checked. Moving a finger to her lips, she told Natalia and Calleigh to stay silent while she moved in stealth mode towards the door. Wrapping her hand around the knob, she turned it slowly, her gun in her hand pointed at the door. Both room were thoroughly search, and they both came up empty.

Calleigh kept the front door open, but pulled Natalia a little farther in so that she could keep an eye on her. She didn't want to close the door in case they needed to make a quick exit. "Grayson, is it all clear. Can I let Natalia in now?" Calleigh asked worriedly.

Moving to the hallway closet, Grayson aimed the gun at eyelevel and yanked open the door. Thankfully it was empty, so she let out an audible sigh of relief. "Coast is clear." she answered back.

Closing the door behind them, both Calleigh and Natalia walked into the kitchen, looking around. Their eyes went wide as they also noticed things out of place. "Did we forget to turn on the alarm or did Jordan turn it off while the painters were here." Natalia asked.

Grayson's eyes slid to the laptop, going over to the couch, she opened it up, and cursed as she rewound the footage. Turning the screen so they could see it. "That big bastard is the one I had to grind on to get information about the camera's..." She pointed to the large hulking figure that was hovering outside their door at three in the morning, the night before. "And this must be Eric." Even though it didn't look anything like Eric at all.

Calleigh sat down on the sofa, sighing. "When is this going to end? All I want is to be married." She turned to look up at her wife, who was sitting on the arm of the sofa next to her. "Is it too much to ask that?"

Sighing in kind, Natalia wrapped Calleigh up in her warm embrace. Grayson for her part, knew they needed a moment, so she slipped outside onto the back patio quietly.

Leaning her head against Natalia chest, Calleigh listened to the steady heartbeat, and for a few moments, forgot the crazy, unbelievable situation they were in and just was with the woman she loved.

Turning to kiss Calleigh on the forehead, Natalia whispered softly against the peaches and crème skin. "It's a little bit crazy how all of this mess caused us to find two people we never even knew existed... it's like some kind of miracle."

Raising up to look into warm chocolate eyes, Calleigh smiled. "It's a miracle that you love me after all of the stupid things that I do."

Brushing her lips against her wife's, Natalia smiled. "I will always love you, no matter how foolish you are sometimes... You are my everything Calleigh, I love you so much." Her arms encircling the small body against her own.

Sighing, the two women stayed that way for a few moments before Grayson walked back in.

Loathe to interrupt a private moment between one of the most stable relationships she'd ever seen, Grayson cleared her throat lightly, and looked away hiding the emotions she was feeling. Where she once felt calm and sure, she not felt uneasy and hesitant.

Natalia turned to see her cousin standing in the doorway, looking lost. "Get in here Grayson. We need to decide what to do now."

Sitting down quietly opposite the couple, Grayson crossed long muscular legs, setting the pistol down on the coffee table, pointed towards herself. Normally it had been a precaution, now a days with the night terrors and constant fear, she hoped someday the sorry thing would go off in her face and end the tragic life for her.

Looking closer, Natalia could see that something was really bothering the young woman. Hugging her wife, she went over to sit next to Grayson. "Okay Slick, what's the matter? And don't say nothing?"

Shrinking away from her cousin, Grayson ground out. "It isn't the time or the place, Talia. Let us discuss what we're going to do, and then tonight, I promise we'll talk about it." She turned and pushed the sunglasses off of her face. It was rare, this moment where she allowed to someone to see her upset. Watery brown eyes met strong chocolate orbs. "I'm fine for now."

"We will talk about this tonight Grayson, but I will drop it for now... So I guess staying here is out of the question huh? Well, then we need to get some more clothes and clean out the fridge real quick." Turning to Calleigh, she asked. "Do you mind tossing out the food? My stomach is still upset and I feel that if I smell anything, I'm gonna get sick."

Pushing herself off the sofa, Calleigh grinned. "Not a problem babe. I'll just drag the garbage can in here and dump everything in there and then have Grayson, take it out to the curb."

"Garbage detail.. how enchanting." The stormy brunette growled, but she stood, sliding the pistol into her holster, she cast one last look at her cousin, giving her what she hoped was the visage of a strong smile. Turning away from her, Grayson went to help Calleigh empty the fridge. Once they were finished, she reached down and picked up the whole trashcan, carting it out to the curb. She returned moments later to jump up and sit on the counter, watching over the two of them like a hawk.

Calleigh came out of the bedroom carrying another suitcase, filled with their clothes, placing it near the front door before heading back towards their room. Glancing over to the scowling woman, Calleigh had to restrain herself from going over to her and apologizing for how she had handled herself earlier.

Shaking her head, she decided to wait, maybe she was pushing too hard and too fast. And besides she had promised Natalia that she wouldn't confront the young woman any more.

Walking into the room, Calleigh sat down on the bed, listening to Natalia moving around. "Hey Talia?"

The taller DuVista pulled almost all of their things from the bathroom, packing them in a toiletry bag, next she moved to pack her unmentionables into a small bag, along with some of her personal things, like the photo album that had a few rare pictures of Grayson's mother, she wanted to share them with the twins. Looking up, she smiled at her wife. "Yes baby?

Looking up from her folded hands that were in her lap, Calleigh asked. "Should I apologize to Grayson for earlier or just let it drop? I don't want her upset or distracted, and I'm afraid that she might be."

"I have a feeling that our bodyguard does things on her own time. Let her come to you babe.." She held Calleigh's face in her hands, kneeling in front of her, kissing her lips softly for a moment. "I think she feels guilt, over not being able to protect both you and Jordan. Let her come to you. It's just this feeling I have." She smiled at her wife softly.

Smiling, the blonde leaned forward to brush her nose ageists her wife's. "Just a feeling huh? What else are you feelin, Mrs. DuVista?"

"That I really want to get you alone for a few minutes just to show you how much I've missed tracing my hands over your perfect body.." Natalia suggested, her fingertips trailing lightly down Calleigh's back before her kisses trailed down her neck softly.

Moaning, Calleigh leaned her head back to allow the brunette batter access. "Aw babe... Let me close the door... I don't want to be interrupted."

"Talia!" Grayson's voice disrupted the moment. "Ho intenzione di fare un tuffo in piscina per un po 'di tempo, se questo è okay con te?" 'I'm gonna take a dip in the pool for a while, if that's alright with you?'She called out in her whiskey-dipped voice, they heard the back door slide open and close, followed by the unmistakable sounds of someone diving into the pool and starting to do laps slowly.

Answering back in Italian that it was fine, Natalia stood, shutting the door quietly before turning around to stare at Calleigh, who was now stretched out on their bed. "Can't really say too much about her perfect timing though." Her smile was ravenous.

Grinning, Calleigh untucked her t-shirt from her shorts, sitting up briefly to pull it and her bra over her head before laying back down. Her hands drifted over her breasts, teasing and pulling at her nipples before slowly moving down to the button on her shorts.

Arching an eyebrow as she sank to her knee's, crawling across the floor on her hands and knees, when she came to the blondes body she kissed each knee softly, her hands taking over for her wife's. Natalia slowly flicked the button open on her shorts, their lips met passionately.

Sliding her hands down Natalia's side, Calleigh found the hem of Natalia's shirt and slowly began to push it up, allowing her fingers to trace tiny circles over the silky skin. Higher and higher her fingers and Natalia's shirt went until she pulled it between them, making them back away briefly.

Crawling on top of Calleigh, Natalia tugged her shorts and panties down her creamy legs, her kisses tracing the path her hands followed. "You are so beautiful that it hurts to look at you sometimes.." She raised her expressive brown eyes.

Lying back, Calleigh just let her wife do what she wanted... hell, she was doing exactly what she wanted her to do.

Laying next to Calleigh, Natalia traced her fingertips lightly around the muscles on Calleigh's stomach before making their way down into golden curls and slipping inside softly, her lips magnetically attracted to the soft pink coral lips of her wife.

Arching against her wife's hand, Calleigh moaned as she felt herself being filled up. No one touch affected her as much as Natalia's.

Curling her fingers, Natalia gently rubbed that special spot that would make stars explode behind Calleigh's eyes, Natalia's lips traced down over her chin to her neck, then to her ear. "I love you so much Calleigh." She whispered as her palm of her hand came up to assist her fingers, rubbing softly against Calleigh's clit.

"Talia... Aw babe." Fisting the sheets, Calleigh reached up to thread her finger in caramel colored hair, drawing Natalia down for a kiss. "Fuck Talia... You feel so good."

Devouring the blonde's lips, her kisses turned from passionate to possessive, her lips tracing over Calleigh's. "You feel even better..." She husked, her fingers moving a bit faster, and curling up wards to tease and torment.

Dragging her nails up Natalia's back, Calleigh moaned in her mouth, trying to pull her wife into her even farther, wanting, needing to feel more of her. Wanting to surround her, Calleigh reached down to push her hand into Natalia's pants.

Whimpering against Calleigh's lips, Natalia pleaded softly. "Please.." Their kisses growing more feverish as their passion mounted.

Pushing past the tiny piece of silk, Calleigh slid into something that was even silkier, and so warm. "Baby... Aw, you feel so good."

Natalia gasped loudly into the room, her fingers becoming three instead of just two inside of her wife. "Oh my god..." She groaned softly, feeling herself melt into pieces around Calleigh's fingertips.

Adding another digit, Calleigh matched Natalia thrust for thrust, rising up to meet each one. Moving her head, her lips across her bonze neck, Calleigh stopped at a thundering pulse point to draw against it, loving the way that her wife moaned.

The brunette felt the tightening of her muscles around Calleigh's thrusting fingers, and she moaned softly against soft pink lips. "CALLEIGH!" She moaned loudly throwing her head back, her hips automatically grinding downwards, trying to pull her deeper as her fingers mirrored the blonde's movements.

Calleigh could swear that there fireworks going off in the room. Biting down on Natalia's neck, she immediately licked the pain away as she arched against her wife. Forcing her eyes open, she reached so that she could see Natalia's eyes. Fiery green clashed with hot chocolate. " I... Am... Yours."

Looking down into the depths of jade sparkling below her. "Forever" She agreed silently, crushing their lips together as they both tumbled over the edge into oblivion.

Calleigh clasped her wife close to her, rubbing her hands against her sweaty back. This is what life was meant to be, with her arms around the woman that she loves. Sighing, she place a gentle kiss atop Natalia's head.

"Mmm that was amazing..." Natalia kissed her wife softly before curling up next to her. "Can we just not move... until the end of time?" She looked up teasingly at the blonde.

Nodding her head, Calleigh agreed. "That's fine with me Darlin'. This is all I ever want right here." Closing her eyes, she sighed. "However, I think that we might want to get up. I'm sure that Grayson could swim all day, but I'm also sure that there are things that she needs to do."

Kissing Calleigh once again, she helped the blonde to her feet, their hands clasped she walked them backwards towards the bathroom. "I don't know about you. but I'm a little bit sweaty after all that. " She blushed softly, looking at Calleigh from beneath her lashes.

Following her wife, Calleigh grinned as her wife blushed. "You are so beautiful, and I want you all over again. I want you all the time."

Turning on the hot water to a desirable temperature, Natalia stepped under the cascading water. "I'm yours forever Calleigh.." Her beautiful brown eyes shone with so much love, it made the blonde's breath catch in her chest.

Reaching for the liquid soap, Calleigh poured some on a cloth, worked up a lather and started washing the curvaceous body standing in front of her. Taking her time, she drew the cloth across the most perfect breasts, slowly travelling down a lovely belly to finally draw the cloth, gently between Natalia's legs.

Almost feeling her knee's buckle, Natalia grasped onto Calleigh's shoulders, their foreheads resting against one another. "I'm going to fall apart in your hands." She whispered.

"I will always be here to catch you. Nothing and no one will ever keep me from you." Calleigh whispered back.

Her body felt like it was on fire, every nerve ending seared from every place that her wife touched. This what it was to be in love, to be nothing more than two souls fitted together in sync with one another's heartbeat. Natalia's orgasm was quick and hard, but more powerful than anything she'd ever experienced. It felt like the blonde was everywhere at once. Tears streamed down her cheeks as her face buried itself naturally in Calleigh's neck, her arms wrapping around her waist in loves eternal hold on them both.

