Title:  A Muse’s Return

Author: Captain Katie    

Pairing: Vincent/Bennett from Prisoner Cell Block H

Rating: NC-17 for girlie smexx

Warning: this is just a bit of smutty smut, don’t like it?  Deal with it

A Muse’s Return

“Vincent, can’t say I’m surprised to see you back here.”  Vera Bennett’s lips curled up only slightly, if you looked quite closely you might attempt to call it a smirk.  Her severe, sharp features were impassive as her light blue eyes flitted over Kerry Vincent’s petite form.  “You Crims are all the same; you never change your ways.”

Bennett’s crystal clear voice cut through Kerry like a knife.  It wasn’t so much the recrimination in the Deputy Governor’s voice that got to Kerry; it was the satisfaction and smugness.  She tried not to flinch when she was handed her prison uniform.  Kerry was determined not to give Bennett any more pleasure at her return to the Wentworth Detention Centre than she had already given.  Listless and silent, Kerry took the uniform with a stony expression as she felt her freedom being lost to her yet again.

Her parole had only lasted a little over a week, but Kerry had found both untold happiness and pain in those days.  Both of which were caused by one man, David Austin, her manager/agent who had seduced her with promises of love and marriage and then used her before stealing her paintings and leaving her for dead.  If it hadn’t been for Helen, Kerry knew she would be dead.  She wasn’t sure if she should thank Helen or curse her.

“Hurry up, Vincent.  You have garbage duty.”  What was playing upon Bennett’s lips now was unquestionably a smirk.  She was looking forward to getting back at Kerry for causing her suspension, her wounded pride and most of all for making her appear soft.  “Starting today.” 

Kerry gritted her teeth, but said nothing.  It was her fault she was back, after all.  She had been stupid enough to trust David.  She had thought he loved her.  She felt more used and degraded by David than she had by any of her other pimps.  Though if she had to be honest with herself that was what David had been, her art pimp.  But she had thought David truly cared for her.  Now she knew he was just after one thing, money.  She almost wished she had killed him; then she would actually deserve to be back in prison.    Back with Bennett.

****

“Suicide watch?”  Bennett’s voice wasn’t as carefully controlled as her features and so her surprise and uneasy concern was clear to Governor Davidson.

“Yes, I know, terrible isn’t it?”  The Governor’s voice was sympathetic as she thought about the woman in question who had just returned to the Wentworth Detention Centre and thus under her care.  “Ms. Vincent and her agent appeared to have had a falling out of sorts, which led to an incident in which tablets were taken with alcohol.  She nearly died.  If it hadn’t been for an anonymous phone call made to Paul Reid she surely would have.” 

Erica Davidson had hoped for far more for Kerry Vincent than what had occurred, but unfortunately Vincent’s association with David Austin had been her undoing.  Erica had to admit she wasn’t sorry to see the odious man get his comeuppance by way of extortion charges made against him on behalf of Vincent by Mr. Reid.

Bennett felt something deep within her, somewhere dark and hidden even from herself, which felt sympathy towards Vincent.  That feeling made her uncomfortable so she secreted it away even further as she squared her shoulders, clenched her jaw and projected an air of complete impassivity as she waited to be dismissed.  She had first watch.

****

 “You don’t have to stay here with me.  I’m not gonna do anything.  Okay?”  Having Bennett standing stiffly and silently in the corner of her cell was beginning to drive Kerry a bit mad so her light voice was quickly becoming shrill.  “Just leave me alone, will you?”

Kerry stood up from her bunk swiftly before she stuffed her hands into the pockets of her overalls and began pacing her cell.  It was nearly two o’clock, but she couldn’t sleep with Bennett watching her.  Though to be honest she felt too wired to sleep anyway.  But Bennett’s cold presence was definitely not helping matters.  Kerry needed something to do with her hands.  She almost wished she had brought her art supplies with her.  She pushed that thought out of her mind before it could gain ground and fester.

“You’re a liability, Vincent.  I’m making sure you’re not going to do anything that could damage my reputation, any more than you already have.”  Bennett tried to keep the hurt out of her voice and she thought she had succeeded but perhaps not since Vincent dark eyes were on her in an instant.

“Look, I said I was sorry about all that.  Won’t you lay off me, huh?”  Kerry pressed her lips together tightly as she regained her control, stopped her gesticulation and shoved her hands back into the pockets of her denim overalls.  Her anger was more directed at herself than at Bennett. 

