FLASHES:  SCENES FROM THE YIN YANG UNIVERSE



Flashes 2:  THE SKINNY
by Lori Summers


	The beach was almost impossibly peaceful.  No one was around, it was the 
perfect temperature for lounging and drinking margaritas, the surf was gently 
crashing against the sand, and the sun shone down from a deep blue sky.
	Ace and Benny lay stretched out on rattan lounge chairs shaded by a huge striped 
umbrella, a cooler between them, their faces turned up towards the sunshine.  A soft 
sea-scented breeze ruffled their hair as they lounged in companionable silence.
	This get-together had been Benny's idea.  She had not seen Ace privately since 
that long-ago visit that had, in a way, started her friend down the path she now trod 
upon.  So much had changed since then and she'd felt it was high time for a catch-up 
session.  Since her divorce Benny had taken up residence in the hills of this continent, 
but she'd been spending a lot of time down here at the beach catching some rays.
	"Well, Benny," Ace finally began with a sigh, "are you going to pick my brain or 
not?"
	"What does that mean?"
	"You got me here for a reason."
	"I just wanted to talk.  You know, find out what the hell's been up with you.  I 
feel like I don't know anything about your life anymore...you've changed so much."
	"Not me, just my circumstances."
	Benny sat up and swung her legs over the side of the lounge chair, facing her.  
"Tell me about them, then.  What's it like?"
	Ace considered.  "It's not really all that different from before.  I spent so many 
years traveling with him, that part of it is almost the same as it always was, except 
that instead of saying 'I'm the Doctor and this is my friend Ace' he says 'I'm the 
Doctor and this is my wife Ace.'"
	Benny grinned and shook her head.  "That alone seems strange to me."
	"It did to me too at first, but now it feels natural."
	"Really?" she said, squinching up her face.
 	Ace lifted her head and peered at her over her sunglasses.  "Why is that so hard 
to believe?"
	"I dunno.  I guess the very idea of him being married is still foreign to me."
	"Yeah, it was to him too there for a bit."
	Benny sobered.  "Are you guys over that?"
	She sighed.  "Well...we're *past* it.  Important distinction."
	Benny nodded, then the curious sparkle returned to her eyes and she scooted her 
chair closer.  "So...what's he like as a husband?  Having had a rather substandard one 
myself I'm dying to know."
	Ace laughed.  "Listen to yourself, you're worse than a bunch of skanks in a 
beauty parlor."
	"I've been called worse.  So?"
	Ace sat up as well, refilling her margarita from the cooler.  "Putting aside that 
one rather large transgression, he's a very good husband...not that I have any point of 
reference."
	"Like how?"
	"Well..."  She thought for a minute.  "Lemme give you an example.  We went to 
this island continent last year and there were these incredible beaches there, the 
water was the most amazing shade of purple you ever saw.  The shores were covered 
with these really naff small stones that were black and white striped and smooth.  We 
walked along the beach for awhile and I made a comment about how pretty I thought 
those stones were.  When I wasn't looking he pocketed three of them and about a month 
later he gave me a box with a ribbon around it...he'd had them made into a necklace 
and matching earrings for me."
	"Awww!" Benny exclaimed.
	"Yeah, I know.  He does that kind of stuff all the time.  Mind you, I do it too...it's 
fun to be spontaneous."
	"So he is a big mushy romantic at heart.  I always suspected as much."
	Ace grinned.  "Yeah, he is a bit.  Well sickening sometimes, it is."
	"Do you talk?  Do you share things?  What's it like to be married to someone not 
your species?"
	Ace held up her hands.  "Geez, Benny, one thing at a time!  You really are 
curious, aren't you?"
	"Damn right!  This is unprecedented, after all.  I'm just gathering facts and 
observations for a previously unknown phenomenom like any good scientist."
	"Yes, we talk.  When we get going we can talk for hours."  She lay back on the 
chair.  "I used to think that in all the years we traveled together we'd covered every 
topic of conversation, but since we were married there's so much more he's willing to 
share with me, so much that he never told me...and things that I won't tell *you* so 
don't ask!" she said with a grin.  Benny snapped her fingers in a "oh, damn" gesture.  
"I know you want to know how our relationship has changed, and I wish I had a quick 
and easy answer.  In some ways it hasn't changed at all and in some ways it's 
unrecognizable.  We're still partners, close friends, companions, but it *is* different.
   He treats me as an equal now."
	"He was pretty much treating you as an equal there by the end, though, wasn't 
he?"
	"I guess so...but he still pulls the old Professor bit, mentoring and teaching me.  
I'll be the first to admit that I still have things to learn from him!  I guess the 
difference now is that I teach him things too." She sighed. 
	Benny thought for a moment.  "Are you happy?" she asked quietly.
	"Yes," Ace said without hesitating.  "It's not always perfect, we argue, we 
disagree...but we're happy."
	"And you really do love him?"
	Ace turned her head towards her friend, a half-smile on her face.  "Benny...