Murmuring softly to her love, Calleigh held on to her sobbing wife, knowing that all the emotions that she was feeling, Natalia was feeling them too. Reaching up, she pulled down the shower attachment and gently washed away the remaining lather. Quickly cleaning herself, she turned off the water and opened the shower door to grab a bath sheet to dry off her wife.

Sighing into her wife's neck, the brunette felt everything from the past few days wash off of her mind like the bubbles that were now swirling semi quietly down the drain beneath their bare feet. She allowed Calleigh to dry her off and lead them back to the bedroom where they weren't more than inches apart while dressing.

Pulling on a pair of jeans and an oxford shirt, Calleigh took a couple of minutes to roll up the sleeves up to her forearms, before stepping over to help Natalia. "Shall we go see if your swimming cousin is ready to dry off?"

"Taking a page out of her book?" Natalia smiled, nodding to the rolled up sleeves to her elbow. Every time Grayson had pulled on a long sleeve button down shirt, the sleeves had been rolled up to her elbows, the thought of her family coming together slowly brought a warm sensation into her chest. Opening the door to the bedroom, she almost walked out into the hall, but stopped to kiss Calleigh passionately before picking a towel out of the linen closet to bring to her cousin since there more than likely wasn't a towel outside for her to use.

"Hell, no Darlin', I patented the look. I just don't do it as often as she does. I know that it drives you wild." Golden eyebrows rose teasingly.

"Jordan was right... He is surrounded by the world's most beautiful women." Natalia chuckled, tugging Calleigh by the collar towards the living room so they could fetch the bodyguard out of the pool.

Calleigh reached out to grasp Natalia's hand within her own. Grinning, they walked out the sliding doors towards the pool.

Gliding through the water like some kind of deadly arrow, Grayson's lean body cut through the water easily, she didn't' even surface until her fingertips were feet away from the wall in front of her. Her head came up in the pool emitting a small gasp, seeking out air as her hands touched the hard surface of the pool's smooth tiles. She noticed the shift of movement out of the corner of her eye and her hand instantly pulled the gun off the pool deck before noticing that it was Calleigh and Natalia.

"Hey! Are you ready to dry off and maybe get some lunch?" Natalia held out the towel towards her cousin.

Smiling at the thought of food, Grayson laid the chrome pistol down on the pool deck before she placed calloused hands on the surface, lifting her upper body out of the water, before a foot came up to assist her. Standing to her full height, the brunette's body was on spectacular display, every muscle standing out in definition, water cascading down her chiseled body. Taking the towel from Natalia, Grayson conceded. "I am starving." She wrung her hair out with her other hand, letting the water droplets hit the deck, her black silk bra and panties didn't do much to cover in the way of curves.

Bending over to dry off her body quickly and efficiently, she tried not to be embarrassed about the bruises that were still fading on her ribs and chest, plus the fading bruise in the middle of her sternum that resembled a car logo that had belonged to a certain blonde. Grayson finally stood up, stretching her arms over her head, groaning loudly, her muscular stomach flexed, making all six abdominal sections stretch along with her, pulling taunt the muscles in her hips.

Calleigh stared at the body in front of her. "Damn!." She drawled. "Are you sure that you eat, cause I don't see an ounce of fat on that body. Now I'm jealous."

Looking down curiously at her body, Grayson had long since stopped seeing her body as something she was proud of. Not that she wasn't proud of how fast she could kill a man, how long she could go without sleep, how long she could go without eating, her body was simply another tool in her arsenal of weapons for her deadly craft. "It has it's uses..." She muttered. She pushed her on sunglasses before picking up her clothes and pulling them on silently, trying to move as quickly as possible since she really was starving.

"It has it's uses. That is such a loaded line that I'm gonna be good and pass it up." Calleigh smirked.

Natalia turned to look at her wife in astonishment. "We need to write this date down. Calleigh DuVista passed up a one liner."

"I'd even go so far as to say my body is the perfect example of a human female specimen at peak performance.." Grayson let loose the most egotistical smile she could muster and raised her arms behind her head flexing all the muscles she could name in her head, which happened to be all of them. "Have you guys seen my beach ball?" She brought her arms around in a circle flexing them.

"It's this big...?" She couldn't' help herself holding her stomach laughing at her own joke more than anything.

Calleigh turned to her wife. "Darlin', do we have anymore dry towels?"

"Sure, let me go get some out of the hall way cabinet. We don't want Grayson soaking through the leather in the Rover." Leaning over to pretend to hug Grayson, she instead, shoved her into the pool, her hand flat on her chest. Grayson of course, caught off guard toppled back into the pool. "Cool off that ego Slick." Natalia smiled, going inside to fetch more towels.

Sputtering water out of her mouth, Grayson climbed once again, back out of the pool shaking her wet head this way and that, spraying Calleigh with water. Flipping her head back, Grayson shook each limb trying to wring off excess water. "Revenge is a dish best served cold." The deadly brunette growled, but she said it with a large smile.

"Hey! Why are you getting me all wet. I didn't do anything. I was just standing here." Calleigh complained.

"It's referred to as the Cerano Effect. If you're around, you're wet..." She stuck her tongue out at the blonde playfully, doing a little wiggle with her hips before sighing and dropping her hands. "I heard that Slick." Natalia closed the back door and swatted Grayson with a towel. Smiling back, the female Cerano tugged the towel out of her hands rough drying her hair. "So I need clothes.." She pointed down to her now soaking wet outfit, thank God her cell phone was on the chase lounge a few feet away unharmed

"I'm about to say something that I'm sure that you hear a lot, but here it goes. Grayson, take off all your clothes... and I'll put them in the dryer and they should be ready in about fifteen minutes." Calleigh said, trying to keep a straight face.

Peeling off her soaking wet white shirt, then her jeans, she wrung them both out handing them to the blonde. Her underwear soon followed along with her bra before Grayson plucked the towel of the chase lounge along with her phone. Wrapping the towel around them she answered Sonia's incoming phone call. "Hey babe, what can I do you for?" The evil smile plastered itself all over her usually stoic features.

She chose not to answer Calleigh's quip except to mutter "You're a married woman." at the blonde before resuming her phone call.

Leaning in to stage whisper. "Not a problem, because you're not my type." Calleigh smirked before she headed towards the laundry room.

Smiling ,Natalia chose to let Calleigh put the clothes in the dryer before sitting down on a dry chair under an umbrella. "I'm glad that you two are finally getting along somewhat." She chose her words carefully not knowing how to approach the situation.

"I'm not the easiest person to get along with..." Grayson smiled back at her. "Both of you aren't hard to like... no matter how hard I try to dislike you sometimes."

Grayson took Sonia off mute since she'd been on hold. Nodding her head, going back to the phone call at hand, she looked up at Natalia for a question. "Would it be rude to ask if Sonia could join us for lunch?"

Shaking her head. "No, please do. The more the merrier. Do you want me to call Jordan at ask him to meet us?" Natalia reached for her phone.

"No, let's make this.. a double date..." a wicked gleam lit her. "You can pick the place though..." Grayson covered the mouthpiece of the phone.

"That sounds good to me. What type of food are you two in the mood for... how about BBQ?" Natalia suggested.

"I could definitely do with a serious dose of BBQ… God I miss Texas." It slipped out before she could stop herself, covering her mouth Grayson passed on the message to Sonia who suggested a BBQ place she knew. "Natalia do you know Mr. Moe's BBQ?" She held back a tight smile.

"Yes, I actually do and that's where I was going to suggest. Let me go find Blondie, and I'll bring out your clothes as soon as they're done." Natalia offered.

Her eyebrows raised at Natalia referring to Calleigh as anything other than something sweet and fond. She let it go after saying goodbye to Sonia, Grayson ended the phone call quietly. "Thanks." She smiled hesitantly.

Walking into the house, Natalia made her way into the laundry room to find Calleigh leaning against the washer with her arms crossed, just looking outside. "Hey babe! How do you feel about Mr. Moe's?"

"Ooo, bubba-que. That sounds great by me. Maybe this time I can ride the bull." Calleigh almost giggled.

Smiling at Calleigh's antics, and privately wondering if another competition would ensue between Calleigh and Grayson since it was mostly a reoccurring theme. "I believe Sonia will going along..." She zeroed in on Calleigh. "I know you put her up to it... but you most likely gave Grayson the bad cousin cop talk... I think it's up to me to mention the same to Sonia..." She smiled sweetly at her wife.

"Aw Darlin', you know me so well. It was just a little talk, nothing huge. I promise." Calleigh wrapped her arms around her wife, nuzzling Natalia's neck."

"I'm sure, thank you for saying it though, you however will help me say the same speech to Sonia since she's your friend as well. I love Grayson too much to watch her be hurt .." Natalia wrapped her arms around Calleigh, waiting for the clothes to dry.

After the clothes were dry, the two women went out to give them to Grayson, and once she was dress, they loaded up the Rover and headed towards Mr. Moe's. This time though, Natalia did sit in the back with Calleigh as she just wanted to continue touching her.

Pulling the black Range Rover into an empty parking space close to the front, Grayson smiled behind mirrored sunglasses before putting the car in park and opening the door. After stepping out, she opened Calleigh's side of the SUV and smiled, bowing low. "We have arrived my ladies..." Her voice full of sarcasm and mirth.

"Why thank you kind lady." Calleigh smirked, watching as Grayson rushed around to open Natalia's door.

Doing the same action with Natalia that she did with Calleigh, Grayson stopped for a moment, before remember it was usually how she opened doors for her Grandfather. She didn't completely bow, but her head had to be bowed, it was in normal terms respectful in their world. Smirking, she paid Natalia the ultimate respect and sank down to one knee after opening the door. "Your lunch awaits.." Her eyes downcast, but a smile on face.

"Rise my knight in white armor. You have a hot date awaiting you." Natalia joked.

"I prefer black or gunmetal... white is for heroes. I'm more of a tortured Villain with a Hero complex.." Grayson smiled back, even though the smile didn't quite reach her eyes. Standing up, she looked past Natalia at Sonia, who had just pulled into the parking lot and was making her way towards the trio of family members.

Quietly, Natalia reassured her cousin. "It's not the color of the armor that's important, it's the heart of the knight that matters."

"I'd have to have a heart Natalia." She whispered back stepping away from her and around her meeting Sonia half way with a large smile.

Natalia looked at her young cousin and shook her head. She understood why Grayson chose to see the worse in herself, but why couldn't she see the good?

"It's easier to believe the bad parts of yourself than it is the good. She'll come around... she already is." Calleigh whispered.

Leaning down to give her a quick kiss, Natalia murmured back. "Reading my mind again huh?"

"It's my favorite thing to read."

Entering the restaurant, Grayson walked ahead of Sonia, who trailed behind her, their hands intertwined. Sonia however was enjoying Grayson's assets for the most part, while the taller of the two made a small parting of the crowd. Grayson's stride was intimidating, her steps completely fluid, naturally giving off an air of authority.

Calleigh and Natalia brought up the rear. When they finally got to the hostess stand, the blonde couldn't resist saying. "It's okay ma'am, we're with them."

Turning her head slightly to the side at Calleigh's comment, Grayson then turned back the hostess. "I'm sorry... ma'am.." the beautiful blonde hostess blushed as Grayson lifted her sunglasses to examine her closer. "We have a bit of a wait.." Grayson let loose a megawatt smile before speaking to her softly, leaning forward which made her lean forward. Seconds later the hostess blushed again, straightening up and pulling menus out of the stand, she led them to a table with a view of the complete restaurant.

As Calleigh held out Natalia's seat for her, she leaned over to Grayson. "What exactly did you say to her to get seated so quickly?"

Lifting her eyes slowly to Calleigh's, Grayson turned on the charm. Normally she would of explained it, but under the circumstances, it felt more exhilarating to show her cousin's wife. Invading her personal space merely to bring them closer, Grayson placed a hand on Calleigh's hip before leaning forward to murmur in her ear. "It's all in the body language, the look and keeping her eyes too long, I could talk about the weather and she still would of sat us." She leaned back pulling out Sonia's chair, leaning down to kiss her on the cheek as she sat, her eyes never wavering from the blonde's.