Why she had listened to David, she didn’t know exactly, only that he had been nice to her and she had needed him so badly.  Oh, how she hated that man now.  He hadn’t been the person who had been nice to her, shown her kindness for completely unselfish reasons, no, that distinction was held by the woman who was sharing her cell for the evening.

“I—I’m sorry.  Okay?  You were nice to me, I know that.  It was David, he said… well he got me to do a lot of things I’m not so proud of.”  Kerry slowly, very carefully, approached the stiffly standing woman.  Her light voice was sincere, soft and earnest.  She hoped that Bennett would believe her because Kerry still felt guilty for the lies she had spoken and for who they had been truly for.  “I…I still have the painting, the one that you liked.  I asked Doreen for it back, gave her a portrait of her and Kevin instead.  I still want you to have it.  If you want it, that is.”

Bennett’s light blue eyes shifted ever so slowly so that she could look upon Kerry’s earnest features and she found dark brown eyes wide with anticipation and a small glimmer of what appeared to be hope.  Her jaw clenched as she debated how exactly to answer; how could she accept anything from this woman who had so damaged her pride, her reputation and worst yet, had hurt her feelings.  A prisoner hurting her feelings, Bennett had never thought such a ridiculous thing were possible.  That was until Vincent came around.

“What makes you think I would still want your rubbish painting?”  Bennett kept her voice steady, her stony expression showed only contempt, but inside… deep inside she knew she still wanted the painting.  She had been captivated by it the first moment she laid eyes upon it and knew she wanted to own it, to have it forever.

“Because I know you liked it.”  Kerry kept nothing hidden.  Not her remorse or her hope.  It was all plainly clear in her voice and her open expression.  “Don’t you still?”

A small muscle in her jaw jumped out of tension as Bennett gritted her teeth.  She didn’t want to have to admit it, but there was something within her that didn’t just like the painting Vincent had done, she loved it, almost craved it.  She did still wanted it, desperately.

“I suppose I could probably sell it for a sum, being that you’re back in here.”  Bennett felt triumphant as she watched Kerry’s face fill with disappointment and hurt.

Kerry took a deep breath before she forced a smile upon her lips even though she felt a dull ache in her chest.  “I—I don’t care what you do with it.  It’s yours.  Besides I’m through with all that.”

“Through?”

“I’ve given it up.  Painting.”  Kerry turned away from Bennett before she lied down on her bunk.  Her quiet, little voice filled the cell in the silence of the late night.  “I wasn’t any good anyway.”

“That’s not true.”  Bennett didn’t realize quite what she had said until it was too late.  She couldn’t take back the words she had just spoken, a part of her didn’t want to. 

“Well, thanks, but look where it’s gotten me.”  Kerry laughed, it was more of a snort and held little humor.  She placed one arm over her eyes as she said her next bit.  “Do you really think I’m any good?”

Bennett didn’t know what possessed her to speak the truth.  If it was for the fact that she was on suicide watch late at night after working a double shift or if it was the mere fact that she didn’t want Kerry Vincent’s art to be gone forever. 

“Yes.”  Bennett’s reply was said on a breath, but in the quiet of the cell it was heard clearly by the woman lying on a perfectly made bunk.

“Sometimes I think you hate me.  Assume that you do.  But other times I think you might not.”  Kerry removed her arm from her eyes so she could see Bennett standing watch over her.  “I never did think you were as hard as everyone said you were.  That was until David made a mess of everything.  You were so nice to me.  I thought maybe you liked more than my painting.  That maybe you liked me too.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.  You’re just another Crim.”  It was the uneasy shifting of her shoulders that gave Bennett away.

“If that’s true, why were you being so nice to me then, huh?”  When Bennett clearly had no quick, harsh answer Kerry continued with a bit more confidence.  “I think you do like me.  Or did, at least.  And I liked you too.”

It was such a simple sentiment.  Almost childish with its openness.  It unnerved Bennett because she felt warmth suffusing her chest. 

“You’ve been standing for such a long time.  Don’t you want to sit down?”  There wasn’t much by way of furniture so Kerry sat up before she scooted to one end of her bunk, her back against the cool cement wall.

“That’s not really allowed.”  Bennett knew strictly speaking it was neither allowed or disallowed, but for some reason she didn’t think it was too wise to let her guard down with Vincent, any more than she already had.

