Where Your Heart Leads

"Janice Covington! For the last time… LIFT UP YOUR LEGS!!!" Warily, Janice lifted her legs from the floor, rested them on the black-colored couch where she had settle comfortably in with her beer bottle throughout the morning and most probably for the rest of the day.

"Don’t you have something better to do than sleep and drink yourself silly everyday?" her friend scolded gently as she bend down to pick up several empty bottles and disposed them into a large black plastic bag before she resume to her original task of sweeping the floor.

Not expecting an answer, she jumped slightly when Janice suddenly shouted out aloud, "No! This is the only thing I am left with! Can't do without this nowadays!"

To emphasize her point, she raised the bottle high up into the sky as if she was worshipping it before draining down all the contents in one large grope.

"My miserable, pathetic, worthless life… going down the drain… la…tat…" waving her bottle around, she begin to sing the little tune that she composed days ago.

"Ouch!" Jumping up in pain, Janice dropped her now emptied bottle onto the floor and her hands flew automatically toward the redden patch on her head that undoubtedly would develop into a bruise in the near future.

" Alex! Why the hell did you do that for!" Janice cried out as she begins to rub her injured forehead with her thumb in a circular motion.

"Why, to knock some sense into you of course!"

Looking up, she found her long-time friend Alexandria Brown glaring fiercely down at her in a combat pose- leg slightly apart, one hand placed firmly on the hip another holding the bloom tightly. Knowing a lost battle when sees it, Janice swallowed hard and try to escape her predicament by attempting to make a joke.

"Well, now we know that blooms are not only good for sweeping!" she said meekly before letting out a rather forced laugh, hoping that her friend had caught the joke too and let her off.

Looking at her friend still stern expression with her mouth pressed into a thin line; eyebrows squeezed together tightly; eyes sending out darts, she knows that her joke did not have the effect she hoped for.

One week ago, Janice was still a happy person. Well, not exactly really, really happy, a little bit too nervous maybe, but still she was in a reasonable state. Seven days ago, in exactly 2.45pm, she arrived at the small airport of Southern Carolina.

Southern Carolina was not one of her favorite place on earth. Actually, it was the last place down on her list to spend her holiday before going on another dig in promised by the museum. In fact, Southern Carolina would not have even made it to her list if not for her connection with her best friend, Melinda Pappas.

Well, connection is really a weak word for the relationship between Southern Carolina and Melinda. She did…she was born and raised and educated here. The southern belle was born into one of the many rich families here and was raised like a true lady.

This is the only world she knows, that is until she met Janice. The places they had been to, the adventures they shared makes Southern Carolina seems dull and boring, despite all the expensive boutique and high-class restaurants.

Melinda, always dressed in elegant, tailored dresses and suits, high heels and occasionally expensive hats, was the total opposite of Janice. They are as different as day and light.

Janice wardrobe consists of leather and khaki pants, shirts, vests and boots and all these in the limited color of white and brown, sometimes black. The fashion will not be complete without her leather hat, won in a lucky poker game several years ago and her favorite Cuban cigar chewing on the left side of her mouth.

All and all, she dressed more like a man than a woman. "But I like the way I dress and it's more convenient for my line of work." She always argued, when Mel tries to change her code of dressing.

Unlike her friend, Janice spent her childhood running around different digs with her father, Harry Covington. Although, he was known to others as a 'grave-digger' that could not be trusted at all, Janice adored her father and take up his career in looking for the Xena scrolls after he died.

"Well, here I am!" she says to herself as she started to walk out of the airport. Twisting her mouth in distaste at the numbers of expensive, posh looking cars waiting outside the airport, she sighed deeply, "Anything for Mel…"

Pausing for just a few minutes at the entrance of the airport, she dropped her brown luggage bag onto the floor and begins she search furiously into her haversack.

 "There you are!" she smiled a small smile of victory in finding her beloved cigar before popping it into her mouth and lighting it.

