Finding Her Way in a Storm Ch. 13-21

Kaia seemed to bristle slightly when Lisa announced that the two never had sex after that drunken night out with their coworkers. The brunette obviously took notice of her former fiance's doubt at her assertion. Lisa looked sad, clearly hurt at the mistrust and uncertainty radiating from Kaia, but she still pressed on.

Lisa explained that her doctors had ruled out the possibility of her engaging in intercourse for the duration of her pregnancy, much to Lisa's relief.

The fact that still left many sexual options on the board for the couple to avail themselves of was evident to us all. A point Lisa quickly attempted to remove as part of the equation.

"He never sexually touched me after that night at the club. He did make several attempts to kiss me at first, but after being rebuffed, he quickly stopped trying," Lisa explained. "I think he realized quickly that I was only there because I was eager to save my pregnancy, but thought he could woo me and eventually win my affection at some point during my pregnancy."

When Kaia showed no signs of relenting the doubt on her face, Lisa looked crestfallen. So much so that Skyler felt the need to throw her a lifeline. As inexplicable as it was, she felt sorry for the single mother, and though it may have been naive of her, she believed Lisa's story.

"I'm sure he did," Skyler said, hoping that Kaia picked up on the sincerity in her voice. "He basically had you as a captive audience for nine months."

Lisa's look of despair had lightened at her words, a thankful glance passing between the two women.

Kaia had given Skyler an odd look. One that was part aggravation and part disbelief. She clearly couldn't understand why Skyler seemed intent on helping her former fiance out.

Skyler had merely caressed her arm in response, tilting her head at the woman she loved and giving her a smile and a reassuring look.

"Those first weeks, I just tried to occupy my mind with whatever I could find to keep from obsessing over you," Lisa said, a tear running down her cheek as she stared at Kaia. "I knew that once you got home, you would come to find me. I was counting on it because I desperately wanted to see you and explain what had happened. As much as the thought of telling you scared me. I knew that I owed you that much. I was frantic to make you understand how much I still loved you. I wanted to make sure you knew that I was only doing this for my child."

Skyler looked at her girlfriend, who was looking down at Macey with dampness in her eyes, Lisa's words clearly affecting her. She used a napkin to wipe at the spit and drool that had collected on the little girl's chin, taking that time to compose herself before turning her attention back to Lisa.

"That night you showed up at the apartment, it shocked me. I was completely unprepared, I didn't expect you back so soon. I was sure that it would be months before I could expect to see you," Lisa said, a hint of anguish in her voice as she looked at Kaia with a pleading look.

Despite the tears flowing down her face, Kaia's look hardened noticeably. The tension in the way she held her body was readily apparent to Skyler, who touched her lover's arm in an attempt to soothe the ragged emotions flowing through her.

"I almost died in that crash, Lisa. Your parents and husband lied to you. My leg suffered spiral fractures, and when they got to me, I had large pieces of shrapnel lodged inside me. The doctors told me that it was a small miracle that I didn't end up bleeding to death," Kaia said with sudden fierceness. It was apparent to Skyler that she'd been waiting to deliver those words for some time, even if she'd been unaware of the fact.

Lisa had merely shaken her head at Kaia's sudden emotional outburst, sobbing as she did. It was several moments before she could gather herself and gain the equanimity to speak again.

"I swear to you that I didn't know how serious it had been, Kaia. Even that night, I couldn't be sure. I only saw you for the briefest of moments, and though I could tell you were on crutches, I couldn't see much more before Steven was forcing me back to the bedroom."

"You had to hear me calling for you, Lisa. You had to hear the pain in my voice, the hurt. What was even worse than having my leg nearly ripped off and losing my life, worse than losing my military career, was having my heart ripped out. I was in utter despair that night, almost suicidal but you turned your back on me and walked away."

Macey began to whine, clearly picking up on the distress in Kaia's tone and tension in her body. Skyler realizing that the baby had done all the good she could in her girlfriend's arms, reached out and took the child from Kaia.

Skyler soothed the child, holding Macey on her shoulder as she patted the baby's back and bounced her lightly. She studied Lisa, who had both hands wrapped across her chest, almost as if hugging herself as she cried. Her heart went out to the attractive brunette, but Skyler knew that there was no way that she could offer her comfort. That would be a betrayal of Kaia.

