DISCLAIMER: Murder in Suburbia and its characters are the property of ITV. Bad Girls belongs to Shed Productions. No infringement intended.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
That Old Black Magic
By trancer
Emma huffed in exasperation, setting her purse on the counter as she slid onto the bar stool. The bar keep, tall, dark and spiky-haired, made her way towards her.
"What'll ya have, love?"
"Give me something you wouldn't give your worst enemy," she pulled out a ten and slapped it on the bar. "Wait, make it a double."
"That bad?"
"No," Emma explained. "Worse." She tilted her head towards a table at the far corner. Her partner, Kate, engaged in conversation with an attractive brunette. "Old friend."
"You two together?" She slid the drink in front of Emma.
"Not exactly." She tried to organize her thoughts. When Kate had suggested the lesbian bar to meet an old friend, Emma's jaw had dropped. When she laid eyes on one Helen Stewart, it fell somewhere around her ankles.
"Well, then, all's not lost is it?"
"Are you kidding? It was one thing when the competition was a pipe dream of broad shoulders, chest hair and testicles. That? Is something else. Just look at her. All gorgeous skin, twinkling eyes and tits you wanna grab hold of and never let go," she took a surreptitious glance at her own cleavage. "I don't even know if Kate is a breast kinda woman." She licked her straw, waving it around. "And don't get me started on her job. Victim's rights advocate. Bad enough listening to Kate go on about her, you'd think she'd been canonized already." Emma paused, taking another sip from her drink. "Still.."
"It's those posh bitches. Get ya every time, eh."
"I know," her eyes widened. She paused, taking the time to turn and gaze at Kate. "It's all that repressed sexual energy bubbling under the surface and you wanna be the one to pop the cork. Now, I'll never know."
"Yeah, she looks a bit like a tart."
"I was thinking more along the lines of a slapper."
"Slag."
"Slu.." Emma's voice trailed off. Her eyes squinted close as the wince twisted her mouth. She opened them to stare at the bartender. "She's your girlfriend, isn't she?"
"So," Helena leaned on her elbows. "Tell me about this partner of yours?"
"Who, Scribbs?"
"Yes, Scribbs. You two together, then?"
"What? Us? Why on earth would you think that?"
"You mean other than you've spent half our conversation talking about her. To the point where your eyes light up at the mention of her name."
"They do not," Kate grumbled. "We just click. As partners."
"And, to put it mildly, if looks could kill, I'd be waking up in China."
"That's just Scribbs being Scribbs, she's very.."
"Jealous?"
"Protective."
"I thought you were her superior, why would she need to be protective of you?"
"Nikki?" Emma rose a wary eyebrow, staring at Helen and Kate while trying not to look like she was staring. "Why do they keep looking over here?"
"Maybe she's telling Helen how she wants to shag you senseless."
"Right," Emma snorted. "You know those posh bitches. They never talk about sex, just imply it politely."
"Until you get'em alone," Nikki's eyes drifted towards Helen, a wistful smile curling her lips. "Then they're all vulgar talking, clothes ripping Hell cats."
"Hey, no fair!" Emma groaned. "Who's side are you on?"
"I'm on the side that goes to bed every night with her." Nikki leaned forward. "Why don't you go for it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained."
"Easy for you to say. She's my boss, kinda, and my partner. I don't think I could deal with the rejection if she said no."
"What makes you think she'll reject you. Look at her," she waited until Emma turned her head, Kate doing the same face lighting into a smile. "I've been watching those two for forty minutes and she only smiles like that when she's looking at you."
Helen chuckled. "You keep smiling at her like that and she'll think it's you that fancies her."
"I don't fancy her," Kate shook her head. "We're partners."
"Partners, mates, friends," Emma began chewing on her straw. "Okay, there was that one time I asked her to kiss me to see if I really was a bad kisser."
"..I did punch out a Constable once for touching her bum.."
