Nightfall:
Shortie by Lone Wolf
Starring: Tabitha Evans

I often keep my private affairs to myself. It just works out for the better that way. There is no need for my friends to know about my problems. I don't want them to worry. Just keeping my troubles, my fears, and my pains to myself is the best thing that I can do for everyone.

But I can't handle it every time.

I collapsed on my bed, the tears starting to pour from the corners of my eyes. I had just debriefed from a marginally successful mission. We had been watching a gun runner for about a month. Since I was doing most of the front work, it was decided that I would be used as bait for when we took him down.

The plot went off without a hitch. He appeared at the rendez-vous point with a truck full of illegal weapons. We exchanged a few words, a few cautious glances, and a few thousand credits. But before I could say the code word to begin the sting, he did something he shouldn't have. He made an inappropriate advance on me. Old wounds were torn wide open. I paniced...

I let go of a sob into the pillow, shaking the glass I had on my night stand. My father, the cause of all my agony, was dead and buried. It happened more than a year ago. But the bastard was still haunting me! I hated him and I hated myself. I sobbed again.
"Tabitha?" Ashley's soft, melodic voice called to me.
Ashley Williams.
My partner in crime.
My secret crush.
She means the world to me.
"Are you okay, Tabitha?" she asked me.
I sobbed helplessly.
She came over and gave me a hug. "I'm here for you." I curled up in her arms like a helpless child and sobbed again. "Tell me what happened."
I took a deep, staggered breath. "It was going just fine. We would have made the bust. But he..." I swallowed a sob. "...He tried to make a move. I saw my father in him. I paniced and..." I couldn't hold it back anymore. I started to cry into her shoulder.
"You what?"
"Eight shots. One to the head and seven more to the rest of him."
She pulled me closer. "Tabitha, it's okay. He would have been nailed anyway. You know he was going to up a decent fight."
"He's been dead for a year now. Why does he still torture me?"
She said nothing. I guess she knew what I was talking about.
"Why, Ashley?"
She held my cheek in her hand. "He did something to you that nobody should have to go through." She looked into my eyes. "He got what he deserved, but he's going to be there for a long while."
"I'm scared." I sobbed into her arm. "I don't want to be hurt again..."

She must have been out of comforting things to say. Hell, if I were in her position, I would have been drawing blanks too. But I knew that she was dry, because the next thing she did was something that shocked me probably as much as it shocked her.

She kissed me.

It wasn't one of those phony peck-on-the-cheek things or a soft, friendly kiss. It was like she was calling out to me, trying to say "I love you and won't let you be hurt." I looked up at her in awe.
She smiled. "I'm here, Tabitha."
That calmed me down. "Thank you, Ashley." I returned the kiss. "Thank you.

My eyes opened around 1:30 that night. At first, I didn't feel anything but the sheets. I figured that Ashley had left me to sleep in peace. I thought she layed me down comfortably. I rubbed my eyes and started to sit up. That was when I discovered that I was wrong.

She was laying there with me, borrowing a pair of my pajamas. An arm was around my waist, holding onto me. I put my hand on hers and slowly turned to look at her. She was sleeping peacefully, considering this was something she would almost never do. My eyes gazed at her beautiful face. I curled up in her arms, nestling myself as close to her breasts as I could, and sighted. "Ashley..." I leaned over and kissed her cheek.

I was awoken by her soft hand stroking my back. I groaned a little bit. "Ashy?" I muttered.
"Shh...it's okay, Tabby."
"Did you stay the whole night?"
She smiled. "Yes."
I smiled. "Thank you..." I opened my eyes, only to catch her gaze. "But why?"
"You needed me. You needed someone to hold you close and reassure you that everything was going to be fine." She gave me a kiss. "I only wanted to help."
I blushed. "Does this mean-?"
She put a finger to my lips. "Only if you keep quiet. I will consider it." I nodded and hugged her. "You're welcome."
I started to cry again. "Ashley...you've made me so happy. Thank you...thank you..." I kissed her. "I love you."
"I love you to, Tabitha..."

Sometimes it's better to keep your problems to yourself. I learned then and there that it shouldn't have to be always. We were left undisturbed for the entire day. Nobody said a word about our noticeable absence the next day. They just knew that it wasn't something to ask about.

They were right.

End

Tabitha Evans and Ashley Williams are © Lone Wolf and are the pride and joy of <([ Lone Wolf Studios ])>

Don't be a stranger.
-Tabitha Evans