She took a long puff and exhales, trying to make as many smoke rings as possible. Feeling more secure and more at ease, she pick up her luggage bag effortlessly, throw it behind her back and begin walking towards the taxi stand.

While waiting for her turn, her thoughts drifted to her favorite subject, Melinda. Years ago, before she met Melinda, she was sure that she would lead her life alone, going to digs to digs looking for Xena scrolls and when she grow too old to carry on her search, she will find a quiet place to pine away. Frankly, she was sure that she would never live to see that day, as one of her outrageous act will surely get her killed first.

At that time, she actually welcomes the possibility. She trusted no one. Afraid of being hurt if she started to care, she put on an iron mask and refused to let anyone into or even near her heart.

But Melinda Pappas had done the impossible. She sees through her act of toughness, tear away her iron mask and slowly but surely, melted her icy heart.

It was fear more than anything. That was what she felt when she first lay eyes on the southern belle.

The instant recognition that this tall, raven hair beauty she was pointing a gun to, have the ability to break her wall hit her hard, like a punch in the gut.

The carefully built barrier that had taken years to prefect. Her protection aided with a gun and an attitude. The ability to see through her; the ability to makes her care thus making hurt possible. This demure southern belle, scare the hell out of her, the tough and fearless 'Mad Dog', a nickname she earned for herself.

Thus she fought.

She gave her all the dirty jobs to do, find faults with everything she did. Not a pleasant word to be heard. Never a word of encouragement. She wanted to chase her away. Far away from her.

But Mel never complained. Not even an off-hand remark was heard. She did everything Janice put her through, with cheer at that. The warm smile rarely leaves her face. The frown only appears if she thinks that Janice is over-worked, not sleeping enough or not eating well. It was clear to everyone that she adores the young woman.

For Janice part, she wanted desperately to despise Mel, to hate her, but instead found herself growing unbelievably fond of the woman. And those baby blue eyes that seems to change their shade with the changing of moods…Damn!

Slowly, the mask began to slip.

'Thanks and 'Pleases' were heard. Words like 'Not bad' and 'Take a break' appears. Rare, oh very rare, a smile was seen.

"Janice? Janice Covington?" the realization that someone was calling out for her brings her out of her thoughts.

Impatiently, she turned around towards the voice, prepared to give whoever it was a hard time, for disrupting her wonderful thoughts.

"Alex?!" Janice stared at her ex-school mate from university.

"Well My Gosh! Its really you, old dog!" disregarding the look of surprise that was struck on Janice face, Alexandria Brown moved swiftly forward and throw her arms around her.

After the shock had passed, Janice returned the hug quickly before pulling herself away, embarrassed at the open show of affection display by her friend.

"Why…" her sentence was quite cut off by a wave of hand.

"Come on, I drive here. I give you a lift." Without waiting for her reply, Alex pulls Janice out of the waiting line, towards the car park, a short distant away.

They stop in front of a stylish blue Volvo that was so well polished that it shone out brightly like a sliver coin under the sun.

"Not bad." Janice whistled as her friend unlocks the car.

"Well, thank you! A compliment from the lady of few words. You made my day!"

"Front sit please." Said Alex as she took the bag from Janice and throw it into the back sit.

Getting into the front sit, she spotted a 'NO SMOKING' sign in the car. Taking a last lingering puff from her cigar, she throws it over the window. Alex had already started up the engine and was pulling out of the car park.

Turning to glance briefly at the strikingly attractive blond, the very few people she call friends, she asked, "Why are you here Alex?"

"Why, I live here dear."

"Huh?"

"You know, have a house, get a job thing? I lived here now Janice. I've moved." Her friend explained with an amused grin.

"Oh" Janice said, seeing the light now. "It's been a long time since we last met. Four…five years?"

"Five years to be exact." Her friend corrected, steering the wheel round a corner now. "I wanted a change in environment and well, I was offered a job here, so…." Ending the sentence with a shrug of the shoulder.

