Last Chance

"Yeah, sure, no problem officer," Alan said, turning around and seeing the door the redhead had emerged from close. He sighed, but his frown quickly reversed when he realized he knew where to find her now, and he already had a reason to return.

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Clarence sat outside his supervisor's office, whistling a merry tune and wondering what was taking so long to get him in. Perhaps they're trying to find the right words with which to thank me for completing such an important mission, he thought. Deciding that must be the case he returned to his whistling, daydreaming about how sheepish everyone would look when they found out what he'd accomplished today.

The clouds parted, and Lellor's voice sounded from the space beyond, "Clarence, get in here."

"Yes sir," Clarence responded proudly, hovering up from his seat and flittering quickly through the opening.

Lellor gestured, "Sit down, Clarence. I told you how important the mission I gave you is, didn't I?"

"Yes, Sir, you certainly did. I'm proud I was able to accomplish it," Clarence replied, puffing out his chest and smiling in what he felt was a humble manner.

Lellor raised his eyebrows. "Have you now?" Gesturing toward one of the billowing walls of clouds around them, he caused it to swirl, forming an image of the world below.

Clarence turned to watch the show, expecting to see Alan and Andra staring blissfully into each other's eyes. Thus, what he actually saw was more than a bit of a surprise.

On the viewing screen made of clouds, he saw Andra lying on her bed, legs spread wide and a look of ecstasy on her face. Between those parted thighs was the blonde woman who had pushed Andra back into her office earlier during the scuffle.

Andra screamed, trembling in climax. Emily moaned in delight, as she continued to lap for the flow of Andra's juices. Emily's arm lay beneath her, her hand gently teasing her own folds, as her flashing tongue kept Andra rising ever higher in orgasm.

Andra's breath started coming in rapid gasps, and she pushed Emily away, unable to endure any more. Emily smiled, her face covered in Andra's wetness, and she crawled sensually over the other woman's body to kiss her.

Their lips met, and after a few moments of passionate tongue wrangling, Andra started to lap her own juices from Emily's face with a sexy, amused growl.

The image froze, and a very confused Clarence, his mouth hanging wide open, turned back to his supervisor. "But... but..."

"Accomplished your mission, have you? It certainly doesn't look like it to me. Clarence, it is absolutely critical that this woman get over her disdain for men. She is going to be important later, and if she gives up on men, she's not going to do what she's supposed to do. This Alan is the only one who can convince her to change her mind," Lellor lectured.

"But I... It had to have hit -- it just had to," Clarence stammered.

Lellor groaned dramatically, and gestured to the cloud viewport again. When Clarence turned back, the image started moving backward, like a videocassette rewinding.

Clarence saw Emily and Andra touching, kissing, and lapping each other in reverse, obviously for quite some time. They then rose and walked backwards out of Andra's bedroom, clothing leaping up from the floor into their hands and sliding back onto their bodies.

The pair walked to the door, where a long passionate kiss lasted for several moments. The two women then backed out the door. The scene rewound to a cab ride, and then to a bar. Inside the bar, there were absolutely no men, only women. Clarence watched the steadily building desire in both women's eyes in reverse, until they walked backwards out of the club to a cab.

Finally, the scene reached the moment when Clarence fired his arrow. Lellor froze it at the last moment, showing the arrow protruding not from Andra, but instead from Emily's right breast.

"Oh no," Clarence moaned, covering his face in his hands.

"To say the least," Lellor responded. "I have no idea what the boss was thinking when he assigned you to the A-team for this, but far be it from me to question him. I'm not going to tell him how to do his job, but I'm certainly going to do mine, and make sure you do yours."

Lellor stood up, walking briskly around the puffy bank of clouds he used as a desk to stand over Clarence. "I'm giving you one last chance, Clarence. I swear to you, if you fail this time, I'll put you in charge of zoo pandas."

Walking back around to his desk, Lellor muttered, "Heaven knows that nobody will notice if you miss most of the time with those pandas. The silly humans counteract most of our arrows anyway. They're constantly watching the poor animals all the time, shoving thermometers into them just as they're getting in the mood, and showing them films of the two homeliest pandas on the planet mating. Then they have the nerve to wonder why they aren't getting baby pandas. I swear humans are helpless sometimes."