Shaking her head, the blonde held the dark gaze as she seated herself. "Like I said earlier, not my type. You don't have the Boa Vista charm."

Sitting down next to Sonia, Grayson's gaze shifted to Natalia. One of the few times she really wanted to claim that they were family was right then. Biting her tongue, Grayson instead examined the menu while Sonia leaned over whispering in her ear softly.

"Personally, I enjoy Grayson's charms just fine..." Sonia smiled up at Calleigh and Natalia, her fingers twirling absently in a lock of Grayson's subtle curls that hung around her face.

Covering her blush by leaning her head forward, Grayson let the tips of her fingers stray to her lips, stopping her from saying anything. She smiled slowly while she noticed the waiter making his way towards their table, rolling her eyes at the way he tried to make sure he looked presentable.

"Good evening Ladies, my name is William, and I will be your server this afternoon. May I get you anything from the bar?"

"Bourbon. Aged if you have it... I care little for names." Grayson looked up, her sharp eyes locking with the waiter. Then she looked back at Sonia, before meeting his eyes once again. "My companion will have... a glass of white wine with her meal... but for now, a margarita please, with salt, on the rocks."

Natalia turned to her wife. "Go ahead and have a drink. I don't feel like having one right now." Turning back to William, she softly asked. "May I have a tonic water with limes please, and Calleigh will have..."

"I'll have the same as Grayson, bourbon. Thank you."

When the waiter turned to go, Grayson stopped him. "Please no ice in mine... However for my friend, only two ice cubes, any more will ruin the taste with the melting water." She finished quietly, William nodded leaving the women to place their drink orders. Sonia turned to look at her girlfriend. "I don't know if I should be offended you ordered for me or incredibly flattered you already know so much.." The Latina let the sentence hang while Grayson smiled warmly at her.

Natalia smiled as she watched her young cousin begin to blush. Leaning over, she placed her hand atop of hers, murmuring softly. "The heart is there, it just needs to be thawed."

Taking Natalia's hand in her own, she held it softly, admiring the long fingers, the smooth palms, the unblemished skin. The differences between them so was astounding, but yet so small and miniscule, their skin tones even differed, Natalia's a soft mocha, Grayson's a golden bronze. Letting go quickly, she turned her eyes back to Sonia's. The beautiful Latina was unaware of anything except for her girlfriends beautiful features.

Calleigh watched the interaction between the two cousins with a smile. She had barely made out what Natalia said, and she agreed with her a hundred percent. Grayson's heart was beginning to thaw, ever so slightly, but it was a great first step. Looking down at her menu, she tried to find something to eat.

Grayson's eyes tightened as she looked over the menu. She wondered how much time she had left, how many more days, weeks until her Grandfather called for her. The thought made her stomach roll and tears spring to her eyes, touching her cheek lightly behind the curtain of her hair, Grayson was glad that Sonia was smiling and chatting with Natalia. The thought of leaving Jordan, Natalia, and Calleigh, not to mention Sonia was heavy upon her mind. Sighing and realizing it was out of her hands, she decided on her lunch choices and sat quietly listening to the conversation.

"Natalia, how do you know Grayson..." Sonia smiled her hand naturally sliding down the toned bicep beneath her fingertips. Secretly she wondered where Grayson had come from, a woman that beautiful that striking would have caught her eye if she had seen her around.

William came back with the drinks and the conversation stopped while he put them down and took their food order. After assuring them that their food would be served quickly, he walked away and Natalia could answer the question.

Looking over to her cousin, Natalia smirked before answering as she realized that she could actually say anything and Grayson would have to agree with it. "Grayson has helped us at work with some special cases involving her expertise, and we became like family almost overnight."

Arching an eyebrow at the barest minimum of truth, Grayson's face transformed into a wide smile. Sonia leaned forward curiously. "But I thought Grayson fought professionally?" Her eyes shifted back to the striking brunette beside her, who in turn watched her closely. She knew there was so much more than the two women were telling her, but she had to know more.

Calleigh jumped in. "Oh, she is, but she has many skills that we use from time to time."

"Since your are so keen to discuss me." Grayson's smile widened. "I'll excuse myself from the conversation for a few moments. " Standing slowly and placing a hand on both Natalia and Sonia's shoulders, she smiled down at them. Her eyes flickered to Calleigh's before they tracked back to her cousins' identical gaze. "Behave yourselves." She turned on her heels, once again cutting a wide path through the restaurant as men stared and the women differed between jealous and lust.

Natalia leaned in as if the notations were still sealed records. "Well, being a Pro fighter you can get into rings and "know" people we can't, even as undercover cops we simply couldn't get in." Calleigh nodded playing along. "Tips and times of illegal fights. We kept her hidden while we unfortunately had to use her."

Sonia looked curiously at Calleigh for a moment. "I actually would love to see her fight. I wonder if she's any good.." Sonia's gaze drifted back towards Grayson, who was returning the table, only a few hundred yards away, but still across the restaurant, several dozen people separating. Even from a distance, Grayson was a striking figure, her coal black hair shining in the barely there lighting of the restaurant, her coal black eyes locked with Sonia's who unconsciously swallowed.

"That's something you'd have to take up with her. We've never been to one of her fights ourselves. Too easy to get a bad reputation in those rings." Natalia explained looking at Calleigh with an adoring, yet lustful grin. "Darlin', you look at me like that again and we'll have to excuse ourselves a bit early."

"I'm under the impression... that Grayson.." Sonia once again looked at Calleigh, then her eyes locking with Natalia. "has quite the reputation."

Natalia's eyes narrowed a bit, but she kept her voice light. "What kind of reputation are you talking about?"

Smirking and finally realizing she'd pushed the correct buttons, Sonia was silenced however by Grayson tipping her chair back and crushing their lips together in a short, but passionate kiss. "Sorry, couldn't help myself.." Grayson's eyes flickered to Natalia's chocolate gaze. "I take all customers, illegal and professional alike. I don't discriminate against size... or sex.." Grayson sits down next to them as Sonia attempted to stop biting her lip and staring at Grayson. "That is my reputation." Grayson turned to look back at Sonia.

Seeing Sonia's shocked face, Calleigh couldn't help saying. "Like I said, she has many skills. Lip reading is one of them."

"Where did you come from?" Sonia stared at Grayson, this woman was so unique, she was secretly pleased to have her for herself. Sonia's eyes traveled up Grayson's body, her hand curving to the inside of her thigh under the table, dragging her nails upward.

Grayson arched an eyebrow. "Shouldn't you have that conversation with your mother?" She teased smiling as William brought a bottle of white wine, and all of their chosen meals for lunch.

The rest of the lunch conversation was over Calleigh, Natalia and Sonia's childhood. Every time Sonia tried to direct the conversation towards Grayson, one of the other women would relate another story, and she would get sidetracked again.

Ignoring the looks of exasperation on both of Natalia and Calleigh's faces, Grayson quietly handed her black American Express card to the waiter, who's eyes widened before taking it and scurrying off. "My time, my dollar..."Was all she said in way of any explanation before helping Natalia and Sonia up from the table, and motioning for Calleigh to lead and she would follow.

As they were headed towards the exit, Calleigh veered off to the side and headed towards the mechanical bull. Walking over to the railing that separated it from the rest of the bar, she turned towards the rest of her group. "Who else wants to try it other than me?"

"I'll give you a run for your money Calleigh." Sonia suggested, walking in between Natalia and Grayson, the latter who's rock hard stomach, she lightly caressed while brushing a soft barely visible kiss on her cheek and coming to stand next to Calleigh.

"Deal, I'll even let you go first." Calleigh grinned. She had been dying to try this for the longest time. Going over to the operator and paying the fee, Calleigh walked back to stand by the entrance.

"I usually do go first." Winking at Grayson, who in turn, widened her eyes, and covered her face with her hand, burying her face in Natalia's shoulder, trying not to look completely mortified. The feisty Latina, ditching the heels and thinking quietly, she was glad she wore jeans that day, Sonia mounted the bull, nodding to the operator that she was ready.

He started and a slow hip rolling pace, before speeding up with the same motion. He looked at Grayson, who was watching the girl on the bull and just grinned. Looking down, he flipped a switch causing the bull to buck harder. Tugging the joystick, he started moving it around more rapidly.

Keeping her eyes locked with Grayson whenever possible, Sonia's hips easily keeping time with the machine. Grayson's jaw dropped while she stared on, completely enraptured. 'This is so much better than... well... anything.' were her only thoughts. Sonia bit her lip, winking as she allowed herself to be flung off and landing as gracefully as she could, she sauntered back over to her date.

"You're drooling..." Sonia lifted her hand, shutting Grayson's mouth for her before sealing it with a quick kiss and sliding her arm around her waist.

The operator clapped and grinned at the couple, then offered a hand to Calleigh, who took it willingly to get up on the platform. Calleigh climbed on and nodded to the kid behind the controls and watched Natalia for a moment, raising her eyebrows playfully at the girls. Her hips started rolling with the rhythm. The operator took it a little slower, watching the look on Natalia's face and nearly laughing. He kept his mouth shut and moved the joystick faster, building up slower than the last, then full force, flipped the switch. Calleigh laughed, hanging on as tight as she could before being thrown off on a quick cutback and tumbled onto her back, laughing.

Grayson put her thumb and index finger between her lips, whistling loudly while Sonia clapped beside her. Grayson leaned over to the table next to them, stealing a cloth napkin off of it, she handed it to Natalia.

The operator led Natalia into the ring and helped her up, where she almost immediately flopped on Calleigh. Kissing her a bit senseless before pulling them to their feet and climbing down.

"Well Sonia, thank you for the competition. How about riding something for real? Would you care to join us at the stables?" Calleigh asked.

"Actually I was planning on riding something else this evening... but I can settle for horse... right now anyways. However, I don't know how to really ride..." She confessed as Grayson's eyes widened at the thought, and then went back to normal.

"You can ride double with me then..." Grayson offered, her voice teasing.

A mega watt smile covered Calleigh's face, and looping her arm with Natalia's, they walked out to the car.

"Damn, this has to be the most exciting lunch I've had in quite a long time..." Grayson stated, wrapping a long arm about Sonia's waist. Sonia let one of her free hands slide into Grayson's back pocket, who in turn looked at her blushing before opening the doors of her Rover for her family and turning on the vehicle so the A/C could run for them. Walking Sonia to her car, she invited her over for the night once again, claiming just an evening with the people they all knew at her house. Sonia agreed, but not before pinning Grayson between her body in the car, her mouth devouring the assassins in haste to get her alone.

After regretfully leaving Sonia to follow them in her jeep, Grayson led the way to the stables before hopping out once again to open everyone's doors respectfully. She stayed quiet for most of the entire drive, seemingly lost in her own thoughts.

Natalia noticed that her cousin was strangely quiet during the ride, which normally would not be unusual, but they had just come from a meal where everyone was very talkative and animated. Sliding up to her before she had a chance to go over to Sonia, Natalia laid a gentle hand on her forearm. "What's the matter Slick?"

Pasting a smile over thoughtful features, Grayson locked eyes with her cousin. "Just thinking..." Sighing, she looked down at the gravel before kicking it with a shoe and returning her gaze to Natalia's. "I'm shit at the emotional stuff... I didn't use to feel anything... and now... I can't stop having all these emotions."

Reaching to caress the young woman's face, Natalia whispered. "It's okay. It's a part of growing up and out. This will make you... and us, better persons. I love you Grayson, anyway I can get you."

Surprising the hell out of both of them, the shorter of the dark females surged forward to wrap the other in a crushing hug. Holding her tight, Grayson was shocked by her own actions, but she held strong, wanting to say something back. "Someday I will be able to say it back Talia..." She let her go before she could answer, and walked over to Sonia, who took her hand and kissed her again.

Calleigh came up to stand next to her wife. "It's still melting huh?"

Smiling, Natalia tugged her forward, heading into the stables and towards their horses.

Releasing Sonia's hand, the female Cerano opened the large stall that Tempesta was kept in. The large stallion swung his large head forward, black eyes glittered back at Grayson before she smiled and whistled softly. Tempesta's ears flicked forward and he met her halfway across the stall, burying his soft nose in her chest, leaning down so his owner could scratch his forehead. Sonia watched from the doorway, amazed at seeing anything from Grayson other than impassiveness, lust, and a few small laughs.