Janice smiled silently as she remembered how smitten she was with the attractive blond during the university years. The disappointment she felt when she saw her with her boyfriend. The rage that surfaced when she knows that John was beating her up. She got her out of the abusive relationship after beating the shit out of him and making him swear not to go near Alex again.

For the next few weeks, Alex stayed with Janice because of fear and loneliness. They became really close. Janice was ready to disclose her undying love for her when Alex got hitched with another guy. Soon she moved out to stay with her new boyfriend. Janice was heartbroken. She thought that she would never recover again. After that incident, she promised herself never to get into such painful situation again. From than on, one nightstand was good enough for her.

Janice regains her awareness when she realized that the car was coming to a stop.

 "Why are we stopping?" Looking around, she saw that the car had stopped at the driveway of a house painted in the weird color of yellow.

"Well, since you did not tell me your destination…" Alex turn around and smile sweetly at her while Janice eyes opened wide at her mistake, "I decided to show you my house." Alex smiles smugly, waving her hand at the yellow house.

Janice took a slip from her glass of whiskey and cast an appreciative glance around the tastefully decorated house. She likes the couch. 'I can sleep on it all day.' She smile happily that the thought.

"So, you living along?" she asked carefully.

"Yes. I kinda enjoy the freedom. Don't want to get tie down too soon." Alex walks around and settles into the couch in front of Janice.

"Ok, my turn!" Janice arched an eyebrow at her friend excited tone.

"What are you doing in this part of the world Janice?"

Janice considers not answering the question but…What the hack! So she said lightly, "Visiting."

"Who?" her friend eyed her purposefully

"A friend." Janice answered as casually as possible. Her eyes suddenly found a really interesting spot on the carpeted floor.

"What kind of friend?"

Silent

Pretending not to hear the question, Janice took a long slip from her glass. Looking up, Janice saw her friend looking at her persistently, waiting for the answer.

Sighing deeply, Janice answered, "A normal friend."

"Normal enough for you to come to a place you dislike obviously very much? Come on Janice! You can do better than that." Alex was determining to get Janice to confess. She knows that whoever it is must be really important to Janice. Who could captured her friend's heart? "You know, posh restaurants, high-class shops, expensive cars, beautiful clothes, decent bed…." She rattles and rattles non-stop, making her point. "You hated this. You belong to the forest, the uncultured, the wild world…"

"Ok, ok! I get the idea. People changed. " Janice argued. Weak, weak. Damn!

"Oh pleazzzzzze!" Alex rolls her eyes dramatically. "Let's see. The whip is still here, the terrible cigar, the same tasteless leathers, prefer whiskey to water…ok. What did I missed?" Alex prone her. Gotcha!

"What's this bullshit! I don't need to answer to you! I will visit anyone I like!" Janice barked. This conversation is making her nervous. She doesn't want to talk to Alex about Mel.

Knowing that she is stepping on thin line, she decided to use a softer approach. "I'm just concern for you Jan. But if you really don't want to talk about it, than…" Alex voice lowered to a whisper as she tries to inject as much hurt as possible into the sentence.

"Damn! She's doing it again! She knows I am not able to deny her when she used that tone!" Grounding her teeth together in frustration, Janice slams her drink on the table with a loud 'thud' and answered. "She's the daughter of an old friend of my father…" a smile spread over her friend's face as Janice continued. "She now works for me as a translator after her father passed away."

"Sounds like a smart girl." Alex decides that Janice needs some probing. Compliments always work.

"Sure is! Mel is the best translator I ever met! Read ancient Greek like a second language." Janice smiled proudly. Suddenly, her smile faded and her features twisted together in anger.

"Shit! Quite using your lawyer techniques on me! It always pissed me off!" Janice sits back into the couch, cross her arms across her chest, determine not to give anymore information away.

"You look so cute when you pout!" Alex clapped her hands in delight.

