Saving You Saving Me

Being raised on a farm, she wasn't squeamish and knew quite a bit about first aid. It was necessary when the closest doctor was over an hour away and the closest hospital was over two. She looked at the wound and knew it was deep, but only a flesh wound. She was more worried about the amount of blood that was still flowing. Looking around Sue Ellen searched for something to stop the bleeding. Brushing back the woman's curly hair, she told her.

"Hang on sweetie, I'll be right back," She reassured Kelly in her soft country lilt.

Sue Ellen searched for about five minutes before she found the large first-aid kit hidden under the bed. Opening it, she saw she had everything she needed to stop the bleeding. Going to the sink, she started the hot water she would need to clean the wound before she sewed it closed.

Sue worked fast. She knew if the woman didn't stop bleeding soon, she would have to be taken to a hospital. For some reason the woman didn't want that. Sue hoped for the best as she finished cutting off the woman's top and bra. Once she was bare to the waist, Sue felt better. She saw all the other scars and knew if the woman could live through those, she could pull through this.

As she sewed the flesh together, she wondered how this beautiful woman came to have all those scars. Did she spend her life saving people like her, or was her life more dangerous than that. From the one-sided conversation, she knew she had a partner, but that was about all. When she was done, she covered the woman with a light blanket and sat in a chair to watch over her with her pick in her hand.

Kelly was fighting again in her sleep. She knew she had to get to safety. Their lives depended on it. Suddenly, she felt peaceful. She felt a warm presence and was eased back into a restful sleep. She started to get uncomfortable on her back and wanted to turn over, but was stopped by something or someone. She tried to move her arm and then felt the hand restraining her. She heard the softest of voices telling her not to move.

Kelly didn't know how much later it was, but her bladder was fit to bust. She tried to rise up, but there was a weight on top of her. She opened her eyes to see what it was when she saw the mop of long blonde hair. Her movements woke the woman and Blue eyes met hazel. Kelly felt her heart go thump as she tried to get her dry mouth to work.

"I have to pee." She told the beautiful stranger.

"Sorry, I was just trying to stop you from breaking open my stitches." The soft voice from her dreams told her. "Here I'll help." Sue helped Kelly to the bathroom when Kelly saw her shoulder for the first time, she asked.

"What the fuck happened?"

"You were shot saving me from that man on the bus. I can't thank you enough. I didn't know he had friends there but there were three that I saw before you came running up. I could have gotten one of them but not all three. Then you were shot." Kelly's eyes snapped to the woman's face as the memory came flooding back.

"Could you recognize them again?" She asked going instantly into cop mode. Sue saw the life go out of the woman's eyes and started to worry for the first time since yesterday when she was saved.

"Yes, but I hope to never see them again. Why?" Sue asked

"What time is it?" Kelly asked wondering if she had time to take her down to HQ to do a line-up. This could be their lucky break.

"You were out for a bout fifteen hours. I was going to call an ambulance after twelve, but there isn't a phone here. Well you have yours, but it was in your pocket but I didn't want to move you." Sue told her looking into her eyes to avoid the woman's nakedness. For some strange reason Sue wanted to sooth away all the hurt and scars from the woman in front of her. She never felt this way with anyone before.

Kelly's eyes softened by the hurt innocence she saw in the eyes holding hers. She felt a strong pull to hug her and comfort the young woman standing in front of her. She didn't know why, but she was attracted to this young woman.

"I'm Sorry, Thanks for patching me up. I'm Kelly by the way, Detective Kelly Sackett. What's your name?" Relief flooded Sue when she heard her savior was a cop.

"Sue Ellen... Sue Ellen McClellan. Thank you..."

"Where are you from Sue Ellen?" Kelly asked knowing she wasn't a local girl.

"Arkansas." She responded "Don't move that arm too much, or them stitches will bust. I had to use regular thread not silk." She told Kelly while she reached up and softly touched the repaired shoulder. At the touch Kelly felt the nice heat from the smaller woman's hand as it caressed her inflamed skin. Her eye then caught the hilt of the knife in the woman's sleeve.

"You always keep that thing up your sleeve?" She asked the woman not wanting her touch to stop.

"Yes, ever since Billy-Ray... raped me." Sue said, not wanting to remember that again. Kelly saw the raw pain in the girl's eyes and instinctively reached out with her good arm and pulled her close.