there are times when I can't tell where he ends and I begin.  He's so much a part of me 
now, he means so many things to me."
	"But do you..."
	"Yes, I love him.  So much it hurts sometimes."  She looked at the sky, 
thoughtful.  "He's been in my life so long I can scarcely remember a time when he 
wasn't there.  I think that some part of me loved him from the very first day and it's 
only in these last few years that the rest of me got caught up."
	Benny stared at her hands.  "I envy you, Ace."
	She turned to look at her again.  "Why?"
	"I envy your happiness.  And I guess part of me is..."  She trailed off.  "Oh, 
never mind."
	Ace sat up on her elbows  "No, what?  What were you going to say?"
	"You'll think I'm terrible."
	"I will not!"
	Benny sighed.  "Part of me is terribly jealous of you.  I think somewhere inside 
me I always thought that he might someday find someone he loved...."
	"And you're jealous that it was me and not you," Ace finished, confirming a 
suspicion she'd always had.
	"I did NOT say that," Benny said.  "Shit, I'm not even sure I *meant* that.  I 
don't know what my feelings are in that particular direction and if I never figure it out 
it will be too soon."  She grinned.  "But what does it matter.  I'm glad you're happy."
	"Oh God!  Don't say that!"
	Benny drew back, alarmed.  "Why not?"
	Ace laughed, realizing Benny wouldn't get the reference.  "Don't worry, you 
weren't there.  Let's just say that particular turn of phrase gives me flashbacks!"
	Benny laughed with her and lay back down on the chair.  Ace knew damn well 
there was one more question she was dying to ask and wondered if she had the nerve. 
 They lay there in silence for a few minutes.  Benny kept clearing her throat, and a 
few times she'd take a breath as if to begin speaking then exhale and try to disguise it 
as a sigh.  Finally Ace decided she'd tortured her long enough.
	"Okay Bernice, go ahead and ask the question.  I know you're about ready to 
burst."
	Benny sat up as if catapulted and leaned towards her, her hands clasped tightly 
together.  "What's he like in bed?  I'm dying of curiosity."  She grinned mischievously.
	Ace hummed airily, throwing Benny knowing glances, enjoying the moment.  
Benny put her own hands around her throat and made strangling noises.  Ace picked up 
the book she'd brought along and began paging through it.  Benny mimed stabbing 
herself in the stomach.  Ace sipped lightly at her margarita, looking like she hadn't a 
care in the world.  Benny flopped back onto her chair, her limbs spasming, one arm 
flung over her face.  Ace set the book down and coyly laced her hands behind herhead.
	"Well...if you really want to know..." she sighed.  Benny shot back up.
	"Oh, I really want to know.  I mean, no offense, but you've had a lot of 
lovers...how does he, ahem, measure up?"
	"No offense taken, it's the truth.  As to my husband's sexual prowess...well..."  
Benny leaned forward in anticipation.  "Let's just say that one can learn a lot of things 
in a thousand years of living."
	"Oh man!  I knew it!" Benny exclaimed.  "I knew he had to be the best lay in 
recorded history!"
	Ace burst into mad laughter.  "Benny!  My God!"
	"Well?  Can you honestly tell me you never wondered about it before you got to 
find out in the flesh?"  Ace rolled on the chair, clutching her stomach, unable to speak. 
 "I guess the only question left to answer then is the exact nature of that Gallifreyan 
anatomy...?" she finished, half-hopefully.
	Ace wiped the tears from her face, her laughter petering out into giggles.  "Now 
*that* I will leave to your sick, twisted imagination."
	"Oh come on, you can't leave me hanging like this."
	"Watch me!"
	"What are girlfriends for if not to share the most intimate gory details?"
	"Next thing you'll be wanting to braid each other's hair and eat popcorn and ice 
cream sundaes!"
	"What's wrong with that?  I never did that kind of stuff when I was a kid, I'm 
taking advantage of it while I can."
	"I never did it either but I don't feel like I missed anything."
	"Don't change the subject!  Let's have it!  The lowdown!  The skinny!  Details, I 
want details!"
	"You are insatiable!" Ace cried incredulously.  "And I am awfully suspicious of 
your motives!"
	"My motives are *always* suspicious, that's beside the point!"  Ace lay back 
and closed her eyes, but she could feel Benny staring at her.  She opened one and 
looked...she was leaning over and yes, staring at her.  "Come on...okay, I'll go first.  
Jason was about average, perfectly adequate package, I've had better.  Your turn."
	Ace laughed again, feeling flush creep into her cheeks, which did not escape 
Benny's notice.
	"A ha!  You're blushing!  You know you wanna tell me.  Besides, I have a bet with 
Chris that now, thanks to you, can finally be settled!"
	"What?!?"
	"Oh, don't act so shocked.  If you'd been there you would have wanted in on it."
	Ace fetched a deep sigh and beckoned to her friend.  Benny scooted closer and 
leaned in.  Ace sat up and whispered into her ear.  Benny sat back, nodding 
approvingly.  "Well.  Looks like Mr. Cwej owes me twenty crown.  I told him a society 
advanced enough to have invented the TARDIS would have made that particular issue a 
priority."  Ace dissolved into another fit of hysterical laughter, and after a minute 
Benny joined her.




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