Sitting back down, Lellor waved his hand impatiently, "Now, get out of my office, Clarence. The next time I see you, it will either to be to admit I'm wrong, and you're not the most worthless excuse for a cupid ever to pick up a bow, or to put you on panda duty."

"Y-yes sir!" Clarence flew quickly back through the opening, on his way to the armory to pick up a fresh stock of arrows.

"I swear the Almighty was in the same sort of humorous mood when he made Clarence as the day he dreamed up the platypus," Lellor muttered, waving a hand to close the opening Clarence had just sped through.

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Andra woke up, and it only took a moment for her to realize that what she remembered wasn't just a dream. Emily lying nude next to her was certainly confirmation that every breathless moment had been very real.

Shivering a little, Andra snuggled back into the bedclothes, barely able to remember the whirlwind of emotions that led up to this moment. One second, Emily was pushing her back into the office. The next, their eyes locked and Andra couldn't think of anyone, or anything else.

The police had dealt with David, and the office returned to normal, but Andra and Emily both found they couldn't stay away from each other, or get much done. With nothing pressing going on, they'd left early to go have that drink.

When they'd walked into the bar, and Andra realized there wasn't a single man in the place, she was a little surprised. The glances from the other patrons revealed that the establishment was obviously a hangout for lesbians.

Emily had mentioned that it was the perfect place to have a girl's night out, and Andra could hardly disagree. After a few drinks, Emily had convinced her to get out on the dance floor. A little tipsy, and getting turned on by the provocatively dressed women around them, their dancing had become more than a little indecent.

The next thing Andra knew, they were in a cab on the way back to her place, tearing off each other's clothing, and falling into bed.

Looking over at the clock, Andra realized she was running late. "Oh no," she groaned, getting up reluctantly.

Emily stretched and sleepily muttered, "What?"

"It's already seven o'clock. We're going to have to hurry or everybody will be standing outside waiting for one of us to open up the headquarters," Andra explained, going to her closet to select some clothing.

Climbing out of bed as well, Emily suggestively said, "We could share a shower -- that would speed things up."

Looking over at Emily stretching her nude body and yawning, Andra felt wetness gathering between her legs. "I don't think that's going to get us out of here any quicker -- or at all."

Emily pouted, but then laughed and said, "You're right. We'll just have to wait until tonight. There is going to be a tonight, isn't there?"

Andra shivered and said, "Oh, god yes."

"Mmm, get in the shower then, and don't use all the hot water. Can I see if you have something I can borrow to wear?"

"Go ahead, I'll know where to find it tonight," Andra replied walking into the bathroom.

"Lying on the floor, right where our clothes from last night are," Emily laughed.

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Alan woke up, a vision of the beautiful redhead from the day before still drifting through his mind, an echo of the dream from which he'd just awakened.

Shaking his head and laughing, Alan got out of bed, heading for the shower. I haven't been this silly over a woman since I was in high school. I must be out of my mind.

Alan jumped into the shower, anxious to be back at Kline campaign headquarters as quickly as possible.

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Clarence flew in behind the two women as they entered the building, having already checked on Alan and found him coming here of his own accord. He sighed when they ducked behind a partition for a quick kiss, before going to their work for the day.

Maybe they're all right. If I don't get it right this time, I'm going to go turn myself in for panda duty, no questions asked. I am a miserable excuse for a cupid. Maybe I should just turn in my bow and retire.

Sighing again, Clarence settled in atop a cabinet, knocking an arrow and sitting with slumped shoulders and drooping wings, waiting for Alan to arrive.

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Pointing through the cracked doorway of her office, Andra asked Emily, "Who's that?"

Looking out the door, Emily smiled and said, "Oh, Dreamy? He's a writer, and he wanted to know more about how things worked around here for something he's writing. He volunteered to help out while he looked around, and I wasn't going to turn that down. Besides, he's handsome, and he helped get that creep David out of here yesterday."

"You can have him, he's male," Andra responded, blowing a raspberry. "You won't run off and leave me all alone, will you?"

A concerned look crossed Emily's face. "Oh, Andra, it doesn't bother you, does it? I mean..."