"I didn't know...it wasn't like that, Kaia...I swear," Lisa moaned, her voice low and pained. "I was afraid and scared...and then the policeman and Steven cornered me in the room. They told me that you were going to jail for unlawful entry and assault. Steven swore that he would do whatever it took to see to it that you were thrown in the brig and dishonorably discharged when you were finally released. I begged him not to press charges and to let me talk to you, but he was adamant about seeing you arrested."

Kaia stood, a loud huffing noise escaping from her lips, clearly taking issue with what she was hearing. Skyler watched as her girlfriend began to pace back and forth, suddenly worried that this was all close to going very bad.

"I didn't force my way in; he's a lying piece of shit. It was all a setup from the get-go. I just didn't realize it at the time, not until it was much too late. He tried to slam the door in my face when I called out to you, and I shoved my crutch in the door to keep it from closing. I was leaning through the door with my weight against it so that I could call out to you. But your asshole husband kicked my crutch out from beneath me. He released the door simultaneously, and with nothing suddenly supporting my weight, I fell into the room and landed awkwardly on my injured leg. It hurt so bad I thought I'd broken the pins loose that were holding the still healing bones together."

Skyler watched as Kaia's frantic pacing slowed slightly, the caramel-skinned beauty's gray eyes seemingly in a daze as she recalled the painful memory.

"I'm so sorry, Kaia. I swear that I didn't even know that you'd been hurt. All I was told was that you were in handcuffs. I pleaded with Steven to let you go," Lisa said before looking down at her feet.

Skyler was suddenly aware that whatever Lisa was about to say, it shamed her.

"I promised him if he would just let you go and promise not to press charges, that I wouldn't ask to see or speak to you anymore...ever."

There was a charged silence that settled between Lisa and Kaia then. Even from where she sat holding a squirming Macey, Skyler could feel it. Its energy permeated the air around them, threatening to explode at the slightest of provocations.

The cooling night air seemed heavy as Skyler watched Kaia where she'd come to rest. Her girlfriend stared across at the woman she'd once swore to spend her life with, a look on her face that Skyler couldn't wholly discern.

"He said that he would agree to let you go as long as I would file for an emergency restraining order and file a complaint with your commanding officer the next morning," Lisa said, her voice sad and defeated. "I didn't have a choice. I'd already hurt you so badly and couldn't stand the thought of ruining your life any more than what it already was."

Kaia said nothing, making her way back over to the picnic table and sitting down, her upper body almost sagging against the surface in need of support. Macey squirmed in Skyler's arms, suddenly restless again, maybe picking up on the auburn-haired beauty's sudden need to hold her girlfriend.

"Maybe we should stop here for now," Skyler said, trying to keep her voice soft and even. She didn't want her emotion to show through, feeling the need to be a steady voice of reason. "It's getting a bit cool out here for Macey and I think that she might need a diaper change."

That got Lisa's attention, the thought of her daughter's need quickly snapping her out of the fugue of despair she'd slipped into. Skyler watched as the older woman wiped at her eyes as she walked over to where she stood. Lisa held her hands out to the baby, who cooed at the sight of her mother, her little arms and legs kicking in delight. Lisa took the child, hugging her to her chest as she whispered sweet words into her daughter's ear. The pretty brunette's eyes cut over to Skyler, her mouth silently uttering her thanks as she lightly brushed the teen's arm before heading into the house.

Skyler watched her go until Lisa had closed the door behind her. She then walked over to where Kaia sat dejectedly, sliding onto the bench next to her. Skyler slid her arm around the cocoa-skinned beauty and laid her head softly against Kaia's shoulder.

"I love you, baby."

Her words seemed to give Kaia a bit of strength, the former Marine's back straightening as her head towards Skyler. Her eyes were wet and appeared weary, but they still held a passion for her.

"I love you too, Sky. I always will, and I hope you know that by now."

"I do," Skyler replied, nuzzling her head into Kaia's neck. "Are you okay?"

Kaia didn't reply for so long that Skyler began to think she hadn't heard her. When she finally did speak, it wasn't to answer the auburn-haired beauty's question.