 "Screw off!"

"Grouchy old thing!" Alex throws an amused glance at her.

"Janice dear. A little harmless girl talk wouldn't kill you." Alex patted Janice on her knee.

Janice held her posture stubbornly, refusing to response to her in one way or another.

"Well, so much for plan A." Alex thought regretfully. "Alright. Let's try plan B." Alex lends forward and increased the pressure of her hand on Janice leg.

"Back in the old days, we can talk about anything. Your patience and gentle was only reserved for me than. I noticed Janice. I'm not blind." Alex recalled the past fondly as she look down on the floor and begins drawing a series of circles on her friend knees.

"That's a long time ago Alex. You were hurt…and…well…I mean… I can't…" Janice gave up trying to explain as a series of unintelligent words begins emitting from her mouth. She continues her fascination of a particular spot on the floor and stare at it intently.

"Janice………" Alex purr seductively, "…Look at me…" as her hand moved slightly up her knee and begin to stroke her thigh lightly. "Your eyeballs are going to poke out if you stare at the floor any harder."

"Alex…?" Janice swallowed hard as she turns slowly to face her friend. Both puzzled and excited by her friend sudden change of behavior.

"What…?" She replied lazily

"What…what… are you doing?" Janice was breathing slightly heavily now.

"I'm not doing anything…" Alex said innocently. She smiles inwardly as Janice took a sharp intake of breath as she continued her stroking to the inner thigh.

"Why are you touching me like that?" Janice asked. She was breathing rather hard now.

"Because I want to, Honey…" Alex begins making a great show of wetting her sensuous lips with her tongue. Janice eyes burn with desire at the seductive action. Her mouth and throat went dry. She desperately wanted a drink from her glass of whiskey but was stuck on the couch staring at her friend making a pass at her.

"So hot…so hot…hot…" her mind begins to chant.

Alex can see that her friend was aroused. She makes her next move. Janice was powerless to stop her as Alex begins to saddle one of her legs. She parted her legs voluntarily as Alex slipped a thigh in between.

"Ooh…" Janice throw back her head and moaned softly as Alex presses her knee hard against her womanhood.

"It's been so long. Too long…" Janice thought to herself as she lift her ass off the couch and begins to grind her soaking center furiously against Alex's thigh.

A new set of sensation hit her as Alex's hand left her thigh to message her erected nipples, rolling them between her thumb and index finger. Another previously free hand slipped under Janice butt and pushed her more firmly against her thigh. Janice arms shot out and bring her would be lover head down for a long wet kiss. Their mouths opened to each other without any probing and tongues begin to explore.

Alex let out a groan as Janice sucked hungrily as her tongue. Janice was barely aware of Alex hand reaching under her shirt until she felt the delicious feelings of hand touching bare flesh.

Alex's mouth begins to travel down to her throat, licking and sucking. That left Janice mouth frees to moan and groan aloud, asking for more. Alex 's hand reached out to unbutton Janice shirt, her mouth following closely. Finally all buttons undo, Alex pushed the bra away. She lowered her head towards Janice breasts and her mouth engulfs Janice left breast.

"Ooh…yes…yes…" Janice screamed out as both her arms reached behind Alex head and pushed her down harder onto her breast. Alex left hand begins to play with the right breast as her right hand moved slowly down Janice body.

"Oh Mel……!" Janice cried out as a hand moved between her thigh and pressed down hard.

Suddenly, all movement stops.

Janice opened her mouth wide as she realized her mistake. In just one second, her needs drains away as horror replaced them.

 Alex raised her head from Jane's breast, now red from all the sucking and biting. Both her eyebrows arched high up on her forehead, "Normal friends you said?"

 "She doesn't know?" Janice shook her head miserably.

"Than you must tell her! Give her a choice!"