"Its okay baby, he'll never do that again. Fucking men are pigs." Kelly stated venomously.

"Don't insult them that way. They don't deserve it." Sue told the woman holding her. Not know how to respond.

"Men? Why are you defending them? They're fucking useless most of the time."

"No, pigs. I know some really nice pigs." Sue said looking into Kelly's eyes. Both of them laughed for a second, but for Sue the rollercoaster of emotions was too much. The dam burst and there was nothing she could do to hold it back. Kelly saw the raw emotion and just held on to the quaking girl who was grasping onto her for dear life.

"Shh, baby it'll be alright. We're safe now." Kelly soothed as she stroked the long river of gold that ran down her front. Neither one cared that Kelly was bare chested as Sue snuggled in between her breasts crying. Actually the skin on skin contact soothed both women as they dealt with the aftermath of the last twenty-four hours.

Kelly sighed as she led the hysterical girl towards the bed. Not that she had anything on her mind, other than it was the only place big enough for both of them to sit down together in the small room. Without knowing why, Kelly lay down next to the crying Sue Ellen and within minutes they were both sound asleep, comforting each other.

For Kelly, it was the best sleep she'd gotten in a long time. For Sue, it was the first time she felt safe since the rape, the rumors, and her life crumbling. The only awkward moment was when Kelly woke up because the young woman's breath was blowing warm air across her nipples and her body responded.

With a groan, she realized what was happening, but didn't want to wake the sleeping blonde next to her. Being practical, she pulled the blanket between them as a barrier then tried to get her throbbing shoulder in a position that allowed her to sleep again.

The next time Kelly woke, she had to move, but it woke Sue. Still feeling groggy, it took awhile for Sue Ellen to realize she was still snuggled against the tall woman's bare breasts, and jumped back in shock.

"I'm sorry...umm..." She tried to hide her face that she knew was flaming red. Kelly was feeling just as uncomfortable. But also saw the humor in the situation.

"It's a bit late to be all shy now isn't it?" She said trying to put her finger under Sue's chin. "I mean we've already slept together. It's not we don't have the same equipment. It's just us girls here."

Sue had never been so mortified. She has snuggled up against complete stranger, a woman at that. What caused her face to burn was deep down didn't want to stop. But...

"I'm not... I'm sorry I don't know what came over me. She stuttered trying to explain.

"I'm not either..." She would have said more but her cell rang and interrupted them. "Yeah!" She said covering her breasts from the red faced woman.

"Where the fuck are you?" Her irate partner asked. "The LT is fuming. You were supposed to call in days ago. I'm coming to get you. Tell me where you're at."

"Calm down Captain Caveman." Kelly said as she started looking for some clean clothes. "Sorry I was a bit out of it, but I'm fine now. I call in as soon as I hang up." She was about to say more but was cut off by her partner.

"Call in!!!" He hissed. "The LT wants you in here, like now. They found your car abandoned and you nowhere in sight. The victim is in the wind and we have nothing on her. I thought you said you were fine or I would have come and got you the other day. Two days you didn't answer your phone. Now get the fuck into the office."

"Yo Killroy! I hear you, but I need a shower and then we'll be in."

"We what do you mean we?" Delmar asked quietly.

"We, as in the target and I. She can identify three of the four perps who were there. Let us get cleaned up and I'll bring her in." She said as she rummaged around for some clean undies.

"I'll brief the LT. You better come in or I'm pinging your phone and coming to get you."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll get there sooner if you shut the fuck up and let me get clean. Kelly shut her phone before she could get any more grief from her partner. She looked at Sue and told her.

"We have to go in and talk to my boss. If you want, you can take a shower first. I know we both must be ripe. The towels are under the sink. It doesn't work anyway so I use it for storage." She instructed as she tried to pull herself together wincing every time she had to move her arm. Sue Ellen grabbed her bag and headed to the bathroom finally realizing how grimy she felt. She saw Kelly wince in pain and told her.

"There are some more pain pills in the first aid kit." As she shyly ducked behind the door that wouldn't close all the way so she could strip for her shower. When Kelly heard the shower come on she told the blonde.

"Just leave your dirty clothes there, we can get them later." She shouted as she dry swallowed four of the pills.