"You believe her don't you?"

Skyler took in Kaia's words, carefully dissecting their intent. Finally, deciding that it was a question and not an accusation, Skyler considered her reply.

"I do...though I can't tell you exactly why. I guess Lisa's words just ring true to me. They match well with what you've told me happened, and, well..." Skyler said, pausing to think about what it was precisely made her believe the beautiful brunette.

"What?"

"I see how she looks at you and how she is with Macey. And...well, I guess I just don't see a woman with that much love in her willing giving up on you. Not unless she was placed in what she saw as an unwinnable situation. I think her depression over missing you led to her abusing alcohol, and Harrington took advantage of that. I guess I see him as the villain of this tale with you, Lisa, and Macey as the victims."

"Wow," Kaia said, clearly surprised at the depth of feeling Skyler had expressed. "Considering her objective here, it kind of shocks me you feel that strongly about it."

Skyler put both her arms around Kaia's neck and gave her a determined look, saying, "Don't misread me, baby. Nobody is taking you away from me; I promise you that. Just because I can empathize with her plight doesn't mean I won't fight to keep you."

Kaia's mouth then closed the distance between them, her lips finding Kaia's in a kiss that was possessive, hungry, and full of passion.

"You've got nothing to fear, Sky," Kaia said, once their lips had parted. "You're in no danger of losing me. I promise you that."

Skyler studied her girlfriend feeling her words were sincere but still, somewhere deep inside her was a nagging worry. She knew that Kaia believed what she was saying, but everything she'd observed tonight told her there was a danger there.

"I trust you, Kaia. I do. But at the same time, I see the way that you look at her. You wouldn't still hurt so much from all of this if you didn't have a deep pool of feelings for Lisa. And I can see why because she's gorgeous and sexy. You two were going to get married and make a family and life together."

Skyler paused, steeling herself for what she was about to say, nervous at what Kaia's reaction would be to her words.

"I know that you love me, baby. But I think you're still in love with Lisa too, and I don't want us having a fight down the road somewhere and having you regret that you didn't choose Lisa."

Kaia opened her mouth as if to argue, but Skyler quickly put a stop to any attempt.

"Don't, baby, it's plain to see how you feel about her. Try and put yourself in my shoes and look at things from my perspective. I want a life with you, but not one where I have to look over my shoulder constantly, wondering if you're thinking about her."

Skyler watched as Kaia's body seemed to almost diminish in size as the denial inside her evaporated as Skyler's words hit home. For the auburn-haired beauty, it was both a relief and painful to see. All of their cards were out on the table, but Skyler suddenly realized she had no idea of what might be next to come out of the deck.

"I want to be with you, Skyler. I love you more than you'll ever know."

"But..." Skyler replied, knowing there was more.

Kaia's typically confident demeanor dipped, her eyes looking down between them. Skyler realized that as scary as this moment was for her, it may have been even more so to the former Marine.

"But, yes, what I feel for Lisa is more than just unresolved feelings," Kaia admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

There it was, at last. Skyler had suspected it for months, almost feared it, but hearing Kaia finally admit it out loud was, strangely enough, a relief. As fraught with danger as their situation was, Skyler knew they had no real hope of getting past it without her girlfriend facing the truth.

"Then I think you need to let go of the anger that's acting like an anchor, holding you to your former life. The only way you're ever going to be able to move forward and really be happy is to rectify all these old feelings."

"So what do I do?"

Skyler wasn't sure exactly what to say. She knew that the likelihood of the three of them coming out of this night entirely at peace with the situation was small. But she also knew the only way there was any hope of it happening was for them to be open and honest with one another.

"Talk to her, baby. Listen with an open heart. Be honest with her when it's your turn to speak, and above all else, keep your cool. Don't let what you're feelings rule you."

They made their way into the kitchen after placing all their empties and the pizza box in the outdoor trash. The house was so quiet once they'd entered that Skyler wondered if Lisa and the baby were gone.

They found her sitting in Kaia's recliner, Macey suckling at her exposed left breast. Skyler couldn't help but notice how dark Lisa's areolas were compared to hers. She flushed when she looked up to find Lisa looking at her, a smile on the single mother's face that said she'd caught the teen looking.