"Is there anything you're not good at Grayson?" Sonia questioned as she watched her girlfriend saddle the horse quickly, before slipping on the bridle with some help from a few sugar cubes. The dark haired Italian chose not answer even though it would of been easy to say, 'feelings, emotions, being alive and a real person in general instead of the shadow of a thing I am now…' As usual, she kept her mouth shut, leading the towering horse out of its stall to stand in the bright sunlight, letting his beautiful coat catch the sun just right.

Calleigh and Natalia brushed and saddled their horses, mirror images of each other. It was no wonder why they were married. They walked the horses out of the barn and gave one another a soft kiss before looking over to Grayson and Sonia with grins on their faces. Calleigh spoke quietly. "So is she riding with you? Or is Jordan left with nothing to himself." Nodding to his horse still in the barn watching the four women and three horses, ears perked forward.

Chuckling at their antics, Grayson unsaddled Tempesta and left the saddle over the top of the stall. Coming back to her horse, Grayson effortlessly vaulted herself onto the animals back before holding out her hand. "Babe, step on my foot and hold onto my hand... You'll be riding behind me... Forgive me for wanting to be that close to you?" She smiled softly as Sonia took her hand and slid up behind her, snuggling her chin into her neck. "You're forgiven..."

"I think we are starting to have competition in everything, babe. They're starting to get too adorable for our own good." Natalia grinned and debated taking the saddle off, but better safe than sorry. Calleigh chuckled sliding into her saddle. "Darlin', I didn't think that was possible." She took the older brunettes hand as they walked down the trail toward the beach.

Letting the couple in front of them lead, Grayson's mind flashed back to a different time and another life entirely. 'You're forgiven Grayson... I love you so much...' Gritting her teeth, Grayson quickly let go of the memory and pulling Sonia closer to her. Now wasn't the time to dwell on things she couldn't change.

Upon hitting the beach, the girls swung off their horses, sinking their feet in the sand. Walking along the waterline, hand in hand, with the horses trailing behind. Natalia looked over at Grayson and Sonia with a grin before looking at Calleigh, silently leaning her head on the blondes shoulder. Calleigh let go of her hand and wrapped her arm around Natalia's waist, pulling her closer, watching the surf crash, not too far from where they walked.

Sonia watched as Grayson sat down on the sand before she sat in between her legs, leaning against her chest, her hands automatically sliding down to rest on her girlfriend's thighs. "Your friends told me that if I ever wanted to see you fight it was up to me... they say you can have a bad reputation in a ring like that... that they've never been to one of your fights.. I want to see you fight Grayson." Sonia murmured looking out at the ocean.

Grayson for her part leaned down to whisper in her ear. "It's very bloody and very violent... like the Coliseum in Ancient Rome. There is no backing down... you either win or you lose." She growled. "I wouldn't want you see me like that..." Sonia nodded and rested her head in the crook of Grayson's neck. Apparently being the baddest of them all came with certain guidelines.

Natalia leaned back against her wife as they were seated in the same manner as the other couple a bit a ways. Sighing, she turned her head to nuzzle Calleigh's neck. "I think Grayson is coming around babe. I know that it's not going to be an overnight deal, and that it's going to take some time, but I do see it happening."

"Grayson... where are your parents? Your family... I mean I've seen you naked, but I don't know anything about you at all." Sonia conceded, as she was naturally curious. The stoic brunette was a puzzle she was eager to piece together.

"There was a car accident when were six... both of my parents were killed. It was a long time ago. I don't even remember them really... I don't have other family except for Jordan." The lie slid out so easily that Grayson actually felt guilty for having to say it.

Sonia stayed quiet, choosing instead to kiss Grayson softly and hold her face in her hands. "You are one of the toughest women I've ever seen or met... but I know you have your flaws." She kissed her again softly, before flying back down in her arms.

Both couples sat there for the longest time, each wrapped up in their thoughts. One was so concerned that she was becoming something that she really couldn't be, while her partner was hoping that she was the one.

The other couple were wrapped up in their love, just glad not to have anyone chasing or attacking them for the moment. The blonde leaned forward, resting her chin on the brunette's shoulder, nuzzling the spot below her ear. "How are you felling today Darlin'?"

"Better, my stomach feels weak still though... Can I ask you something baby?" Natalia turned in her wife's arms to look at her thoughtfully. "The day you called and asked me to look up someone named Quinn. What was that about?" The brunette slid her hand up to Calleigh's face, smiling at her.

Smiling sadly, the blonde answered. "Ah Quinn... That's the name of the woman that Grayson is in love with. She thinks that she may have passed the bar, and I was hoping that maybe we could get them together after all of the Eric business is done."

"Calleigh..." Natalia turned to look at Grayson and Sonia. Even from a distance, she could see the infatuation was mostly Sonia. Biting her lip, she turned to look back at her wife. "What about Sonia?"

"Darlin', I think that Sonia is what's here right now. I don't think that Grayson has led her on; I believe that she has been very upfront about her feelings. I may not approve of her actions sometimes, but Grayson has always been honest." Calleigh argued.

Natalia looked at her cousin hard, the wind whipping around in the gentle breeze, her stoic features looking past Sonia and her horse into the depths of the ocean. "I'm afraid for her though... I know she's physically capable of taking care of herself. I just wish she would let us in..." Natalia sighed holding Calleigh's hands tight in her own. "I can't imagine being on my own like she is... all of time. She has Jordan, but I don't think she knows how to let him love her."

Calleigh tightened her arms slightly. "She's slowly letting us in, you've seen that happen. I bet that it will happen so fast that you're not going to believe it when it does."

"I'm sure you're right. More than likely I'm sure she has a heart that's bigger than all of ours; otherwise why fight so hard to keep it hidden..." The brunette leaned back into Calleigh's arms. "For her sake though, I hope Quinn takes her back."

Sighing into Natalia's hair, Calleigh whispered. "Me to darlin, me too."

Standing up first, Grayson called to Calleigh and Natalia mentioning they should probably head back as it was growing dark. Quickly seating herself back on top of Tempesta, Grayson helped Sonia behind her while the two couples ambled back towards the stables. After sliding off Tempesta, Sonia and Grayson lead the large stallion towards the bathing area from the day before.

"Hey Sonia!" Calleigh yelled.

Turning at her name being called, Sonia smiled. "Yes Calleigh?" Grayson never looked up from cleaning the sweaty animal, which nickered softly, leaning his weight against her somewhat.

"Grayson likes to get people wet so I would be careful if I were you." The blonde shouted back and started to turn away, and then she realized exactly what she said and turned bright red, slapping her hands over her mouth.

Sonia turned to look at Grayson who had purposefully turned her back to all of them, choosing instead to pick up Tempesta's leg and clean the sand and mud out of the hoof. The Latina turned and walked towards Calleigh, smiling a mega watt smile she sat down on the bench to watch her friends. "You have no idea how wet people can get..." She smiled devilishly.

Clearing her throat, Calleigh hung her head. "I'm just gonna go over there and wash off our horses babe. You stay right here and talk with Sonia."

Turning to the younger woman, Natalia watched her as she watched her cousin. "I hate to sound like a mother hen, but what are your intentions towards Grayson?"

Arching a perfect eyebrow, Sonia observed Natalia quietly. "I would have thought that was obvious Natalia..." Her lustful gaze drifted towards Grayson, who was laughing with Calleigh and trying not to get them both soaking wet with the water hose.

"Yes well, I can see that you want her, but for how long? I don't want either one of you hurt."

"I don't think Grayson can be hurt Natalia. As for myself, well I am fine. My interest in Grayson, at the moment is purely physical... though..." Sonia touched her lips, thinking about the stunning brunette and their last kiss. "I would like to keep her for as long as I can."

Her voice turned colder as Natalia reached out to touch the young woman, getting her attention. "Everyone can be hurt Sonia... Don't forget that. Don't hurt Grayson. You won't like it, I promise."

Knocking Natalia's hand from her shoulder, Sonia stood to her full height, which changed nothing since Natalia towered over her, their height differences so dramatic. "Are you threatening me Natalia?" She stepped around Natalia, smirking to herself more than anything. "Grayson is a woman of few words, I can tell that much. But her heart will be mine. Eventually."

Natalia shot a quick glance at Calleigh, halting her from coming over with a look. "No Sonia, I'm not threatening you. I am stating a fact. Just like I know that Grayson has already given her heart to another, you will not like it if you hurt her."

Turning to let her eyes once again drink in the sight of Grayson smiling at her horse, Sonia finally answered her friend. "I'm sorry to hear that... I don't want to hurt her. I want to... love her." Sonia admitted it aloud finally. Grayson had stolen so much from her without realizing it, her attention, and her thoughts, all her resting hours, and waking ones as well.

Finally finishing with the chore of washing all of the horses, Grayson hooked on a lead rope to each of Adonia and Tempesta's halters, then she looked over at Calleigh, who was watching Natalia and Sonia. An eyebrow arching, she watched their body language since they were too far away for her to read their lips. Grayson tilted her head to the side. "Calleigh?" She turned to look at the blonde.

Calleigh took a couple of steps towards her wife, but stopped at a look she was given. Shaking her head, she answered Grayson. "Nothing, I thought that Talia called me." Turning towards the young woman, the blonde smiled. "Thanks for controlling the water hose."

"Lying isn't your style Calleigh DuVista." Grayson turned back to lead Tempesta and Adonia off the slab of cement towards their stalls. "I can't read their lips from this far, but my hearing is excellent. Plus their body language is too hostile." She smirked and put an arm around Calleigh's shoulders.

"Yeah well, I think that Talia is asking what Sonia's intentions are. She doesn't want you to get hurt." Calleigh admitted.

Opening her mouth to say something about Natalia and Calleigh's need to try to coddle her, Grayson shut her mouth, thinking for a moment, before turning to look at the blonde and letting her go. "Tell her thank you for me." She smiled and led the horses into the shade of the barn and around a corner out of sight.

Looking around, Calleigh almost expected the heavens to open up and angels to disperse; Grayson said thank you. Will miracles never cease?

After putting away all three horses, Grayson and Calleigh walked towards their women' overhearing the discussion about coming to the stables alone together so they could get to know one another better. Apparently, Natalia had a bit of a protective streak, Grayson smiled knowing it was their relation behind it all.

Distracted by the sight of Sonia standing with the sun, that was kissing her beautiful face, she missed the dark male standing behind a stall door, watching them silently before dialing a phone number into his cell phone. "Yeah... Delko... Its Lamont... That brunette you want will be here at the stables tomorrow afternoon... around three. Yeah, she'll be without that crazy bitch and the blonde." The man ended the call before disappearing around a corner and out of sight.

Grayson turned around sharply, her eyes scanning the stalls and walkways behind them. She could have sworn that she heard someone talking and they had used the name Delko, but didn't see anyone. Muttering something about wanting to make sure, she'd locked Tempesta's stall door, Grayson darted down the aisle, the gun was in the car. If she came across anyone, it still wasn't a fair fight for her opponent though. Damn it why did Sonia have to be so good looking? Why did Natalia have to be her cousin? Why did she have to feel like Calleigh was the closest thing to a best friend she'd ever have? Why the hell couldn't it be just another job without feelings and nothing more than simple logic to help her. Finding no one, Grayson walked back out into the courtyard of the stables where the trio of women were waiting.

Rubbing her hands together, Calleigh suggested. "How about us going to the complex and watching movies. This has been a relaxing day so far, and I for one would love to keep it going." The blonde looked around expectedly.

Taking Sonia's hand, Grayson nodded agreeing with the blonde and the two couples took their time walking to the parking lot. Grayson pulled out her cell phone, texting Jordan that they were on the way home, maybe they could cook later, watch the movie he had rented and maybe she could steal some alone time with Sonia.

After getting to the Complex, Calleigh and Natalia headed upstairs as Grayson waited for Sonia to walk inside. Opening the gate, Calleigh saw the young man in the living area, working on some paperwork. "Hey handsome. Whatcha doing?"

