Chapter 1

"Hey, Rob," Dawn said quietly. "Fancy meeting you here."

Rob stood gobsmacked in the middle of the sidewalk, his eyes feasting on the woman he had thought lost to him forever.

"Zack honey, I think we need to leave. Now," Brenda said, tugging at her master's arm to urge him away. He looked at her with a sardonic tilt to his brow, the corner of his mouth lifting in a smile. She in turn reached up to play with her token, fingering the clasp and ring that held it.

"Is this really that important to you?" he asked gently, his look softening into something more tender. She nodded.

He looked over at the pair standing on the sidewalk. What he saw was a beautiful young woman dressed professionally, standing before a professional young man wearing an odd coat. The young man had the look of a boy struggling to ask a girl to a dance for the very first time: scared of being rejected, but also afraid of missing the opportunity of a lifetime. Zack was not impressed.

"I don't see it," he mused.

"Watch this," Brenda answered with conviction.

Clearing her throat loudly, Brenda said, "Rob?" When he turned to see what she wanted, she said, "Zack thinks Dawn is really cute."

Rob's eyes snapped to Zack, and Zack took a step back. He had never seen eyes like that before and he hoped he never did again. He saw his violent and bloody death in those eyes.

"Well, she is, you know," Brenda giggled, trying to defuse the sudden tension. She giggled again. Rob's eyes softened, but he still gave Zack one last look. Zack shivered at the promise he saw in those eyes. Brenda grabbed his arm in hers and pulled him away.

"I believe I understand better now," Zack told her. "But you should never do that again. I saw my death in his eyes."

"Aw, he's just a pussy cat," she said dismissively. Zack pulled her to a stop and stared down into her eyes.

"Listen to me, and listen closely." She gulped at his intensity. "That man has killed before. If he hasn't, then he will. Do not give him a reason. He will kill with no regrets if he feels the situation warrants it."

"B-b-but, he's not like that at work," she squeaked.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Brenda had a vision of Rob stooped over Jessica with his knifed hand at her throat, his expression bespeaking her death. It was only the sound of Brenda's voice that had kept Jessica alive that day.

"No," she squeaked. Tears came to her eyes. "I'm so sorry. I seem to be making it a habit to underestimate Rob lately. It won't happen again."

"You saw him, didn't you," he asked with understanding. In his head, he was going over the things he would have her do to take her mind off things. Maybe a walk through Macy's in her shortest skirt and no panties would do it. Some of the lower shelves bore investigating.

"He almost killed Jessica," she said forlornly. Zack revised it to a translucent miniskirt.

"It's a good thing he's a good man, or we'd be reading about him on the front page," Zack commented. "Come on, we have some shopping to do."

Rob had watched them as they walked away, and he'd spun up so he could listen in on their conversation. Based on what he'd heard, he owed Zack an apology the next time they met, and Brenda was going to get an earful herself on Monday.

He turned back to Dawn. He didn't know what to say.

"That was interesting," she said. "What do you suppose that was about?"

"I think Brenda was poking the bear," he replied. Having found his voice, he said, "How've you been?" He winced at how lame that sounded.

Dawn looked into his eyes and smiled gently at what she found there.

"I don't think that's what you really want to ask, is it?" she said quietly. He shook his head no.

"Why don't you and I go back to your apartment, and we can talk about it there." she offered.

Rob cleared his throat and pulled at his collar. The moment of truth was at hand, and he wasn't ready. But, ready or not...

"I think I should call Elaina to let her know we're coming," Rob said. "It wouldn't be fair to surprise her like that."

He pulled out his phone and looked at it, then turned his head to Dawn.

"Do you want to call her?"

She shook her head no. "She'll want to talk if I call her. I think we should do this in private and all together."

Rob pulled up Elaina's number and pressed Send.

Hello?

"Hi, Elaina. It's Rob."

What's up?

"I'm still downtown, and ... Dawn's here, with me. Are you home?"

No.

"Can you get home?" He heard her quickening breath.

Why?

"She wants to talk to us." He looked to see Dawn smiling at him. "I think it's good news."

I'll be there in ten minutes.

"It's going to take me a half-hour to get home from here. I don't even have a taxi yet."

What I mean is, I will be there, where you are, in ten minutes. Don't move. She hung up.

Rob shrugged and put away his phone. "She says she's coming to get us."

"That's good," she answered. "It'll be nice to see her again."

Rob stepped tentatively closer, watching her eyes. She only smiled more the closer he got. When he was in arm's reach, she stepped up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He put his arms around her waist and pulled her hard against his body, shaking with emotion.

"Shh," she whispered as she stroked his hair. "It's all right."

"I was so afraid..." he said to her hair.

"It's okay, Rob," she soothed. "Let's wait until we're all together, then we'll see. Shh."

Rob turned his head at the sound of a roaring engine and saw the Mustang racing through traffic, cutting off other drivers right and left. It stopped at the curb, tires squealing in protest. He heard a car door slam and Elaina appeared beside to them.

"Dawn?"

Rob reluctantly released her, and she turned to Elaina. Without a word, Elaina grabbed Dawn and held on for dear life. Rob saw Dawn soothing Elaina the same way she'd soothed him: with quiet words and gentle caresses.

Rob heard the sound of the Mustang's grumbling engine and climbed in, intending to shut it down. Before he could, the passenger door opened and Dawn climbed into the back. When Elaina made to join her, she asked if she might sit alone in the back for now.

"It wouldn't be fair to Rob, now would it, Elaina?" she scolded. Elaina sat in front with no further complaint.

The ride home was quiet, with Rob and Elaina casting worried glances back and forth. Dawn sat serenely in the back, ignoring the byplay and humming softly. Rob's regard for traffic laws meant it took five minutes longer to get home than if Elaina had driven, but they got home in one piece. The walk up took an eternity.

Dawn walked around the apartment once they got in, drawing a finger over various things, looking around as if she was inspecting for dust. Rob and Elaina waited patiently at the entrance to the living room while she made a full circuit, coming to a stop before them.

"I couldn't figure out a fair way to do this," she said to them. "So I settled on going by seniority."

Saying that, she grabbed Rob by his ears and attempted to suck the air from his lungs. The kiss lasted so long that Rob had to put out a hand to steady himself on the wall when they were done.

She turned to Elaina.

"That's not fair," Elaina husked. "I'm older than he is."

"Only in years," Dawn replied. Then she did the same to Elaina, with similar results. When they were done, Dawn walked to the couch and sat down in the middle, leaving them no choice but sit each on a side. She reached out and pulled them close, and then she snuggled down happily between them.

"You know, Elaina," she said, "If I'm sharing Rob with you, that means you're sharing him with me." Elaina nodded her understanding. "I think," Dawn continued, "It would only be fair then if he shared, too."

It took a moment for them to work it out. When they did, Rob roared with laughter. Elaina, however, simply squealed and jumped her, knocking the others flat and smothering Dawn with kisses.

"Wait, wait," Dawn called, trying to settle her down somewhat. "We still have a lot to talk about. Starting with you, Elaina."

Rob got up and went to the recliner, perching himself at the edge and leaning forward nervously. Dawn smiled at him for his consideration. She turned to Elaina, who was now similarly perched on the edge of a cushion, just as nervously waiting for what Dawn had to say.

"Elaina," she began in a serious tone, "It was you that I had to give the most thought to. I care for you. I might even love you." Elaina smiled weakly, nodding for her to go on. "But, and this is a big one, I have never been in love with a woman before. I don't know that I can give you more than I already do." Dawn stopped and heaved a great sigh. "I don't know if I can make love with you. I'm sorry."