“It’s funny what feels allowable past two in the morning.  I’m not going to attack you or nothing.  I’ll even stand for awhile if that would make you feel better.”  Kerry smirked, her voice held just enough of a challenge that motivated Bennett’s pride.

“I’m not afraid of you.”  But it was a bit of a lie on Bennett’s part because she was afraid.  She didn’t like the flutter she felt in the pit of her stomach when she saw Kerry’s smile grow into a beaming one of amusement.

“Of course not.”  Kerry didn’t think she had ever seen someone take a seat while looking quite so rigid before.  It was as if Bennett wasn’t used to be at ease or even sitting for that matter.

“Are you really through?”  Bennett’s posture was rigid and she didn’t know quite what to do with her hands so she placed them on her top of her knees that were only slightly exposed because of the way her skirt had ridden up when she sat down.

“Yes.  I think so.  “Maybe not.”  Kerry’s brow creased as she tried to find the answer, but she gave up when she truly did not know.  “I’m not sure.”

She had thought she was done, but for some reason she really wished she had at least her sketch pad and pencils with her.  Kerry would have drawn Bennett, how she looked right now in half profile with the dim lighting of the cell playing beautifully off of her sharp features.  Kerry’s fingers were tingling, she wanted so much to be able to touch the curve of Bennett’s cheekbone, to feel the skin, the softness she figured she would find.

 “What are you staring at, Vincent?”

“You.”  Kerry’s dark eyes took in the contours of Bennett’s face; her high cheekbones and strong chin.  “I feel the sudden urge to… I really wish I could do a portrait of you.  Right at this moment.”

“A portrait.  Of me?”

“Yes.  You’re quite…”  Kerry knew lovely wasn’t the right word, nor was beautiful, handsome might be the closest but she didn’t want to say it aloud so instead she spoke as much truth as she dared.  “Inspiring.”

“I—”  Bennett watched as Vincent’s hand moved towards her as if in slow motion and then she felt the touch of the other woman’s fingers upon her cheek and the tingle that caused within her left her breathless.  She had to move away from Vincent’s touch in order to speak.  “Physical contact is not allowed between—”

“As I said, it’s funny what feels allowable past two in the morning because here you are, sitting next to me on my bunk.  Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”  Kerry was bolder this time as she smirked and ran her fingers across Bennett’s smooth, soft skin.  Her voice was becoming lower, huskier as she felt excitement course through her.  “If I were to get some of my art supplies back, would you let me use you as a model?”

Beneath the thick, heavily starched cloth of her uniform Bennett’s chest was rising and falling rapidly as heat and an unnerving but not entirely unpleasant sensation coursed through her body.  Her heart was thumping quickly and she could hear a pounding in her ears as blood rushed through her body.  She thought she knew what this warm feeling in the pit of her stomach was, but she didn’t want to admit to her arousal.

“Can I take your hair down, please?”  Kerry didn’t wait for an answer, she thought Bennett’s inaction to stop her was enough of a reply.  She felt for the pins keeping Bennett’s bun in place and gently pulled them out so that the prison guard’s golden tresses were completely unrestrained.  Bennett’s hair was wavy and fell across the grey shoulders of her uniform.  “You look quite lovely, Ms. Bennett.”

Bennett didn’t like how she was being made to feel by how Vincent was running her fingers through her hair, she felt trapped, like an animal, waiting to be unleashed.  It felt as if she was crawling out of her skin.  Her voice was low, trembling and yet still firm.  “Stop.  Touching me.”

“Don’t you like how it feels?”  Kerry knew from the way Bennett was breathing hard and the sheen of sweat forming on her brow not to mention the flush of her cheeks that the prison guard was aroused.  She felt emboldened by that knowledge, powerful and reckless, she liked that feeling.  Kerry liked it quite a lot.  “And please, don’t lie.”

“This is wrong.”  Despite her words Bennett made no move to remove herself from Vincent’s touch or the inmate’s bunk.  Instead she was actually, unconsciously or not, turning her body more towards Vincent.

“You didn’t answer my question.  Do you like how my touching you makes you feel?”  Kerry brushed her fingers across Bennett’s neck and could feel the rapidly beating pulse beneath soft, pale skin.  She knew the answer but wanted the other woman to admit it.

“No.  Of course not.”  Bennett wanted to move away, to stand in the corner hidden in shadows once again, but strangely she couldn’t seem to get her body to cooperate with her.  Instead, she seemed to be leaning into the touch of Kerry’s hand.