"Maintaining several households is hell on paper work SS." Jordan confessed. "We enjoy our freedom so much that we often roam from one place to another, never really staying long." He shrugged standing up and hugging both Calleigh and Natalia tightly to him. "How are two of my three favorite ladies?"

Calleigh tickled him to get out of his grasp while Natalia hugged him harder. "It's been a good day Jordan. I know that it started off badly, but it's been a really nice day."

"I take it you and Grayson have resolved your differences?" Jordan rested his chin on top of Natalia's soft caramel hair and looked down at Calleigh.

"Let's just say that we're working on it and leave it at that. I don't want to hope too much." The blonde admitted.

"You're getting to her. Trust me." He kissed both women on the cheek before dragging them into the kitchen. "I feel like cooking, who wants to help?" Jordan offered.

"I wouldn't mind helping at all.." Sonia's voice came from behind them, both Grayson and her girlfriend had finally made it upstairs.

Natalia was also quick to volunteer which left Calleigh and Grayson looking at each other. Calleigh clasped her hand behind her back and rocked on her heels. "Um... you got anything that we can do with the Mustang?"

"It's been finished... I planned on giving it to someone special... and close to me." Grayson scratched her the back of her neck, wandering towards the stairs.

"What else ya got downstairs?"

"A cedar post for knife throwing?" The reserved brunette murmured, leading the way down the steel steps into the garage. "Or... I mean the dune buggy needs new tires, but they're too heavy for you to lift." Grayson ran her fingertips over the edge of the dune buggy's fender before sitting down in a rolling chair and sliding one Calleigh's way. At the moment, she just wanted to sit and think quietly, even though she knew the blonde would nag her about this morning, it was in her nature, Grayson suspected.

Sitting down in the chair that came her way, Calleigh stretched out her legs and leaned her head back. "It's been a nice day, thank you." was all she said before closing her eyes.

Staring at Calleigh, Grayson was at a loss for words. Why wasn't she nagging her? Bugging her? Mocking her? "Are you alright?" She questioned.

Opening one eye to look at her young friend, Calleigh shrugged. "Yeah, I'm great... And you?"

Truth be told Grayson was worried, Eric hadn't been caught and now of all things, she had a girlfriend. A girlfriend who more than likely wanted something from her that Grayson knew she couldn't give. Looking away and standing up, the dark haired woman wandered over to a stainless steel rolling toolbox opening a drawer, her fingertips tracing over the deadly instruments. Guns were efficient yes, but they were also noisy, and sometimes discretion was needed. "I'm fine."

Calleigh chuckled. "I told you what fine stood for, so are you sure you want to use that word. I'm here if you just need to talk." The blonde offered.

"Same word, first use for it that you mentioned." Grayson growled and pulled a knife out of the drawer. Turning around, she handed it to the blonde, whom she stared down at. "If... If Eric corners you alone, I want you to be able to use something other than a gun to protect yourself." Grayson's black eyes glittered in the low light of the garage, moving out of the blonde's way, she pointed to a cedar post that had been left in the far empty side of the garage. "It's all in the wrist... I know one of yours isn't in the best shape, but now is the best time to learn."

"It's okay. I'm right handed. So show me."

Hesitating for a moment, it was wrong to teach Calleigh the art of throwing. It had been passed on to her as long as she had promised not to teach another for the same intents and purposes she had been taught. Gritting her teeth inside her skull, Grayson came to the conclusion that it was her judgment that called the shots and not her promises. Standing behind Calleigh, she lightly took her wrist in her own hand and demonstrated the way it should roll for the knife to slid the right way out of her hand without hurting anyone nearby.

"Throw a couple for me please so I can watch from different angles... If you don't mind." Calleigh asked.

Nodding that she would show the blonde, Grayson selected a small curved knife, and a throwing star, simply because it had been a long time since she'd used one. Staring down at the end of the garage, Grayson imagined the face of the man that killed her parents. Bastard that he was, she exhaled silently and let the knife slide off her fingertips. Moments later she made sure the blonde was watching as did the same with the star. Both steel objects had embedded themselves in the cedar post, enough to where Grayson had to tug hard to extract them before she walked back silently to sit in the chair next to Calleigh who was standing, still watching her.

"You were imagining the Benedict weren't you?" Calleigh didn't expect her to answer so she went on. "Your eyes went black while your face lost all expression." Sighing, Calleigh picked up three knives. "I lost my sight a few months back and Natalia pulled a gun on the man who was trying to kill me and I was told that her face resembled what I just saw. No wonder Stetler pissed in his pants."

Turning, Calleigh drew back her arm, then brought it forward, releasing the knife just at the right time. She did it two more times before turning back to Grayson. "Not bad huh?"

"No... it wasn't." Silently Grayson was amazed at how quickly Calleigh had picked up the craft. She wondered what else the blonde was capable of. "Be thankful that Natalia has more strength than I do. She stopped, I wouldn't have." Grayson stared down at the end of the garage at the wall silently, trying to keep as much distance between herself and Calleigh as possible.

Calleigh went down to the post to pull out the knives. returning to the chairs, she did that for about ten minutes before she switched to the throwing stars with the same results.

The silence was nice, Calleigh decided. Every once in a while, Grayson would make a quiet suggestion about her form or the way that she held a knife, but other than; the two women said nothing.

Hearing Jordan bellow down the stairs that dinner was ready, Grayson kept her eyes downcast, walking through the garage, continuing to think silently to herself. Calleigh followed her, staring at the back of the dark head of hair. Sometimes she wondered what it was that Grayson thought so much about. Both women walked up the stairs to find Sonia, Natalia and Jordan all in the kitchen waiting for them.

Natalia looked at the young man, rubbing her hands together. "What do you have in mind for dinner Bear? You are large and in charge. Tell me what you need done."

"Well, I was thinking something like homemade ravioli.. Grayson doesn't always have the chance to be around when I have the time, and the help to make it. Could you please start prepping the meat section of the meal while I start rolling the dough. Sonia... would you mind selecting a red wine for dinner..." Jordan looked up at his sister's girlfriend, he really didn't know Sonia all that well, but if she made Grayson somewhat happy, then fine.

Stopping Jordan before he had the chance to move, Natalia offered. "Why don't you fix the meat because I just know that you have some special spices and herbs that you want to mix together just the way that Grayson likes it, and I'll make the dough?"

"Deal. That's why your my favorite." He kissed Natalia on the top of the head while he moved around pulling spices out of the cabinet above their heads. He began to kneed the meat around together, adding in the correct spices when necessary.

She pointed to the general direction of the wine selection and grinned. She moved up and down the rack reading the labels carefully. "Hmm." She pulled out a Prosecco and nodded her head before returning to the area they worked. "I'm a tad rusty, but I think this will do." She gave a smirky smile. "Anything else I can do?" She climbed into bar stool and watched them prepare away.

"Other than have decidedly lusty thoughts about my brooding sister... no, please make yourself at home."Jordan looked up at her playfully, then he looked at Natalia, bursting into laughter.

She smiled broadly and shook her head. "Touché. So Jordan, what do you do beside prepare fine meals with my friends." She looked at Natalia as the two came down from their laughing and giggle fits.

Running through his mental files of appropriate lies, he selected one he found suitable. "I restore old buildings... and cars. A passion which Grayson shares for the most part." He smiled easily.

Natalia tossed a bit of flour his way. "He's being modest. He also owns the bar called Lucky's. He just doesn't like to talk about himself."

"Well, if this is a project, then I'm impressed and sold. I remember this place when it was nearly in shambles." She tilted her head, grinning to herself. "Lucky's, I've been there a few times. Excellent place as well. Dare I lay eyes on the cars you and Grayson restore?" She smirked slowly.

"We have a warehouse... nearby. Grayson has excellent taste in automobiles for the most part... motorcycles too. Actually come to think of it, if it goes fast, Grayson likes it." He chuckled to himself, before brushing a piece of pasta sauce on Natalia's cheek. "You can hush."

Chuckling, Natalia reached up to clean off the sauce, licking it off her fingers. "I'm not saying a word." She shook her head.

She merely smirked. "Well, I am a fan of fast cars, maybe instead of a fight, I can coax her for a ride in one or two of those cars." Leaving them more to play with.

"She wouldn't bring you back in time for dinner tonight, tomorrow or the next day."Jordan smiled, testing the sauce before holding out the wooden spoon to Sonia, and then Natalia. "How does it taste?"

Natalia closed her eyes, moaning. "If I wasn't married, you were older and you were Calleigh, I'd marry you. That is heavenly."

"Perfection Jordan. Honestly." She looked around the house grinning at Natalia. "Proving once again there is no one like Cal for you Nat, though, Calleigh my dear Natalia does not cook! But I must disclaim this is only what I overhear in the restaurant." She smiled brighter.

"Actually.., I hear that Calleigh makes incredible BBQ, Natty and SS aren't a bad team in my opinion. I'm glad the both of you enjoyed my recipe, it's Grayson's." He turned back to turn down the water to a light boil, adding the pasta inside of it, his massive hands making the abnormally large grill/stove to appear like a child's toy.

Natalia leaned against the counter after cleaning up after making the dough. Watching her other cousin work around the kitchen brought a smile to her face. This young man was so cheerful and happy, that it almost brought tears to her eyes.

"Jordan, about how long to we have before everything is ready?" Natalia asked.

"Um thirty minutes, forty-five if I do it correctly." He smiled looking up Natalia, knowing exactly what she was thinking. "I believe I just washed a load of towels. In fact, I think Grayson's new body wash came in. I think she ordered something special for you." His eyes twinkled slightly.

Sonia watched the exchange between them, remaining quiet. She slid her fingers over the tile on the counter, thinking of the woman she was pressed against on the horse earlier.

Leaning over to hug her large cousin, Natalia leaned up to whisper in his ear. "You're right, she does care." Before kissing him on the cheek softly and going to start the shower.

Jordan rolled his eyes at her dramatics before turning to look at Sonia. "I know you have eight million questions."

"Questions are all so easily avoided." Smiling she looked up at him. "But to avoid that bad and the ugly, what do you and Grayson do beside, cars, horses, houses and fighting... and amazing cooking." She smiling even brighter as she watched him cook away like second nature.

Natalia turned around, coming back into the kitchen. "Jordan, would you mind bringing up the suitcase out of the Rover for me please?"

Sonia looked down at the tile she was still tracing and smirked. 'To the rescue' She twisted the wine bottle at its base slowly.

"Of course Milady DuVista.." Jordan teased bowing low, almost exactly like his sister had done earlier in the day; both of them were almost identical sometimes. Hurrying off down the stairs, punching his sister on the shoulder hard on the way down only to have her slap the back of his head a moment later. "Your ass is mine later Gray."

Wrinkling her nose walking backwards up the stairs, Calleigh already watching them smiling. "Eww.. you know back home that's considered incest..." She smiled jogging up the stairs to escape his swipe at her head.

Scratching her shoulder, Sonia wandered the floor she was on. Her back to the elevator then finding the space they all seem to sit and think, looking into the distance.

"Where is my lovely wife, oh tall dark and cuddly?" Calleigh asked.

"Waiting for you. I think the words shower... and sex were in her mind." He stuck his tongue out, running down the stairs, skipping the last four, and disappearing around a corner faster than Calleigh would of thought the large man could move.

Jogging up the top of the stairs, Grayson went still, watching Sonia from the stair top. Smiling, she walked up behind her as quietly as she could, standing only inches behind her, but not touching her. "Everyone I'm around seems to like this view.." Was all she offered in way of explanation.

She smiled brightly. "Do you like it? The view I mean." She turned slowly, looking into the gorgeous near black eyes, moving in closer, she leaned in, kissing her lips like a whisper on the wind.

"It pleases me, yes." Grayson admitted, her hands resting on Sonia's hips, her eyes looked deeply into the Latinas before glancing up to admire the glittering lights of the fading sun over the water over her shoulder.

Sonia watched her a moment before pulling her in close. "What can I do to please you..." She left the question hanging, her hips toying with the Italians hands while her fingertips ran up Grayson's arms, slow and deliberate.

"You do it just by standing there." The dark Italian woman held her closer, leaning against the window, the backdrop of beautiful scenery, making it almost like a postcard.