"..so I made out with her afterwards. You know, as a reward for being so chivalrous.."
"..she is a great kisser. Life's too short to pass on a good snog.."
"..there was the time I gave her an orgasm.."
"..we do what friends do, cheer each other up when the other's down.."
"..but there's no way we're actually a couple.."
"..we're seriously not a couple.."
Nikki blinked, shook her head trying to organize the chaotic thoughts and imagery rattling around her brain. "Well then, you two are definitely the most coupley non-couple I have ever met in my life."
"I.." Helen stammered. "I guess that settles it. You two are definitely not a couple."
"See," Kate beamed, taking a sip from her drink and taking the opportunity to point her eyes towards Emma. "I told you. Not a couple."
Nikki ran a hand over the back of her neck. "If you're not a couple, why are you jealous of my Helen, then?"
"Not jealous," Emma paused, taking another glance backwards. "More like envious."
"Well then," Nikki leaned on the bar. "I think I may have a solution to your problem."
Emma waited until Helen removed herself from the table before darting towards Kate.
"Dance with me."
"What?"
"You heard me," she outstretched her hand. "Dance with me."
"But, there's no music playing."
As if on cue, a slow soft tune began playing through the speakers. Emma turned her head towards the speakers before turning back to Kate. "Must be fate."
"I can't dance with you."
"Why not? You're the salsa expert. Besides, it's a lesbian bar, no one will care. I'm bored and there's no one else I want to dance with."
"If I say 'no', you're going to pout all night, aren't you?"
"Yep."
"Oh, all right," Kate rose from her chair, placing her hand inside Emma's, allowing her to guide her towards the dance floor. The blonde turned into her, wrapping an arm around Kate's waist and holding the other up. "What are you doing?"
"Leading."
"But, you're a terrible lead."
"Maybe, but I am the one who asked you to dance, so I get to lead."
"No," Kate grasped the arm about her waist by the wrist and placed it over her shoulder. "I'm the better dancer, plus, I'm taller, so I lead."
"All right. You know I love you.." she stammered, eyes widening. "When you get all butch."
"Butch, eh. You just don't want to admit I'm the better dancer."
The conversation lulled as they allowed the music to guide them. Their bodies subconsciously moving closer and closer until the only thing dividing them was their clothing.
Kate chuckled. "I had the strangest conversation. Would you believe Helen thought we were a couple?"
"Really?" Emma rose an eyebrow. "So did that bartender, Nikki. Which is absurd."
"Of course it is."
"We're just partners."
"Mates."
"Friends."
"Best friends even."
"Exactly."
"You know," Kate casually licked her lips, eyes suddenly focused on Emma's mouth. "They say best friends make the best lovers."
"Sounds reasonable," and Emma found her own eyes drawn to Kate's lips. "Who else knows you better than your best mate?"
"Who else would kiss you just to show you're not crap at it?"
"Or take out a Constable when he touches your bum?"
"Help you have achieve an orgasm?"
Their noses began to touch, gently sliding across the other, lips drawing closer, the gentlest hint of skin grazing across skin.
"Scribbs?"
"Yeah?"
"Is that a new lipstick you're wearing?"
"Yeah, passionate peach."
"Is it flavored?"
"Yeah," she whispered into Kate's mouth.
"Mind if I have a taste?"
"Not at all, we are partners, right?"
"Right," Kate leaned in, removing the scant distance between them. "Partners."
Nikki joined Helen at the side of the bar, wrapping her arms around the shorter woman. Used her nose to brush the hair from the back of Helen's neck and kissing the skin gently. "I had the strangest conversation."
"So did I?" Helen purred. "Would you believe those two don't think they're a couple?"
Nikki gently turned the woman in her arms until Helen faced her. "Good thing you wove that old black magic and brought them together then."
"True," she tilted her head to accept the kisses rained down upon her lips. "Doesn't mean I didn't save the best for last."
The End
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