Skyler blushed at being busted with probing eyes, quickly striving to cover her embarrassment.

"What's it like? Breastfeeding, I mean. It just looks so peaceful and intimate."

Lisa looked down at the little bundle she held dressed in a pink sleeper. Macey's little grunts of contentment at her latest meal were like a song of appreciation.

"Oh, I was nervous at first, and it took some getting used to, but I know that I'll always cherish the memory of it. She's my little miracle that I was never supposed to be able to have, and I know I'll likely never have another. So that makes it all that more special."

Skyler sat down across from where Lisa was, unable to tear her eyes away from the scene playing out across from her. One day, she promised herself that it would be her. She and Kaia had already spoken about the possibility in the distant future, both agreeing that it was something they wanted.

Still, in the here and now, Skyler found herself having to set such thoughts aside as Kaia entered the room, settling comfortably onto the couch next to her. Her arm went around Skyler's shoulder, the auburn-haired teen's head nestling against Kaia's shoulder.

For several minutes, nothing was said, the trio sitting in silence as the baby finished eating and drifted off to sleep. Kaia and Skyler merely nodded when Lisa whispered that she would be right back. They watched her disappear down the hall, Skyler turning to look at her girlfriend.

"I love you, baby. Just hold on to that thought for me."

"Love you too, Sky," Kaia replied, her lips finding Skyler's in a prolonged kiss that only broke when the sound of Lisa's returning footsteps reached their ears.

Lisa had taken the time to dress for bed while putting her daughter down. She wore a long pink nursing gown. It was frilly and feminine, much the way Kaia had always described her former fiance to Skyler. It was something that the teen could see herself wearing when she was a new mother, that or something like it.

That Kaia had a type certainly hadn't been lost on Skyler.

Skyler watched Lisa position the baby monitor and plug it into an outlet, turning it on. She then settled back into the recliner with a resigned look on her face. She almost preemptively reached out to pick up the box of tissues, a sure sign that what was about to come would be emotional.

"The next couple of months were brutally tough," Lisa started, her voice low and coarse sounding as she stared at Kaia. "I kept waiting to start bleeding, every day waking to expect spotting that thankfully never came. The time in between that dread, I spent thinking about you.

I didn't know what had become of you, and I had no way of getting in touch with you. Steven and my mother had seen to that. My cell phone was taken from me with them, saying it was the only way they could ensure that I lived up to my promise. The only computer in the house was Steven's laptop, and he never went anywhere without it.

It wasn't until the start of my second trimester that I got my first news of you. Alice, my nurse, by then had come to realize that I wasn't the manic depressive they'd tried to convince her I was. She agreed to try and contact you for me and tell you what had really happened."

Lisa paused there, sitting back in the recliner and staring up at the ceiling. Skyler watched as she took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she let it out slowly. It was clear that the day had taken an emotional toll on her.

"She managed to find out that you'd been discharged and even went to our old apartment, but it had been rented out to someone else, and the new occupants had no idea where you were. Next, she called the listing agent pretending to be me and asked if you'd mentioned where you were going, but they had no idea.

I couldn't remember Terri and Calista's last name, though poor Alice did her best to find me something. Towards the end of my second trimester, she finally found Terri through a police friend of her brother."

That made sense, Terri's phone call to Kaia, warning her that Lisa was searching for her, came to Skyler's mind.

"Terri said that you didn't want to hear from me," Lisa said dejectedly, staring down at her hands. "She wouldn't even tell me where you were."

"How did you find out?" Kaia asked, her voice filled with curiosity.

With a little smirk on her face, Lisa shrugged and said, "It was a combination of good fortune and a talented private detective. When I was just shy of seven months pregnant, Steven got arrested. It seemed as if he'd been actively involved in helping launder money for the Alfaro cartel for several years. He'd apparently incurred a substantial gambling debt at one of their off-book establishments. They'd agreed to wipe his debt clean, provided he worked north of the border to clear the inevitable legal entanglements organizations such as theirs typically ran into.

My parents, of course, seemed sure that he'd been wrongly accused. It wasn't until reports hit the press that he'd not only been helping them with their human trafficking business but also availing himself of some of the girls brought north of the border that they turned their back on him."