A moan escaped her as her arms wrapped around Grayson's neck. "You say the perfect things." Her fingers sank into the assassin's hair, kissing her passionately. Pressing her body to the window as their kiss became heavier.

Thinking privately that's all she ever did, Grayson let the thought slip away as she felt Sonia deepen the kiss, her mouth hungrily stealing all of her ability to even form a thought at the moment. She realized that Calleigh would walk in, and just as quickly she knew that the fire burning across the skin anywhere Sonia touched would need to be quenched. They needed a bed, breaking the kiss she smiled. "Can... we take this somewhere more... private?" She asked hopefully.

"Anything you'd like." She interlaced their fingers, looking into her eyes once again. "Any...thing..." She smiled seductively, looking up and down the gorgeousness in front of her. Her free hand trailed down Grayson's chest, sternum and fingers spread across her abs.

Calleigh took the final step , catching a quick glimpse of what was going on near the window, and muttered. "Too much info... Going to find wife." A little louder she stated. "Ignore me... I'm not here...looking for the other half." And then jogged to Jordan's room.

Sonia smiled into another soft kiss. Moaning, she whispered "Let's go... where ever you wish."

Never even looking at Calleigh's entrance or departure. Grayson gazed back into Sonia's eyes, her body pressing the Latina's against the other side of the window. Smiling she then leaned back pulling Sonia by their interlaced fingertips towards her bedroom.

She followed like a moth to the flame, watching the form before her, biting her lip. She barely let Grayson get through the door before wrapping her arms around her waist, kicking the door closed and sliding her fingers up Grayson's shirt, kissing her shoulder muscle a few times between bites.

Completely surrendering to Sonia, Grayson let the woman back her into the cold steel of the door. Her body arching against the contrast in temperature of the steel and the warmth of Sonia's lips and hands on her body, gasping quietly, she leaned her head back allowing her better access to her skin.

Her lips nibbled up her throat to her chin before capturing the brunette's lips. Her fingers tugged the shirt up slowly and tossed it away with a hesitant break of the kiss. Hungrily taking her lips back, Sonia moaned as her hands moved over the tense muscles, pressing Grayson flush to the cold door. Itching to make her skin sizzle before pulling her away enough to let the offending pants, slid by hands, forced to the floor.

Not to be outdone completely, strong hands easily divested Sonia of her clothes before Grayson picked her up in her arms, both of them clad in only their bras and panties. Laying the beautiful body down on the deep green sheets of her large bed, Grayson smiled, sliding up besides Sonia, her fingertips tracing over her hips, up to her chest before teasing the skin of her neck.

Sonia let out the smallest quietest lustful giggle as she was swept away to the bed, then it quickly turned to a gasps and moans as everything Grayson touched turned into a trail of goose bumps. Her body visually shivered once Grayson got to her neck; licking, then biting her bottom lip. Looking up at her with devastatingly hungry eyes; breathing deep and hard, her fingers slid up the brunette's arm to leaving a trail of goose bumps, sliding up her neck, cupping her jaw, pulling her down into a deeply desiring kiss.

Grayson's hands traveled at a leisurely pace down Sonia's body before she laid completely on top of her, the Italian woman couldn't touch enough of the body beneath her. Unsure of what Sonia needed, Grayson leaned back to sit astride Sonia's waist and hips. "Um... I don't know... what is that you need... for me to... do?" Grayson's voice was hesitant and unsure.

Her eyebrow quirked, then she grinned looking around. "Well... there's a bed... the floor... the dresser... all the walls... me and you." Her fingers slid down Gray's chest, between her breasts and down her stomach once again. "Me." Was all she could utter before her legs wrapped around the woman above her, one hand sunk into her hair, the other into her shoulder. Kissing her fiercely.

Figuring that was enough of an answer for her, the strong body above Sonia all, but tore away the remain pieces of barriers between them with her need to feel Sonia's skin against her own. Her own hands trailed down the insides of the Latina's thighs, brushing up against the dampness she felt in contrast to the cool air of the room. Gasping at the warmth, Grayson's kisses turned gentle as she slowly slipped two fingers inside of Sonia, wrapping the other woman's legs tighter around her body.

Arching her back and neck, gasping at the sweet invasion, Sonia wrapped her leg around Grayson's arm to keep it still, slowly grinding her hips into the prodding fingers, much to the same effect she had herself just performed on the mechanical bull. Slow, deliberate taking her time to work them both up, she pulling her into another kiss while one hand slowly came down from her hair, massaging the breast she could reach, lightly tweaking the hardened nipple. quietly growling as her grasp on the arm slowly faded and wrapped around her hip once again.

The whimper that escaped Grayson's lips turned into a full blown gasp the minute Sonia touched her, curling her fingers upwards, she pressed her hips down hard into the Latina's. Kissing down Sonia's neck, she whispered softly in her ear. "You are so beautiful.." Her lips tracing downwards over the woman's collarbone.

She purred, hearing the words escape her lover's lips. Fingers sank into the assassin's hair, pulling her up slowly, letting kisses trail their way up to look into the woman's eyes, moaning. "Gorgeous soul, I desperately need to be conquered by you..." Not allowing her to plead otherwise, she pulled her lips down for a passionate kiss, her hand wandered over Grayson's fingers. "Take me. Aggression, passion, lust, love, I don't care, own me." Her eyes narrowed, challenging. She pulled her down as tight as possible, grinding as hard as she could into her fingers before arching their bodies off the bed. Her fingers dug into the strong back muscles, encouraging whatever Grayson wanted to do to her.

"On the contrary Sonia,.. I am yours already. You wanted me and now you have me." Smiling she slid her fingers out of Sonia's warm embrace, letting her lips trail over Sonia's neck and collarbone. She felt this all-consuming need to have Sonia posses every inch of her body, no matter how long it took.

Her lips quirked in a grin, rolling them into the reverse position as her hands slid down the olive tanned skinned body below her, finding a comfortable spot between her legs. Kissing her lips before exploring her neck and chest slowly, not missing a speck of skin, covering first the right, then the left. Her hands wandered down, sliding three fingers in effortlessly, with a slow even pace. "I absolutely do love having you." Her lips continued their assault, lower to her breasts, toying with the extra sensitive skin. Her fingers moving accordingly, never missing a beat, picking up the pace. She pressed a kiss between her breasts and looked up with calm, but seductive eyes and a unmistakable smirk as her hair slowly started covering her view. Her lips lowered as she dragged her body down, sliding her face along, biting at her hips, following the muscle line down and up the other side. Sweet torture progressed till finally she came to the center. Looking up once more, she gave a near sadistic smile and replaced her fingers with her tongue, probing and tasting with a deep moan what she'd been waiting for.

Eyes rolling back in her skull, Grayson's hands stretched outwards, one hand grasping the sheets. Anything, God anything to hold herself together, this woman was making her come apart at every stroke of her fingers, her mouth all, but fell open as she watched Sonia's lips traced over her hips and abdominal muscles. Biting her lip from crying out, she was unable to do so moments later when she felt Sonia's mouth touch her exactly where she craved her the most. Her other hand slid into dark chocolate curls pulling and gripping as she cried out. "Mmm Sonia..." Grayson's head twisted to and fro before her back began to arch while her hips sought to keep up with the pace the beautiful Latina had already begun to set for her.

The hair in her hands only drove her to be more hungry. Devouring her dark dangerous goddess. Sonia wrapped her hands around the muscular thighs holding her in place. She wouldn't allow it, fingertips carefully pulled the silky skin. Her tongue pulled back, only to circle her clit, then take each lip, lightly kissing, then sucking in the gentle skin, her eyes opened, looking up as she made out with the lips between Grayson's legs. She smirked, doing the same to the other, before sliding her tongue back in moaning as she did so.

"Son... Sonia... God..." Grayson's back arched hard, her eyes closing as she covered her face with her hand that once was gripped the sheets. Feeling Sonia toy with her, she looked down, which in turn made the muscles underneath Sonia's tongue begin to ignite as if dipped in napalm. Opening her legs wider, trying to feel more of Sonia, Grayson felt her body dissolve under her touch seconds later. 'SONIA!"

Sonia's fingers moved over her abs and stomach. As the legs spread, her tongue went to work. Her tongue drove deep, lapping like she'd been thirsty for weeks. Then turning her tongue, twisting it and curving it up and grazing it along the sweetest spot of them all.

Covering the hand on her stomach with her right hand while the left tried not to pull Sonia's hair too hard, Grayson begin to unravel at the seams, her breath coming in short bursts, uncontrollable and raw. Her eyes opened as she finally was able to look her girlfriend in the eye, surrendering to her once before and now again. "Sonia..." She whispered her name softly, biting her lip, watching the way she made her body twitch, this way and that.

Moving her hands grazing up and over Grayson's sides, tracing the toned lines to her inner thighs, touching them only enough to make her body twitch with the smallest of tickles. Her tongue moved from within her, flicking at her clit slowly at first, then more rapidly. Watching Grayson closely, her tongue slowed down; she made it known that it was she that was controlling Grayson's body movements by the simple twitch, waiting for her prey to beg once more. Before the full onslaught would pursue.

Her entire body tensed, but not quite falling over, no matter which way she moved her hips, Sonia wouldn't let her go. Whimpering and throwing her head back, she finally pleaded her case. "Sonia... please..." Her voice wasn't loud, it wasn't a scream, it was a soft silent plea as Grayson took Sonia's hand, bringing it to her lips, kissing the tips of the fingers gently and closing her eyes once again, losing herself in Sonia's simple touch.

Allowing for such a subtle plea, Sonia used the fingers her lover kissed to slowly sink into her body, her tongue lavishing her clit rapidly. She looked up, watching Grayson's body work itself into a frenzy. She drove her fingers up to the point she could start a fire, her tongue just off her clit letting only the tip toy with her. She moaned, pressing her mouth to the pink slick flesh, using her whole tongue to touch every inch, using deep hard thrusts to truly bring over that edge.

Grayson couldn't think, she couldn't move, and then all of a sudden, there was a severe relaxation of almost every muscle in her body, whimpering Sonia's name over and over softly, Grayson came undone. Sweat beaded down her chest, interlacing amongst the muscles standing out in definition as they strained again and again as small tremors worked their way through her body. "Yes....Yesssss." Grayson finally collapsed, gasping underneath Sonia, her eyes closed not even capable of movement at the moment.

She smiled devilishly innocent, but didn't remove herself from her current position. Removing her fingers slowly, she licked the sweetness off of them. Returning her mouth to the soaked flesh, she licked, nibbled and kiss before making out with the softness once again. She made little effort to jump up and cuddle the woman panting before her, reclaiming every few inches of skin. Gently kissing around her breasts before nibbling lightly at the nipples. moving up to her neck, up her throat and to her lips, claiming the mouth as hers, kissing her sweetly. Letting Grayson stretch her body out, sliding her leg over her thigh, leaning on her forearms, wrapping her hands under her shoulders. Perched to watch her prey regain her movement, staring into the gorgeous eyes below with a calm adoring smile.

Quicker than Sonia could realize, let alone make a sound, Grayson flipped them around, pinning Sonia beneath her. Kissing her passionately and stretching her very relaxed body along the Latina's, she sighed into the kiss before ending it with a quick bite and tug on Sonia's bottom lip Grayson released her lips. "God you're good..." She gushed slightly before looking down between their bodies with a similar smile to the one Sonia wore moments before. "But I take pride in my stamina..." she all but growled, pulling Sonia's body flush against hers, her calloused hands tracing down the Hispanic woman's spine, desperate to release her into the passion that they had started already.

Biting her lip after the passionate kiss, Sonia moaned at the lip pull, the compliment sent a shiver down her spine. "Baby I never doubted..." Groaning at her growl and her hands... 'God' pressing her own body into the assassin. Her body was trembling with desire, being worked up and then left to be this close waiting, was cruel and delicious.

Having one of the most delicious ideas she'd had in a long time, Grayson nibbled up the tempting neck below her before biting an ear lobe. "I love to listen to my music loudly... I don't know if you know that." Her hands sliding up the insides of Sonia's thighs, tracing random inane patterns never touching one spot for more than a moment or two. However, they were still pressed together as Grayson rolled their hips together. "So I had both bedrooms sound proofed...feel free to... let go." Grayson smiled.