“Liar.”  Kerry was well aware that she could be playing with fire, but she didn’t care.  She felt powerful and she wanted to keep that feeling alive within her.  She slowly leaned in close so that her lips were almost touching Bennett’s ear, her warm breath caused a tingling sensation to shoot its way through the prison guard’s body.  The other woman’s shiver was not lost on Kerry.  She smirked.  “I think you do like it, you’re just too afraid to admit it.”

“I told you, I’m not afraid of—ooh!”  Bennett’s breath left her body on a pleasured sigh and her eyes closed seemingly by their own volition as she felt Kerry’s soft, moist lips against the sensitive skin of her neck.  She needed to push Vincent away, but again she found her body unhelpful in that endeavor.  Instead she felt a rush of heat course through her, she was clearly becoming quite aroused and that definitely did frighten her.

Bennett thought perhaps when Kerry’s lips were gone from her sensitive neck that her torture would be over; that her body would finally cooperate and she could escape Vincent’s grasp.  When Kerry gently placed her lips atop of hers Bennett knew there would be no easy way out. She wanted this woman too much and she had already let it progress far beyond the point that she should have.

Kerry cupped Bennett’s face in her hands firmly, not allowing the warden to even attempt an escape as she deepened the kiss.  She moaned with pleasure when she felt Bennett begin to kiss her back.  Kerry slowly, ever so gently used her tongue to gain entrance into Bennett’s mouth.  She abruptly ended the kiss she had begun with a question on her mind she had to ask before they proceeded any further.

“Are you—”  Kerry made her voice as soft and kind as she could, her expression was as open as usual and held only the smallest amount of surprise.  “Have you ever done this before?”

The deep crimson flush to Bennett’s cheeks was both from the heat of the kiss they had just shared and her embarrassment that her inexperience had been so obvious.  She made a move to flee from the bunk, but Kerry was surprisingly quick not to mention strong and prevented her from doing so with her hands gripping Bennett’s shoulders.

“Don’t go.  Please.  I—I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”  Kerry smiled as reassuringly as she could, but she knew she had made Bennett feel foolish.  Another mistake Kerry felt she had to make up for when it came to this woman.  She didn’t have the words to alleviate Bennett’s unease so instead she spoke of herself instead.  “I don’t always say the right thing; never really seem to ever say the right thing.  And I know I messed things up, but I didn’t mean to.  Please believe me I never intended to hurt you.  I think I like you and I know I want you, so terribly much.  Do you want me too?”

It was as if Bennett could read every emotion Kerry was feeling, everything was plain to see and what she saw made her heart race.  She saw naked desire.   Bennett knew she should lie, say that she didn’t want or desire Kerry at all, but she found that she couldn’t so instead she simply nodded her head.  With that nod she sealed her fate.

“Good.”  Kerry’s smile was brilliant before she recaptured Bennett’s lips with her own in a searing kiss that was nothing like the chaste and exploratory ones that came before.  Her fingers dug into the harshly starched blue-grey material of the warden’s uniform as Kerry pressed their bodies together as tightly as she could.  She knew she would have to take the lead in this, which was fine by her.

“Why did you stop?”  Bennett’s eyes were wide with concern when Kerry ended their kiss, but that concern was quickly replaced with excitement and anticipation as she watched the other woman begin undressing.  The overalls and dark green sweater were quickly discarded as were Kerry’s undergarments until she was standing naked before Vera Bennett.  Kerry’s slight body was made luminous by the small lamp next to the bed as she stood there naked with no visible reservations on her part.

Bennett took in every inch of exposed flesh Kerry presented to her as if the other woman’s body itself was a work of art.  She noticed with delight that despite the smallness of Kerry’s frame she still possessed womanly curves.  Bennett unconsciously licked her lips as her dark blue gaze drifted over Kerry’s breasts, she could see the coral colored nipples stiffen under her watch and from the cool breeze in the cell.

“Do you want me?”  Kerry’s voice was made husky by her own arousal, it sounded oddly guttural not at all like the voice she had used with David.  No, here in this cell with this woman who was to be her jailer she felt like the one with the power.  “I want to hear you say it.”

“Yes.  I want you.”  Bennett didn’t wait for Kerry to climb onto the bunk; she grasped the other woman’s wrists and pulled Kerry to her.  She crushed her lips against Kerry’s and elicited a surprised gasp from the other woman when she quickly ended the kiss.  “Now undress me and be quick about it.”