When Sue came out and told Kelly the shower was free, she was wrapped in the short towel that covered way too little. Kelly tried not to stare at all the exposed alabaster skin that was showing.

"Damn, you'd think I was batting for the other team" Kelly muttered as she went in to take her cold shower. She knew with all that hair, there wouldn't be a drop of hot water left.

She was pleasantly surprised when the warm water hit her skin. Working on auto-pilot, Kelly reached for the big bottle of shampoo and instantly regretted it.

"Fuck!" She shouted as the searing pain shot down her arm and the bottle hit the floor. Instantly Sue was there.

"Are you okay?" She asked seeing Kelly slumping against the shower wall breathing in slow full drafts of air. Sue tossed her towel aside and stepped back into the small shower and held up the sagging woman.

"Here I'll do it." She said as she grabbed the shampoo and began to wash Kelly's hair and body.

Kelly was trying to regain her breath, but the vision in front of her or the feeling her hands had on her body wasn't helping much. Sue Ellen had to be the most beautiful woman Kelly had ever seen. She was flawless.

As she was washed, Kelly was transfixed by the sight. She noticed the little things like the small freckles on her nose, slight tinge of red in her untrimmed pubic hair that set it off from the milk white skin of her thighs. Without wanting too, Kelly also noticed Sue Ellen's perfectly matched breasts with their strawberry sized nipples that were getting hard as the water cooled.

Sue took a no nonsense approach to cleaning Kelly and was done within ten minutes. She helped her out of the shower and stood behind her as she dried her hair and made sure none of her stitch work had been damaged. She refused to think of the tingle she got in her stomach every time she touched Kelly's heated skin. When she tried to help Kelly dress, finally the tall woman spoke again.

"Thanks, but I'm not an invalid." Kelly was trying for calm and reassuring, but it came out as a growl.

"Oh hush," Sue responded batting aside her complaint. "You should be going to a hospital not into work." Kelly was surprised by the girl's spine. This Sue Ellen was a strange one. One second, she was all innocent blushes, then driving her to distraction the next, with her bold touch as she tended Kelly.

"Yeah well, my boss will put me in the morgue if we don't get there." She said as she tried to pull herself together. "Do you know how to drive?" Kelly saw the spark in her blue eyes.

"Yes, everything from a bicycle to a combine tractor." She said with stung pride. "I may be from the country, but I'm not helpless either. There, that should hold until we can get you to a doctor."

They left the room without another word spoken. Kelly watched for any signs of anyone following them, as she led Sue to her hidden back-up car. There was an uncomfortable silence, as both women were locked in their own private thoughts.

The silence between them stretched as Kelly led Sue into her office. It was a rundown three story office building with fading paint and crumbling brick. Once they passed the first set of doors, Kelly swiped her key card and they heard the buzz of the lock.

Sue was amazed at the state of the art office hidden in the old building. Her vision was blocked by what had to be the biggest black man Sue had ever seen. He looked at the small woman for a second before lighting into his partner.

"What the hell do you think you're pulling? You said you would check in. and how in the world am I going to tell Patty the Fibbies impounded her car and refuse to release it? What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Don't get you panties in a knot Spanky. I'm here aren't I? I've brought the witness didn't I? Go soak your head big boy. Sue Ellen McClellan this idiot is my partner Detective Delmar Ross." Walking to her desk, she pulled out her gun and opened one of the drawers.

"Sue Ellen, you're going to have to let me have your knife. No weapons past this point."

Sue looked into Kelly's eyes before she silently removed the long sheath from her forearm. With great reluctance she handed her pick over as she heard the gasp from Kelly's partner.

"Shit, where did she get that pig sticker?" He asked incredulously.

"On a pig farm," Sue said stiffening her spine in front of the big man.

"Damn, I'm surrounded by crazy women..." Delmar stated, but was interrupted buy their boss.

"I hope I'm not included in that statement Ross. Sackett, you and miss McClellan go to interview room one. I want her statement recorded. Then I want to talk to you."

Hours later after Sue had answered all their questions she was sitting, waiting for Kelly to tell her what was going to happen next when she overheard Kelly's boss yelling at her.

"What the hell happened Sackett? You go AWOL for two days. Why didn't you call in?" Sue couldn't stand the glassy look of pain on Kelly's face anymore and walked in stating.