Moaning, she smiled and blushed all in one. "Learn something new every time we meet." She looked down the back of Grayson's body, biting her lip, moaning, getting yet another chill. Her fingers wandered her back and up her neck, digging into the thick hair before releasing and sliding back down her shoulders. Her lower body quivered at the feel of the hands. Moaning a little deeper at the pressure before looking at the walls and smirking, hugging the brunette to her body.

Ignoring any answer she felt like making, Grayson took her sweet time drawing out the torture that was her descent down Sonia's body. Nibbling here, biting there, toying with the bead of sweat that had conveniently nestled itself in the juncture of Sonia's hip and thigh, sucking it softly past her lips with a gentle kiss, she rested her head on the inside of Sonia's thigh just to watch her for a moment.

Letting her slip from her embrace, she let her fingers toy with the dark skin. Closing her eyes, concentrating on each kiss. Looking down at the pause, to see her on her thigh, she couldn't help, but smile and lift an eyebrow in curiosity.

Winking slowly before licking her bottom lip, her gaze slowly traveled down Sonia's body, almost like the physical caress she'd applied moments before. Dragging her eyes back up to Sonia's, she arched her own eyebrow as she begins to inch her lips higher and higher with more kisses.

Sonia smiled brighter at the wink, watching intently; shivering at the caress, licking her bottom lip unintentionally. Forcing herself to focus on the touch, listening to each near silent kiss as she moved higher. A low primal groan slipped as the torture continued. Her body was nearly panicking with desire.

Sliding three fingers deep inside Sonia, Grayson rose up to kiss the smaller brunette passionately as her hips slid in behind her hand. Rolling her hips slowly at first, the assassin begins to tease and torment, but only to the point of pleasure, not pain. "I just can't stop watching you..." She smiled looking down at Sonia.

Her body melted to the bed before it tensed, gasping. "Damn... baby...." breathing deep as each roll of the hips brings her that much closer. "You love watching my undoing... "She smirked arching her neck back, letting the smirk form to a smile. Her body clamped onto her fingers, pulling her in just a smidge before releasing, tightening around her, squeezing her fingers as hard as she could, letting her feel how much she wanted it.

Curling her fingers forward to tease lightly at the same spot Sonia had used to drive her wild, the taller woman rolled her hips just a tiny bit faster. Grayson's lips traced over the tendons of the Latina's neck, unable to find a particular place that she could stay at. She wanted to kiss her everywhere... but not right now, now she wanted to posses her.

Sonia finally dared close her eyes for more than a brief moment, as her breathing evened out and her muscles were still tense. Her hands gave a soft trembling touch to Grayson's back, her fingernails just barely scratching the surface. Moaning at the simple finger movement that drove her to feel she held no power to the woman taking her time with her body.

Finally having mercy upon the body beneath her, Grayson rolled her thumb over Sonia's clit in slow lazy circles before adding the right amount of pressure and touch before kissing her passionately, curling her fingers up once again to rub softly inside of her girlfriend. Moving her hips to push Sonia's thighs further apart, Grayson whimpered softly against her lips once more.

Her body rolled with every motion her lover graced her with. Gasping at the touch of her clit, only for it to be stolen with the kiss. Her hips lightly bucked willingly, giving more space to move around, before a bit of a surprise, pulling her legs back to lightly clamp around her upper back. Her eyes rolled behind eyelids, kissing away Grayson's whimper.

"You feel so good around me." Grayson murmured against swollen lips. Her other hand came up to tease and roll a dusky nipple between her thumb and index finger, before her lips captured it, teasing it around in her mouth slowly.

Her back snaked as if they were dancing. "Fuck baby... I can't take much more." Her body was trembling as she clamped down on Grayson's hand, harder now than the first four times, not allowing her fingers to move in or out any further, simply holding her hostage. Fingers gripped skin and hair as she groaned. "Please... please...Grayson... Please" Her body twisted slightly under her before she looked at her with lustful eyes, begging for the last phase, to be booted off the edge she'd been riding on since this amazing woman started possessing her again.

"Your wish is my command." Grayson traced her lips down the beautiful body, before pushing her thighs apart and over her shoulders, her tongue instinctively snaking around her clit, sucking softly for a few moments. Catching Sonia's eye, Grayson then moved her tongue down further slipping inside to roll it softly up and down in a wave like motion as her hands sought to keep Sonia from arching to hard against her.

Reaching behind above her head, Sonia stretched out her body as she felt Grayson toy with her clit. Looking into her eyes before collapsing to the bed, then arching back off, but not moving her hips more than the brunette allowed for. Her body shook before she screamed "Grayson!" orgasming so sweetly in the process.

Giving a soft kiss to the soft damp skin beneath her lips, Grayson slowly teased her tongue over Sonia's clit before releasing her body. Her kisses ever so ghost like as they made their way back up to Sonia's lips in a soft gentle kiss, wrapping her arms around the smaller woman.

She nuzzled into the muscular body, letting the rolling effects of the orgasm shoot through her body, clenching onto her lover's body tight. Kissing back sweetly, she sighed happily burying her face into the brunette's neck, before finally opening her eyes, watching her. "That was amazing..." she looked at her with adoration, no one had ever given her and made her give up, so much control before.

Smiling and blushing, Grayson looked down at Sonia through her lashes; their legs naturally tangled together keeping them completely pressed against one another where possible. "Mmhmm" was all she could murmur, watching Sonia next to her. "Dinner is probably ready... and I'm sure by now your starving."

Calleigh closed the door to Jordan's room, hearing the water hit the tile in the bathroom. Smiling, she untucked her shirt, and then started unbuttoning it as she slowly made her way towards the noise.

Stopping at the door, the blonde removed the rest of her clothes as she watched Natalia bathe. Her mouth went dry as she followed the path of the water... down dark caramel colored hair, sliding over bronze skin.

Licking her lips, Calleigh's eyes continued their travels down the enticing neck and across graceful shoulders until it slowed as it reached Natalia's breasts. Those breasts were God's greatest work as far as Calleigh felt. They were perfect. Calleigh's hands literally itched to touch them, but she held herself back.

Instead, she continued her observation of the traveling water as it finally made its way past the perfect breasts to glide along the perfect stomach. Natalia didn't washboard abs like her cousin, no, Natalia was curvier, softer, just the way that Calleigh loved it.

Further down, the water seemed to skim through dark curls at the apex of bronze thighs. Good Lord, every part of this woman called out to her. There was nothing about Natalia that Calleigh didn't love with every fiber of her being.

In a blink of her eye, Calleigh found herself in the shower, surrounded by steam, but needing to be surrounded by something else. Bring up her hand, Calleigh gently reached up to caress Natalia face, not wanting to startle her, she whispered. "Talia..."

Natalia wasn't startled when Calleigh touched her. She had felt her presence as soon as she had walked into Jordan's room. She usually wasn't an exhibitionist, but she had to admit that she loved it whenever Calleigh watched.

Bringing her head down from where it was upturned to the water, Natalia looked into dark green eyes.

"I love you, Natalia. There is nothing in the world that can take your place in my heart. I am yours, now and forever."

Reaching down, Natalia threaded her finger through Calleigh's soaked hair, tugging her up so that she could brush her lips against hers. "I am yours Calleigh, in every way that matters. Tell you what though, Grayson bought us some new bath soaps and oils, so how would you like to try them out."

Wrapping her arms around Natalia's waist, Calleigh rose up on her tiptoes to nuzzle a very sensitive spot underneath the brunette's chin. "Mmm, and what exactly did she get us?"

"Uh… umm… peaches and sweet pea for you and lavender and raspberry for me." Chocolate eyebrows arched teasingly.

Smirking, Calleigh replied. "Hmm, your cousin has excellent taste in body washes. Come here Darlin', let me try some of that raspberry."

Calleigh reached out and tried grabbed the bottle away from her wife. Natalia held it over her head, making the blonde jump for it. Soon the two women were laughing and joking around, but they did finally get themselves clean.

After getting out, they dried off and got dressed, still joking about their antics earlier in the day.

Natalia was laughing as Calleigh opened the door to Jordan's room and let her lead the way out into the living room. "You have no idea how sexy you looked on top of the bull... you also looked a tiny bit afraid."

Chuckling, Calleigh leaned against the brunette as they made their way into the kitchen to see Jordan pull the pasta from the water. "Well, to tell you the truth, I kind of was. I didn't want to look like a fool."

"I doubt either one of you could ever look like a fool Calleigh. Beautiful, intelligent, driven women rarely make fools of themselves." Jordan quipped as he prepared their plates, pouring the pasta out onto five plates. "He's right, you know..." Grayson's voice drifted from doorway of her bedroom where Sonia was hanging onto Grayson's left shoulder, following her into the kitchen while the dark assassin sat on a barstool next to Jordan.

"Well, I have on a number of occasions, but never in front of Natalia and I didn't want that to be the first." Reaching into the fridge, she pulled out a bottle of sparkling water, holding it up so that Natalia could approve if she wanted it.

"Calleigh, I doubt my cousin would see you as a fool. She loves you. And you her. So no one is the fool." Was the soft reply from Grayson who was pulling out silverware and glasses for their drinks. Sonia smiled at her fondly, really hoping one day she could have Grayson look at her the way Natalia looked at Calleigh. Rolling his eyes and nudging his sister, he smiled. "Going soft?" She ignored him as she finished fixing their dinner and laying it out for all of them.

Nodding her head to the blonde's silent question, Natalia turned to her cousin. "You're right, I could never think Cal a fool, but I know what she means. Even though someone loves us, and we know this with all of our hearts, we never want them to see us in our weakest or most vulnerable moments. For them, we always want to be at our best."

Pouring a glass of the water and putting it in front of her wife, Calleigh placed a quick kiss on Natalia's cheek. "I always want the best for you Darlin'."

Swirling her pasta across her plate and looking out the window, lost deep in her own thoughts, Grayson's eyes slid out of focus, already lost in memories. Her girlfriend watched her closely, knowing more than likely she would never know what Grayson spent so much time dwelling on. Watching his sister and her girlfriend, Jordan's eyes slid up to Calleigh's, narrowing slightly, he didn't like the idea of Grayson dating anyone simply because she didn't have the emotional stability for that kind of relationship.

Calleigh glanced over to Natalia, slightly inclining her head in Grayson's direction. Natalia hummed her response, and tried to change the subject. "So Jordan, what movie do you have planned for this evening?"

"It's between a 'Midsummer Night's Dream' or 'Much Ado about Nothing'." Jordan smirked, looking at Grayson, who covered her smile, taking a sip from her glass. His sister had a weakness for love stories, literature, and romance. She'd skin him alive before he ever admitted that aloud. Sonia stared at him strangely. "What a weird taste in movies.." She trailed off laughing. "They're Gray's favorites."He remarked quietly.

"I love Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson together. He is such a great writer." Calleigh stated. "I'm all for 'Much Ado About Nothing'."

"To really love someone, to truly be in love with them... they are your equal in every way, in wit, in folly, in love and hate, you must be equal in every way." Grayson murmured, finishing her dinner and washing off her plate in the sink, her eyes glancing up to the picture of her parents at their wedding before looking back to the sink and her dishes. Sonia was going to have the good grace to stay silent since she'd insulted her girlfriend inadvertently. Watching his sister closely, Jordan smiled, despite being a woman of few words, when Grayson chose to speak it was best to listen, not only for physical safety, but something might be learned.

Natalia and Calleigh looked at Grayson, remaining silent also, in awe of what she had just said. Finally, Calleigh whispered. "Pretty slick, Slick. Nicely stated."

Smiling at the compliment, Grayson turned around to lean against her brother's shoulder, watching her cousins, and then looked at Sonia. If what she said was true, then she really doubted Sonia was the woman for her. Not that she wasn't a good woman, but she couldn't hold a candle to Quinn. The thought made her heart clench and she looked back to Calleigh with a fake smile. "I like to read a lot." Was the only forthcoming explanation she gave as Jordan kissed the top of her head, smiling down at her fondly.