Kerry arched an eyebrow and smirked for she liked the commanding tone Bennett had just adopted especially regarding an action she was more than eager to do.  She quickly divested the warden of her uniform jacket and tie.  Kerry placed warm kisses along Bennett’s neck, her exposed collarbones and each new expanse of pale skin she uncovered as she continued to slowly unbutton the warden’s pale blue shirt.  Once Bennett was naked to the waist, Kerry gently but determinedly pushed her onto her back atop the bunk.  Kerry wasted no time in divesting the prison warden of the rest of her clothing; the skit and stockings were tossed to floor with the rest of the grey fabric.

“I’d like to sketch you like this as well.”  Kerry smiled, her expression and voice were sincere and her appreciation of Bennett’s feminine but well toned form was not lost on the warden.  “You’re quite beautiful, actually.  I’d like to touch you now, if that’s all right.”

Bennett knew she was blushing, she could feel the heat in her face.  No one had ever called her “beautiful”, no one had ever taken her to bed either.  This was a night of firsts, she supposed.  But for reasons she couldn’t fathom, she was no longer scared of what was going to happen.  It felt somehow right.  And the truth was she wanted Kerry to touch her, needed her to.  Her body felt like it was coming apart and she thought maybe Kerry could help with that.  That Kerry could take away some of the tension she was feeling throughout her body, the heat, and aside from all that she was very aroused and knew Kerry could alleviate that as well.

“Yes.  Do it.”  Bennett forced her eyes to remain open as she watched Kerry rise above her; dark brown eyes were locked with her blue as Kerry ran her fingers lightly down her chest.  She couldn’t hold back her moan, even though she knew they had to be quiet, when Kerry cupped her right breast and slowly moved her thumb across her hardened nipple.

Kerry had worried about Bennett’s inexperience, but the other woman was responsive and so she thought no more about it as she bent her head and took the warden’s left nipple into her hot, wet mouth while she continued to rub her thumb against Bennett’s right nipple.  And then she alternated.  Bennett’s nipple made moist by her tongue and her attention was slick and hard and Kerry took less care as she pinched it and rolled it between her fingers.  She loved the sharp intake of breaths, the gasps and how Bennett’s body was arched as if she were attempting to get even closer to Kerry.

Bennett felt like her body was going to come apart, she had an acute ache between her legs where she felt moisture gathering as her arousal grew even more with each touch of Kerry’s fingers and mouth on her breasts.  And then she felt Kerry positioning herself so that one of her thighs was between Bennett’s bent legs and the warden knew what she wanted.  She wanted Kerry’s firm touch to alleviate her ache.  She needed her to.

 “Oooh.”  Kerry hadn’t protested or hesitated at all when Bennett grasped one of her wrists and pushed her hand between the warden’s legs.  What she felt there delighted Kerry and put a smug smirk upon her lips.  “I think you like this.”

“Yes!”  Bennett’s answer was a reply of sorts but it was more of an appreciative response to Kerry rubbing her fingers along her soft, sensitive flesh. 

Kerry planted hot kisses along Bennett’s stomach as she made her slow descent.  She blew cool air on Bennett’s overheated sex, which made the other woman jolt but Kerry kept her in place with firm hands on the warden’s thighs as began running her tongue along Bennett’s sensitive flesh. 

“Oh, fuck.”  Bennett’s eyes were shut tight as her whole body tensed.  She brought a pillow to her mouth to bury her screams of pleasure when Kerry discontinued the gentle touch and plunged her tongue deep within Bennett. 

Kerry enjoyed how Bennett was grinding herself with complete abandon against her mouth and tongue.  She continued thrusting her tongue into the other woman and enjoyed the warmth and flavor of Bennett’s essence flooding her mouth.  She moved one hand from Bennett’s thigh so that she could play with the warden’s engorged clit, which caused even more moisture to be released and the release of a muffled scream. 

Bennett clung to the mattress of the bunk as Kerry unrelentingly continued thrusting into her with her tongue.  She felt something hot and new building up within her.  But it was almost evanescent, it was a feeling she tried to hold onto but each time she did it would vanish again.  It was becoming frustrating and Bennett didn’t know what do to capture the feeling.