"She was shot in the shoulder. I patched it up the best I could, but she needs to go see a doctor, not stand around here being grilled. Can't you see she's about ready to pass out again?"

"Shot!!! Again? Why the hell wasn't I told? Let me see!" She ordered Kelly motioning Sue to close the door. Once the door was closed, Sue came up and helped Kelly expose the wound.

"Who stitched you up?" She asked and commented about the job when Sue answered she did. "You'll do Arkansas" was all the Lt Woods said opening the door and calling out to Kelly's partner.

"Ross, get your ass in here and take you partner to the hospital and get her checked out. Then get back here and tell me why I shouldn't string you up by the nuts for not keeping me in the loop." Looking at the two women she asked.

"What the hell am I going to do with you two? Do you know there's a hit out on both of you? The FBI wants you both in protective custody. They still don't know you work for me and I want it to stay that way. You're too good at your job for me to loose you to those idiots who can't keep a secret" The stout woman noticed how the witness hovered protectively over her wounded officer and the start of a plan formed in her head.

Hours later, Sue found herself in another small set of rooms almost identical to the one where she nursed Kelly the first days they were together. Kelly's boss had informed her that she would have to stay there for a few weeks until they could get everything under control. Sue wondered how she had gotten into this mess.

Kelly and Sue danced around each other for a week. They both were getting edgy being stuck in the small apartment. Sue did all the cooking because Kelly couldn't fix a meal enough to a feed barn mouse according to the little blonde.

Every night as Kelly sat down to eat; she complained how Sue was trying to make her fat. Her only release was sneaking down to the gym in the middle of the night to run on the treadmill.

They took turns sleeping on the bed, even though Sue wanted Kelly sleep there because of her shoulder. Neither one of them was brave enough to talk about the elephant in the room of how they seemed to be attracted to each other.

It came to a head three weeks later. Kelly was having the nightmare again. Sue, hearing her moans, went to see if Kelly was having problems with her shoulder. Both of them were in long T-shirts and underwear to sleep in. What neither one of them realized was that they unconsciously wore each others night clothes.

That night, Kelly had thrown off the T-shirt at the start of the dream. All she could feel was the unrelenting heat. She wanted to find cool as she fought through the flashback.

Sue saw Kelly's unseeing eyes, opened and filled with terror. She didn't know what to do. She tried talking to Kelly, but she was caught up wrestling with her demons. A scream ripped the night. Sue was by Kelly's side holding onto her so she wouldn't injure herself.

She felt when Kelly came awake. Kelly, not prepared for the compassion, finally broke from the stress of the memory. All Kelly did was turn her head and cried into the young woman's bosom as Sue rocked her whispering to her.

"Shh, we're safe now. I'll take care of you... We're safe." Sue didn't ask, didn't care. She just soothed the troubled woman as her tears fell. Soon she felt Kelly slip back into sleep and she stayed with her to keep her safe from the demons of the night.

Kelly woke more refreshed than she had felt in years. She felt warm and heard the heart beat under her ear as she came aware. When she opened her eyes, she again saw a river of white gold. She moved, flinching at the twinge from her shoulder.

The movement woke Sue as she opened her eyes; she knew hazel ones would be looking at here. She didn't say anything to Kelly as she wondered how this would affect them. Kelly just leaned up and gave her a quick soft kiss.

"Thank you." She said as she got up and headed naked into the bathroom.

Sue Ellen could still feel the warmth of Kelly's lips on hers as her heart tripled hammered in her chest. No one, man or woman, had made her feel this way. She fought with her beliefs of what was right and wrong. She knew she yearned for the touch of the older woman, but she also knew what her church had said about the sins of the flesh between the same sexes.

In the bathroom Kelly was lecturing herself. "Get a grip. It was a simple thank you kiss." She told her reflection. "I've given harder longer kisses to my little brother for God's sake. It's not like we made out with a grab and grope session. Wouldn't Mark have a field day with this?" Shaking her head she tried to convince herself. "Girls can give each other comfort. It's not like I want to jump her bones." At that her stomach grumbled.

Kelly put on the short robe, not realizing it was Sue Ellen's and decided to fix her friend breakfast. She swore she wasn't going to get all weird about this. Sue Ellen watched with interest as Kelly moved around the small apartment.