Andra laughed and waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. "No, it doesn't bother me. We're not dating or anything, are we?"

"Just having fun -- friends with benefits?" Emily asked.

Andra nodded and twitched her eyebrows. "Wonderful benefits, I might add."

Leaning in, Emily whispered, "Don't worry; no man is going to keep me away from you. It's been too long since I was with a woman I really liked. Especially one who can make me come as hard as you did."

Emily then walked over toward the door, "I'll introduce you. He should meet the captain of the ship if he's going to be helping out around here."

Waving to Alan, Emily gestured for him to come in the office.

Alan's heart skipped a beat. If that was the redhead's office, he might be getting his chance to talk to her sooner than expected. With a nod and a wide smile, he walked briskly toward the door.

Clarence leapt from his perch. Last chance, Clarence, he thought, Make it count!

Flying into the room, he quickly took aim. They were both here, within a few feet of each other. Since his arrow had already hit Alan, the proximity of Andra being struck as well should start the magic working immediately, and without chance for failure.

He just had to hit his target.

Praying with all his might, Clarence took steady aim, using the tip of his nose as an additional sight to center in on Andra. Taking one last breath, he released the arrow.

As soon as the arrow left his bow, Clarence closed his eyes. Without a reference to his surroundings, his flapping wings caused him to drift upward...

Right into the ceiling fan.

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Lellor groaned and slapped his forehead hard. Turning to another of his cupids, he said, "Go fetch him, and send somebody to tell Belisse he's been promoted out of panda duty."

"Hang on a minute, Lellor. Look again," sounded a voice from somewhere above.

"I... Yes, Sir," Lellor responded, looking over at the viewing portal again. What he saw caused him to chuckle in surprise. Looking up, he said, "How did you know, Sir?"

"He works in strange ways, and it doesn't get any stranger than this," the voice responded.

Turning back to the cupid at his side, Lellor amended his orders. "Fetch Clarence back up here, but it looks like Belisse is stuck with the pandas for a while longer."

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Clarence awoke, groaning and rubbing his sore nose, which had taken the brunt of the blow from the ceiling fan. The first thing he realized was that he was back above. Sighing, he sat up and tried to prepare himself for an eternity of trying to counteract the misguided attempts of humans to bring pandas together.

Then he noticed something else.

Looking around, Clarence realized he didn't see the end of his nose. No matter how he turned his head, he couldn't see the proboscis, which had dominated his vision as long as he could remember.

Something moved in his peripheral vision. Turning to the other cupid, Clarence laughed and exclaimed, "Peripheral vision! I have peripheral vision!" He then started dancing about on the cloud.

"Uhm, yeah. Lellor wants to see you, Clarence," the other cupid said, looking at Clarence with an expression that spoke more than slightly of worry.

Clarence stopped in his tracks, his wings drooping. Peripheral vision or not, now he had to face Lellor and the pandas. Nodding, he followed his fellow cupid, who opened Lellor's office doorway, and then flew away shaking his head.

Summoning up his dignity, Clarence flew into the office.

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Eighteen years later...

Andra put down the final pen as she finished signing the document in front of her. The room broke out into applause and cheers, as the Domestic Partners Bill of Rights became law.

Standing behind her, Emily and Alan both smiled back when she turned to look at them with her beatific grin. George stood nearby as well, applauding and smiling. As the sponsor of the bill in the Senate, this was as much his moment as it was hers.

Laughter erupted from amongst the members of the press. Andra and the others turned toward the source of the laughter to see one of the First Daughters rolling in the grass with the First Puppy. The scruffy looking little animal, with a moon shaped patch of white over one eye, leapt up and ran across the lawn. Pamela quickly followed, panting secret service men hot on her heels.

Standing up and kissing first Alan, and then Emily, Andra turned back to the assembled members of the press in the Rose Garden to deliver her speech.

The clouds swirled, revealing Clarence being honored -- once again -- as cupid of the month. He stood tall and proud, but with just enough humility so as not to appear arrogant.

Waving a hand, the salt-and-pepper haired man brought a cigar to his lips, chomping down on it and saying, "I love it when a plan comes together."

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