Ten minutes had pasted since the 'incident'. Both of them are now backs at their original sits, across each other. Janice took a longer time to collect herself and to regain her composure than Alex did. Alex was slightly disappointed at the outcomes although she had expected it. She was getting aroused and Janice feels nice and strong. "Those muscle…Oh well, at least the plan works. I'm so bad. Yeah…bad Alex…bad girl." She can hardly content her smile of victory.

"I can't. She's…Mel is not like me. She likes men. I bet she doesn't even knows that women can also…be together as lovers." She tries to explain her situation. It was true. Melinda was raise up in a protective environment. Even Janice constant swearing shocked her. But even as she said this, her mind wondered to the beautiful night they spent together, before the call from the museum messed everything up. Something was changing between the two of them. Could she possibly hope that…that Mel could somehow…even if it seems illogical…that Mel had the same feelings for her? Was it possible? They were both descendents of the Warrior and the Brad…and from what she had gather from the strolls, they were definitely more than friends. But what if it was just her wistful thinking? She wanted it to be real so much so that she began to see things her way instead of the truth? 'If I lost her because I'm wrong, I will never…never forgive myself!'

"I can't lose her. I rather have her as a friend. Can't you understand?" Janice holds her head dejectedly.

 "You've fallen hard haven't you." It was a statement, not a question. Alex pats her hand compassionately. It was strange to see her friend so vulnerable. The Janice she knows is tough, aloof, brave, kind, loyal but not vulnerable. She had seldom, or more accurately, never seen Janice in such a bad state. Melinda Pappas must be one heck of a person! Alex decided that it was time to change the subject.

"Does she knows that you are here? I mean, she's not at the airport." Alex points out the obvious fact.

Janice took out a cigar from her pant pocket and raises a questioning eye towards Alex. "May I?" Alex gave a go ahead sign. Janice lights her cigar and took a long puff, closing her eyes briefly before she exhales.

"She don't. She knows that I'm arriving this week, but not the exact day." Janice explained. "Actually, I'm planning to wait for her outside the University." Seeing Alex puzzled look, Janice proceeds to explain further. "She wants an actual degree in ancient language. A degree will entitle her to better benefits for a dig and looks better too."

"As I had said earlier, She's a smart gal." Alex smiled at the proud expression that took over Janice despair look briefly. "So what time do school ends?" Alex hopes that they had not wasted too much time and missed the big reunion.

 "Mel usually leave at half pass five…" as in reflex, she took a look at her watch and said, "which leave me with twenty minutes only." She looks up and saw a smiling Alex, eyes twinkle with delight. "Oh no! I could just see her little brain working. Maybe if I scare her a little…"

Alex watched in surprised and shocked as Janice narrowed her eyes and glared mercilessly at her.

"Alex…" Janice hissed devilishly, "I may be in love…" her voice was lowered to a dangerous whisper. "But, I'm still…" with each words that she let out, slow and heavy, she purposefully leaned forward until she was looking straight into her friend's frightened eyes, "…is… still…dangerous." Sweat was beginning to form on Alex face. Happy to see that her action had the effect she wanted, she jumped back suddenly and gave her friend a innocent, sweet smile that only succeed in getting her more nervous.

Alex raised both her in defense and reply in a shaky voice, "Point taken. Message received. And I'm scared. Happy?" Janice bright smile answered the question.

 "Come on Janice! Loosen up! I promised I wouldn't say anything silly." Alex turns to her friend who was sitting besides her, sulking away.

" Oh sure! That makes me feel soooo much better!" Janice said sarcastically. "Alexandra, let me make this clear. The only reason and that's the only one, that I let you drive me there this that……" The sentence trail off to nothing as Alex words sink in. "Alex! What do you mean that you wouldn't say anything silly?" Janice glared angrily at her friend who was having a hard time between concentrating on driving and ignoring a very angry Janice.

"You are not talking to her. As the matter in fact, You will not even get to see her."

"Well, Janice…. I was thinking that…you know…. Since…" Suddenly, Alex had the feeling that insisting on driving Janice to the university was not such a good idea after all.

