"The day our dear Laura can walk past a mess without stopping to clean it up."

"I guess that means you'll have that Thing until it falls apart then."

"Hey," Laura said, doing her best to look wounded. "How did I get in the middle of this?"

"You're in the middle, that's why," Crystal said, nudging the writer with her elbow.

"So Laura," Alex said. "Tell us about the story you're working on. Is it another one with Bobbie the detective?"

Laura finished taking a sip of her beer before nodding. "Yes, it'll be the third in the Bobbie series."

"Are you going to finally let her have a girlfriend this time?"

"I think so. At least I have her having a strong attraction. Whether it turns into love or not I haven't decided yet."

"Oh you have to," Crystal piped in. "With lots of romance and passion."

"Yeah, especially the passion," Alex said. "I want at least three good sex scenes."

"Love scenes," Laura corrected. "And I haven't decided about that either. I'll see how it develops. I heard you were involved in that high speed chase last week."

"Oh yeah," the cop said. "It was the weirdest thing. I pulled the twit over for a broken taillight but when I ran the plate it came back to a different car. Turned out the guy worked for a chop shop and was in the middle of transporting the car there when I came up behind him." Alex carried the discussion for a while before the subject changed yet again and someone else picked up the conversational ball.

Crystal was not sure how it happened but at some point during the evening she had moved closer to Laura, their knees now touching. She debated about moving but decided against it, not wanting to draw attention to the contact. Instead she tried to concentrate on the discussion going on around them. Laura was talking to Jenny, allowing Crystal the opportunity to study her friend's features in the firelight. Orange light flickered over Laura's face, casting a warm soft glow on the writer's face. Crystal took a swallow of beer and looked around, noting that Carmen had apparently found herself a companion for the night if the way the two women were kissing was any indication. Crystal noted that Carmen's newest apparent conquest was Wendy, who at the moment was trying to see how far her tongue could get down the hostess' throat. Unable to take her eyes off the spectacle before her, Crystal watched the two women continue their intense kiss. How the hell are they breathing? Unbidden, an image of being kissed with all the passion and desire so evident only a few feet away came to her but what shocked Crystal more than anything else was the face of her imaginary partner.

As if sensing Crystal's thoughts, Laura turned and looked at her, giving the blonde a gentle smile. "Are you all right?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes," she said, certain all the heat suffusing her face was not coming from the bonfire. "I guess I just wandered off for a minute there." "Looks like Wendy's not sleeping in a tent tonight," Laura said, jerking her chin in the direction of the kissing women.

"If they make it inside," Crystal replied, reaching behind Alex for the cooler and acquiring another beer. "They certainly don't need the fire for heat."

"So I see," Laura said, resting her hand on Crystal's knee. "Does it bother you?" she asked in a low voice that would not carry to those around them.

Shaking her head, Crystal tried to put the image of being kissed passionately by the woman sitting next to her out of her mind. "No. I've seen your friends kissing before. They do it all the time at the ball field." Of course, I've never thought about being kissed by you before, she thought, giving Laura a quick glance before looking at the fire. It's got to be because I'm around them all the time. I just thought about being kissed by Laura because she's my friend and I'm closest to her, that's all. Yet even as she thought it, Crystal found herself looking at the hand resting so familiarly on her knee and fought the urge to cover it with her own to keep it there.

The volleyball area served as a makeshift campsite for the dozen or so women pitching tents for the night. Unfortunately it was far enough from the bonfire that seeing what they were doing was a problem and Crystal ended up having to hold a flashlight while Laura struggled with the domed tent. Others had the same problem so once Laura was done setting up the tent, Crystal used the flashlight to help others see in order to get their tents set up. In the end there were seven tents arranged in a haphazard circle. She helped Laura get the sleeping bag laid out on the floor of the tent before going into the house to use the facilities. It took longer than she had expected since apparently everyone else had the same idea. Of course the vast amount of beer consumed by the group was guaranteed to keep Carmen's bathroom busy for most of the night if the women sleeping in the tents did not decide to visit the bushes instead.

After taking off her sneakers, Crystal crawled into the tent. It was dark inside but Crystal was able to feel her way around, locating the zipper and opening the sleeping bag. She quickly removed her jeans, then reached under her shirt to unhook her bra, pulling it free and rolling it up with her pants to make a pillow. She debated about going topless but decided against it, not feeling the safety that she did at home not to mention she was sharing a sleeping bag with Laura. Rubbing her hands on her bare thighs, Crystal wondered if she should put her jeans back on but the sound of the tent flap being unzipped ended that idea. "Laura?"

"Yes. Which side are you on?"

"The right unless you want it."

"No, the left side is fine with me. It's probably better if you're on the side with the zipper anyway just in case you need to get up to go to the bathroom. You've had more to drink than I have."

"Yeah, I'm sure I'll have to get up at least once during the night." Crystal felt the sleeping bag being opened and goosebumps formed on her legs before Laura climbed in and the comforting warmth of the flannel lining covered her body again.

"Do you have enough room?" Laura asked.

Crystal, who was so close to thee.g.of the sleeping bag that she could feel the cool steel of the zipper, nodded before remembering that she could not be seen in the dark. "Yeah, you?"

"Plenty. You can move back if you want, there's room."

"I don't want to crowd you," Crystal said.