When Kerry thought Bennett was properly ready she replaced her tongue with the tips of two fingers and began sucking the warden’s hardened clit in her mouth as she pushed her fingers deep inside.  Kerry knew the pain of penetration would be mixed with the pleasure Bennett was experiencing and so she continued to thrust into the other woman until all there was left to be felt was pleasure.

Bennett had felt the pain, but it was long forgotten now as she felt the hot buildup within her once again as Kerry continued thrusting deep inside of her and she felt her clit being alternately sucked upon and gently nibbled.  The all-consuming feeling growing inside of her finally overwhelmed her and she had to bite the fabric of the pillow to muffle the scream elicited by her orgasm.

“You okay?”  Kerry had thought at first that Bennett might have passed out, but once they were face to face again she could see that the other woman was merely recovering.  Kerry’s grin was lopsided as she felt warmth flooding her chest.  She was pleased that she could give this woman something, anything, to make up for all the misunderstandings from before; a token of thanks, an apology.

Bennett was trying to remember how to breathe as she nodded her head absently.  She never felt so out of control, so completely unrestrained before in her life.  And what shocked her the most was that she liked it.  Bennett smiled as she took Kerry into her arms and kissed her, tasting herself upon the other woman’s soft, responsive lips reignited Bennett’s arousal and the kiss deepened as she positioned Kerry so that she was sitting on her lap, straddling Bennett’s waist.

 “You don’t have to be gentle with me.”  Kerry gripped Bennett’s shoulders as she prepared herself.  She didn’t want it to be slow or soft.  Kerry wanted Bennett to take her.  She wanted it to be rough and fast.  “I can take it.”’

Bennett wasn’t sure if Kerry was being serious or not.  Sure the other woman had a lot more experience, but she was such a slight woman, tiny.  She didn’t want to hurt her, so she started touching her gently despite the copious moisture she felt upon her lower stomach where Kerry was rubbing herself against her.

This gentle touch was not what Kerry needed.  Her voice was low and demanding as her brown eyes darkened with need and focused pointedly upon Bennett’s uncertain expression.  “Come on, Ms. Bennett, if you’re going to fuck me then fuck me.”

The time for hesitation was through, so without preamble Bennett pushed two fingers deep within Kerry Vincent.  She thought perhaps she was doing the right thing when Kerry swore loudly and started bucking against her hand, the flood of moisture released would also suggest that Bennett’s actions were correct.  She smiled.  She liked being good at following order and doing a job well done. 

“More.  Please.”  Kerry’s hands were clutching at Bennett’s back as the other woman nibbled at her breasts and nipples and her legs were wrapped tightly around the warden as her hips moved fervently with each quick thrust of Bennett’s fingers.

Bennett didn’t hesitate for a moment and so a third finger was added as she bit down hard on one of Kerry’s plump nipples.  Kerry’s petite body was slick with sweat that mixed with Bennett’s as the warden continued to use one arm to keep Kerry pressed tightly against her. 

“Your thumb.  Circle, circle it against my clit.”  Kerry groaned with appreciation as she felt Bennett’s quick response.  “Oh, oh God, yes.  Please.”

Bennett lifted her head from Kerry’s breasts for she wanted to see the woman bucking atop of her find release.  Kerry had her head tossed back, her dark brown hair more disheveled than ever, the muscles of her neck were tense and she was breathing very heavily and Bennett could hear guttural moans coming from deep within the petite woman.  Bennett liked the look of Kerry’s small, pert breasts moving with the rocking of her hips, the gleam of sweat on pale flesh and the heady scent of sex that was enveloping her.  But what Bennett enjoyed the most was the feel of her fingers within Kerry, being squeezed with warmth and wetness as the woman held securely in her arms came as she wanted to, hard and fast.

****

 “Get dressed.  Morning watch will be here soon.”  

Kerry groaned and covered her eyes against the harsh light of the lamp shining directly upon her.  She wasn’t surprised, but a bit disappointed to see standing before her a fully uniformed Vera Bennett.  If Kerry didn’t still have the taste and scent of the other woman upon her she would have thought last night had been a dream.  She felt something like fear clutching at her chest as she dressed.  Bennett had her back to her until Kerry said she was ready. 

“Vincent, I’ll see about getting you art supplies.”  Bennett’s hand stilled on the handle of the door as she turned to look at Kerry with something like kindness in her light blue eyes.  “I’ll see you tonight.”

Kerry didn’t say a word, but Bennett saw her beaming smile that matched her own as the lights came on for morning watch.

THE END