"Alex." Janice drops her voice to a whisper and narrowed her eyes. "This is what's going to happen." Janice pauses for while, making sure that she had caught the attention of her meddling friend. "You are going to drop me off in front of the university. Than I'll wait while you drive peacefully and happily away and not stop until you reached the safety of your little yellow house. Do…I…get…my…self…clear?" Janice asked quietly, stressing the last six word dangerously.

"Ha. Well, hum, if that's what you what. What are friends for, huh. Call them if you need them, dump them when the fun start." Alex replied with a high shirk voice as she steel the wheel harder than necessary.

Janice runs her fingers through her hair absently as she turned from her friend and look out of the window. They are driving away from the city into a more rural area. However, Janice thoughts were far from the scenery outside. "Oh great! Another person angry with me. Why don't they form a club and Mel can be the president." Janice sighed deeply, painfully recalling the phone conversation she had with Mel months ago.

Janice winced mentally at the thoughts of going shopping with Mel. Oh she loves that woman all right, but shopping…it just put the creeps into her. Janice decided that she would endure all that with cheer. She did deserve that after all. Leaving Mel all alone, worried to sick at the hotel, while she get too caught up at getting the scrolls back thus forgetting to give her a call until too late. Mel seems pretty upset, as the matter in fact, she seems down right enraged at being left behind. Janice prods over the sentence carefully. Maybe…there was hope after all. Recalling the times they had spent together since they met until that marvelous night…all those small gestures…those little things…the possibility just seems to get brighter and brighter. Mel was always kinda of jumpy when Janice touch her and every now and than… she got this far away dreamy look on her face while they were talking...an expression not all that foreign to the archeologist as it happened frequently to her when she realized that she wanted Mel to be more than friends.

She thought back to what Alex had previously said. 'She's right. Give both of us a chance. If the worse happen…I can always beg to let our friendships continue.' Mel was the most compassionate and forgiving person she ever met, so that was no problem at all. A decision was made. She was going to let it all out…pour her heart out to Mel. Offer her everything she had. Body, love and soul. It would not be easy, but the possibility was worth the risk and Janice was going to take it. She was not called 'Mad Dog' for nothing.

"We're almost there Janice. And look," Alex glance at her watch. "We still have one minute to spare." She turned to her friend with the intention of throwing a few more sarcastic remarks but was stunned into silent as she saw a frozen Janice, breathing hard, hands tighten into fists, turning into a horrify shade of ghostly white.

Following the direction of her eyes, Alex saw that Janice was staring intensely at a couple walking towards a car from the university. An attractive tall woman with silky long black hair was resting her head intimately on the board shoulder of the equally handsomely build man as he draped an arm protectively around her. Without a single need of explanation, Alex knew that the woman who had already gotten into the car was non other than, the object of Janice affection, Melinda Pappas.

Janice had trouble breathing. She made an effort to breathe in and out but her lung was not listening to her commands. That must be the reason why her heart was clutching so painfully around her chest. It was pounding so hard that Janice was sure that it would most certainly burst within second. She hoped that her heart would quickly achieved what ever it wants because the pounding was starting to give her a raging headache and was affecting her hearing greatly. Was somebody calling out from her? She was sure she heard someone called her name. Mel? No, it could not be her. Than suddenly memories of the last few minutes hit her like a wave from a raging storm. It was not Mel who was calling out for her because…Mel had just left with a…man.

Mel left with a man.

A man.

No, no! That could not be happening. Mel was hers. She was sure. Or was she? But isn't that the reason why she was here. To tell Mel about her feelings. That she loves her. That she wanted nothing more than spending the rest of her life with her. Just her. But…but Mel had left with another man. A man with an arm around her, holding her. And the most incredible thing was that… Mel let him. They looked so comfortable with each other. No, no!

Come back! Come back!

And that was the last words Alex heard before Janice blacked out.