"You won't be and even if you did, it wouldn't be a problem." Laura gave a long yawn. "Come on, settle down so you're comfortable so we can both get some sleep."

Reluctantly Crystal moved away from the zipper, assuming a fetal position facing away from Laura but well aware of the heat of a body resting just inches from her own. It was an odd feeling, having not slept next to anyone since she was a child but at the same time she took a sense of comfort in having Laura next to her since there was no way to lock the entrance to the tent. Not that Crystal feared any of the women settling into their own tents but the ingrained fear was still there.

"Better?" Laura asked in a low voice.

"Yes. You sure I'm not crowding you?"

"Not at all. There's still some more room if you need it."

"No, I'm all set," Crystal said, adjusting her makeshift pillow. "Good night, Laura."

"Night hon," the writer replied, reaching out in the dark to gently squeeze Crystal's shoulder.

Their attempt at sleep would be interrupted minutes later when a clear, unmistakable moan cut through the air followed by giggles from the other tents. "Sounds like someone is having fun," Crystal said, smiling in the darkness.

"Mmm," the sleepy Laura replied. "I just hope they quiet down."

"Doesn't sound like it," Crystal said after louder moan cut through the night. "Who do you think it is?"

"I don't know. I wasn't paying attention to whose tents were around us." This time the moaning woman gave a mix between a gasp and a cry and another, lower voice groaned. "Sounds like Alex."

"You think?" Crystal rolled over until she was facing Laura, then propped herself up on one elbow. She listened again. "Maybe. Sounds too deep to be her."

"Oh Alex, yesss,"

"Guess you're right," she said. "Who do you think she's with? I didn't see anyone hanging on her tonight."

"Probably Donna. I've heard she's rather vocal when it comes to that," Laura said.

"Hey Duncan," a voice from another tent yelled. "Keep it down. Some of us are trying to get some sleep."

"Yeah, I don't want to have to take matters into my own hands here," someone else yelled, causing more muffled giggles from some of the tents. "I thought you took matters into your own hands every night." This time they recognized Jenny's voice.

"Fuck you and the horse you rode in on, Foster," the voice responded playfully.

"Is that an offer or an insult?"

"Whichever way you want to take it, Jen. My tent is big enough."

"We're never going to get any sleep," Laura complained.

"Well at least someone is having fun," Crystal said before rolling back over and settling down.

"I just wish they were quieter about it."

"Or pitched their tent further away."

"I think they could be on the other side of the house and we'd still hear them," Laura said before giving a long yawn. "I should have packed ear plugs."

"Well they have to settle down eventually, don't they?"

The writer chuckled. "Hon, you're talking about lesbians. They're like that commercial. They can keep going and going and going."

"Oh wonderful," Crystal said sarcastically, punching her makeshift pillow. "I suppose I should be grateful you don't have a girlfriend or I'd never get any sleep at home."

Laura laughed. "Actually I'm very quiet." She paused as another series of moans cut through the night. "Definitely Donna." Crystal shook her head and closed her eyes, trying hard not to think of the mental images the sounds were creating.

Crystal woke immediately at the touch. It took a few seconds in the pitch darkness to remember where she was and who was sleeping next to her or rather, who was sleeping against her, Laura's arm wrapped protectively around her belly. It was that touch which had woken her up. It was the middle of the night, the only sounds were snoring from the nearby tents and the occasional crackle of the dying bonfire. Realizing Laura was sound asleep, Crystal debated about removing the warm arm pressing against her, not wanting to wake her roommate. She laid there for several minutes, listening to the deep breathing next to her, close enough for her to feel the warm breath against the back of her neck. Just as she took comfort from the occasional hugs Laura gave her, Crystal found herself feeling that same comfort in the unconscious embrace. Relaxing into the gentle hold, she fell back to sleep.

Laura blinked and looked around, the morning sun lighting the interior of the yellow dome tent. To her surprise she found herself curled up around Crystal. I should have known better, she thought. I've always been a cuddler. But it felt too good for her to move right away. She inhaled the scent of Crystal's shampoo and had to resist the urge to nuzzle the soft blonde hair. Who am I kidding? Propping herself up to look upon the sleeping features, Laura privately admitted to herself that she had deliberately refrained from mentioning her habit of cuddling to Crystal for just this reason. It felt so good to hold the younger woman in her arms, to feel the soft warmth against her. Laura laid there for several minutes, just enjoying the feeling. When she heard the sound of others awakening in the nearby tents, she reluctantly moved over to her own side of the sleeping bag. As much as she took pleasure in the embrace, she knew better than to be in the same position when Crystal woke up. She'd probably think I was trying to take advantage of her. There was a soft scratching on the tent flap. "Laura, you awake?"

"Morning Jen," she said in a low voice. "Crystal's still asleep."

"Carmen has coffee made."

"All right, I'll be out in a minute." Now faced with the problem of trying to get out of the sleeping bag without waking Crystal, who was sleeping on the side with the zipper, Laura tried to slowly crawl out the top.

"Hmm?"

"Shh, it's just me," she said, moving the rest of the way out of the sleeping bag. "Go back to sleep, it's early."

"What time is it?" Crystal mumbled, rolling onto her back and rubbing her eyes.

"Probably around seven or so." She found her watch stuffed into her sneaker. "It's seven twenty. I'm going inside for some coffee. Do you want me to bring you a cup?"