Natalia smiled as she finished her meal, looking sideways at her wife, she nudged her a bit with her shoulder, and whispered. "Yup, making a puddle."

"I don't even want to know what you two are talking about but I'm curious to see these movies that you like Grayson." Sonia smiled, kissing her girlfriends cheek, trying to make amends for her earlier folly. Grayson just shrugged and went to set up the movie while Jordan cleaned the kitchen with Sonia.

Natalia went into the living room to see if Grayson needed some help, while Calleigh lent a hand in the kitchen.

"Hey Grayson, are you alright?" Natalia quietly asked. "Did you want to talk now or a bit later?"

Inserting the DVD and setting up the stereo to play it in the format she wanted to hear it in, Grayson looked up at her cousin. Biting her lip, she took Natalia's hand, leading her further away from anyone that could hear, she sat them by an open window at the far side of the enormous room, gesturing for Natalia to sit in a comfortable leather chair.

"What's the matter Gray? How can we help you?" Natalia sat, but looked very worried at her young cousin.

Taking a seat in the chair opposite from Natalia, her cousin took a long time to answer as if truly thinking out her problem and a way to voice it. Crossing long legs similar to Natalia's, Grayson looked out the window folding her hands in her lap silence extended for countless moments. "I.." Sighing and clenching her hands. "I don't think I should be with Sonia."

Looking at the complex young woman across from her, Natalia sighed. "Why do you feel that way?"

Narrowing her eyes and looking back at Natalia, the assassin frowned. "Eric is still out there, along with a partner who wants both of you. Alive or dead remains to be seen. Not to mention the fact my family is not going to be happy if they find out your still alive." She ground out. Her emotions out in the open, her fears lay bare. "It's a distraction I cannot afford.. if something were to happen you.. either one of you. I doubt I could live through it." She admitted.

Leaning forward, Natalia took Grayson's hand in her grasp, tracing the tiny scars that adorned them. "I can't even imagine how hard this situation is for you right now. I wish that there were a way that we could find Eric and have this over. And hopefully we can keep all of this away from your family."

"Natalia... eventually my family will be taken care of. I promise you, that someday... you will be able to introduce me as a family member. I will never tell you how hard things are, it is my burden alone to bear. I chose this and I must reap the consequences." She smiled patting Natalia's hand and moved to walk back into the kitchen.

Calleigh walked over, passing Grayson as she headed into the kitchen, and she sat of the arm of Natalia's chair. "Everything alright Darlin'."

"Not really Calleigh." She sighed pulling the blonde into her lap, wanting to feel near her for the moment. "Gray doesn't think dating Sonia is wise right now... what with Eric still out there... plus the Benedict and her Family still at large, she doesn't want to be distracted. She's afraid of losing us." Natalia sighed again, leaning her head against Calleigh's shoulder.

"Darlin', she can't lose us, we're the DuVista's, and we don't give up on anyone." Calleigh wrapped her arms her wife. "I don't think that Sonia is gonna give up without a fight though."

"I think she means one of us or both of us dying either at Eric's hand or her Grandfather's, Calleigh." Natalia stated soberly. "As for Sonia... I'm not entirely sure her intentions for my cousin are pure, despite what she says. And what are planning to do when you want to find Quinn and Sonia and Gray are still dating?"

Sighing, Calleigh looked out the open window a few moments before she answered. "You didn't see her face Talia when she talked about Quinn. She was absolutely beautiful and in love, and even though she seems happy right now, I don't think that she truly is."

"I think the only way Gray will be completely happy is if her Grandfather is dead along with Benedict. I don't think she will ever rest or know comfort until both of them are dead." Shivering at the thought of Grayson holding a gun to someone's head and pulling the trigger, she hugged Calleigh tighter to her.

"Hey, are you guys going to come watch this with us or what?" Sonia called out, oblivious to the atmosphere around her.

Looking over to the young woman, Calleigh shook her head before saying. "I don't believe that I'm about to say what I am, but that girl must be a born again blonde. She has no clue to what's going on around her."

''All the more reason why she's not the right woman for Gray... who I believe spends most of her time deep in thought. I wish I could have seen her face when she told you about Quinn." Natalia smiled and pulled Calleigh towards the television area, lying down on a black leather couch opposite from Grayson and Sonia, with Jordan behind them both. Their cousins were both deep in thought while Sonia was reading the back of the DVD case.

As the movie started, Natalia and Calleigh soon turned their attention to the dark haired young woman who was reciting the lines. Every once in a while, Jordan would respond in a character's place and they would laugh at his facial expressions. Sonia soon tired of the movies and the activities around her, so she got up to go to Grayson's bed to go to sleep.

Rolling her eyes at Sonia's retreating form, Grayson begin to recite another line. "I see, lady, the gentleman is not in your books?" She waited a few moments and then right as Emma Thompson's character answered the messenger, she spoke, a smile on her face. "No, and he were I would burn my study." Ending it there she, couldn't help the laugh that bubbled from her lips.

Smiling, Calleigh leaned forward to whisper in Natalia's ear. "There...look at her face. That's the look that she had when she talked about Quinn."

Looking over at her cousin, Grayson's eyes were no longer their dark stormy brown, instead a cheerful warm cinnamon color, twinkled from behind long lashes framing red cheeks and a smiling happy face. Her cousin's body language was excited as she lay on her stomach, watching in rapt fascination as Claudio and Benedict discussed Claudio's undying love for Hero.

After practically reciting almost every line from both movies, Grayson yawned, stretching her body out on the couch, groaning. She stood up slowly and bent over a little before standing back up to pick up the area and put the DVD's away. Giving her brother a hug, and a warm sentiment before moving to her cousins to lean over and kiss them both on the forehead softly, before walking towards her bedroom door.

Natalia called out. "Sleep well sweet Grayson, as you lay down your head in slumber."

Stopping for a moment, Grayson tilted her head to the side, smiling to herself. Turning around, she ran back, enveloping both Natalia and Calleigh in a large tight hug, wrapping steel like arms around them.

"Whoa! We love you too Slick." Calleigh kissed the dark head that was against hers.

"The feeling is mutual." She pushed her head against Calleigh's playfully, before pushing them lightly away from her and disappearing into her room. Jordan watched them in shock, he'd never seen Grayson act that way with anyone before, besides himself. He wasn't jealous, on the contrary, he was ecstatic, but he was still worried.

He bit the inside of his lip, watching his sister shut her door quietly, then his eyes turned to look out the window at the view the woman in question stared at every day. Their Complex backed up directly to the waterfront, so it was actually a very nice view just with nothing around it besides other empty warehouses. The lights of the ships in the distance twinkled back at him, almost like memories from a life they never had.

Natalia had watched Jordan as Grayson made her way back to her bedroom and closed the door, and saw the mix of emotions that crossed his face. "What's the matter Jordan?"

"I don't like the idea of Grayson and Sonia together." He growled protectively. He had seen the way Sonia looked at Gray in the beginning, he knew the lustful faces never lasted, for they were soon to be heartbroken faces. Grayson couldn't fall in love because that's how people died. It was a proven fact. Loving Grayson was a risk on one's life.

Sitting up out of Calleigh's embrace, Natalia leaned forward. "You're not upset that she's happy, but you're afraid that she'll make a mistake and someone will be hurt, right?"

Eyes flashing in a rage similar to his sisters, Jordan's dark soulful eyes flickered to Natalia. "I would never be upset that Gray is happy, but she's not happy the way you think she is." He growled roughly, his hands running over the leather of the couch. "It's dangerous for Sonia as well; she's only setting herself up for disappointment. Loving Grayson is a little bit of a health risk."

Calleigh straighten up. "Is there any way that you could tell her not to be with Sonia, without hurting her too badly?"

"I would have thought you would have thought of this before." Jordan sighed, putting his chin in large hands staring at view out the window again. "You know about Quinn, and you know what happened. Why invite more of similar events? I don't have to worry about talking to Grayson; she's already planning a way to break things off."

Getting up to go sit beside her cousin, Natalia rubbed his back while trying to explain their point of view. "I know that you worry about her, but you can't expect her to go without some sort of relationship, something to look forward to."

Sighing and leaning into Natalia's touch, the gentle giant turned a deep chocolate gaze on her, with a sad smile on his face. "When Gray becomes distracted people die."

Looking over to her wife, Natalia shook her head. "I'm sorry. I know that you are used to a life that we know nothing at all about, and while we're trying to get you two to have a normal life, you're worried about keeping us alive. We'll back off until this is over, would that be all right?"

Shaking his head at her, the larger Cerano stood up pacing, his hands clenching and unclenching as he ground out the truth. "He will kill you. Then he'll kill Calleigh. As for your sisters and her brothers, lord knows what would happen to them. The children wouldn't even be safe, Natalia. Grayson dreams about a normal life, I wish I could give us one as well, but the cold reality remains she loves you now, and both of you are now in danger. That's why she's worried. They don't call her Jinx for no reason."

Calleigh stood up to stand in front of the young man, forcing him to stop his pacing. "Who are you talking about Jordan? Are you talking about you grandfather or the Benedict?"

"Both of them. Our Grandfather would most likely kill just one of you, leaving the other alive as a demonstration, but he'd butcher your entire families. An example of his power to the underworld and to her. Nothing will come between that man and his favorite tool. He will give Grayson anything she desires, money is no object, and nothing is off limits. Why kill her when torturing her with the people she cares the most for, is such much more efficient. Drive a wedge between Grayson and the rest of the world." He snarled to himself. "Benedict... is just as bad. He'd have the same basis as our Grandfather, to control her. They both seek to posses her entirely, and they are very close."

Calleigh looked over to her wife; sitting there with her elbows on her knees with her chin in the palms of her hands. They both knew that they were in way too deep now to get out without hurting someone, but they also knew that Grayson was their best bet for getting out of this alive.

Sighing, Natalia stood up to join her wife, wrapping her arms around Jordan's waist. "What do you want us to do?"

It killed him to say it, closing his eyes, he turned away from her, but not pushing her away. "When this is over, it's in your best interest to cut contact with us."

Looking up, Natalia could tell that that simple request was the hardest thing that Jordan had done in a very long time, and it broke her heart because it was the best thing that they could do for them. "All right." She whispered. "But I would like you to promise that when all of this is over, that you and Grayson will get back in touch with us. We're gonna worry every day until then."

Turning around, Jordan couldn't stop the tears sliding down his cheeks. He would miss them, even though they'd only been close for a short time; it was like their parents death all over again. Only this time it was worse, both parties still alive, but unable to reach one another. "I'm sorry." he whispered back, holding Natalia in the most loving hug he could muster.

Wrapping her own arms around Jordan's waist, Calleigh could only whisper. "Just take care of each other and get back to us as soon as you can."

"I can't even guarantee that we'll even be allowed to be together. You don't know my Grandfather... I don't even speak Italian. He only taught Gray. Another way to keep us apart." Jordan engulfed Calleigh in the hug along with Natalia, staring at Grayson's door. At least he could count on her to be strong for him when he always fell short, that was both a blessing and a curse.

Dropping his arms to his sides, Jordan felt helpless, completely at a loss for how to save any of them. Sinking down on the couch, he pointed towards the bedroom with one hand while the other held his tear stained face. "Mrs. DuVista and Mrs. DuVista, you need your rest."

Natalia knelt in front of the young man. "Jordan, we can't take you bed. We're fine here on the sofa."

"Go to sleep Natalia." He turned away from her, hiding his face from view, similar to the way Grayson had treated them in the beginning.

Grudgingly, Calleigh led her wife into Jordan's bedroom and shut the door. Almost immediately, Natalia began to cry and Calleigh wrapped her arms around her wife, comforting her. This wasn't fair to anyone. They had found each other only to have to walk away to keep the other one safe.

Pulling back the comforter and the top sheet, Calleigh laid down, drawing Natalia into her embrace and covered them with the sheet. "It will be okay Darlin'. We'll figure out something. We always do. We won't be without them for long."

Humming softly, Calleigh rubbed her hands gently up and down Natalia's back until she heard her breathing even out and knew that she was asleep. She was going to have a keep a closer watch on her wife for the next few days as whenever Natalia was stressed she sometime had nightmares. Soon she joined the brunette in the land of dreams.

Part 11

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