She Smiled at Her Pt. 03

This story is the third installment of a prequel series based on my ongoing work "Is She Smiling at Me?" As always, this story is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real people is purely coincidental. I love hearing feedback from my readers; please feel free to leave comments or contact me with your thoughts or suggestions.

Please note: Credit once more to SilkeeSmooth, my co-author for this story. Her drive and enthusiasm for this series are what make it what it is. Don't forget to check out her work.

*****

The alarm clock sounded different. It was just as annoying as ever to be sure, but it was somehow different. Almost immediately, Liz sensed something was not right. There was far too much light filtering into her bedroom; even through her closed eyelids, she felt the oppressive illumination burning her weary eyes. Closed eyelids? She tried to open them, but they would not respond.

'Why does that alarm clock sound so weird?' She thought, 'And why can't I open my eyes?'

Something was terribly amiss; this became more apparent with the startling realization that Liz found that she was unable to move. Panic raced up her spine and she attempted to cry out, but her mouth had been filled with cotton. Only a soft, dry gasp passed through her chapped lips.

Why couldn't she open her eyes? Why couldn't she speak? Whose alarm clock was that?

But most terrifyingly; why couldn't she move?

Someone was sitting on her chest.

Someone had drugged and kidnapped her. They had blindfolded her, restrained her limbs, and gagged her. Then they sat on her to prevent her from moving.

"Turn off that fucking alarm clock!" She finally managed to croak, stifling a sob.

"Liz?" A familiar voice called her name, "Liz, baby?"

'Oh god, they've got Alex too!' She thought.

With that, her eyes burst open.

The sudden blast of light burned her retinas, bleaching the color from the room and casting flares and pinwheels across her vision. As her eyes adjusted to the brightness, a blurry figure above her sharpened and came into focus until she was able to recognize the face of her girlfriend. Alex wore a look of deep concern, appearing as though she had not slept in days, yet the beautiful older woman forced a reassuring smile that quickly dampened the fear and confusion Liz felt.

Liz turned her head, realizing that she could, in fact, move. She looked in the direction of the alarm clock with its incessant beeping and saw that it was some kind of medical monitor attached to a pole with lines that disappeared behind a curtain.

She was in the hospital.

She hadn't been kidnapped.

That damned alarm clock was just a medical monitor.

She looked back at Alex, who was trying hard to smile as she nodded at the younger woman.

"It's all done, baby. The doctor said everything went perfectly," Alex said softly.

Alex wasn't one to cry easily, but when she saw Liz slowly look down to her chest, and finally understand that she was in the recovery room after having had her breast augmentation surgery, the look on her face as her eyes welled up with tears nearly put Alex over the edge.

"My mouth is really dry... Can I have some water?" Liz croaked.

Alex nodded, "I'll check with the nurse."

She returned a few moments later with a small cup of crushed ice and the nurse in tow.

"You'll need to go easy with this for now." The nurse said as Alex handed Liz the ice.

Liz tilted a bit of the crushed ice into her mouth. The cold moisture cut through the phlegm and dryness, providing instant relief to her parched lips and tongue. After swallowing, she felt that she could speak more clearly, "It feels like someone's sitting on my chest, and it's really tight. Everything went okay?"

The nurse nodded and assured her that what she was feeling now was very typical. She explained that her doctor would have all of the details and she could ask whatever questions she might have at her follow-up appointment the next day when the bandages would be removed. Liz would have to stay here, in the recovery room, for an hour to monitor her condition, but then she would be free to go home.

Liz looked at her chest once again, realizing it was heavily wrapped, making it impossible to determine what her new breasts actually looked like. Despite all that, if what she could see was any indication, she now had a substantial set of breasts where before she had only subtle little mounds.

An hour later, Alex and the nurse helped a wobbly Liz from her wheelchair into the car. From there, the girls went straight to a pharmacy to fill Liz's prescriptions. The still-drowsy Liz attempted to speak, but Alex insisted that she rest and both women were mostly quiet for the ride. Liz had just taken a big step in her life and, as they headed towards Alex's apartment, she knew she was about to take another. The older woman had convinced her that she should stay at her place during her recovery; an offer that she had hesitantly accepted.

Sure, the two had spent the odd weekend together, but this... This would be living together. At least until Liz was healed up enough to satisfy Alex. As she stared out the car window, she reflected on her situation. Liz had never felt this way. No one had ever done something so big, so... Needed, for her. Alex never stopped challenging Liz, and this was another challenge; accepting her generosity. The operation had been financed with money that Alex had saved and set aside, one day expecting to have the surgery herself, that she had just gifted to Liz.

Alex had said she had eventually gotten to a place in her own journey that she didn't need to have bigger tits to convince herself, or the world, exactly what kind of woman she was. That was easy enough to believe; Alex certainly wasn't lacking in either confidence or beauty. But for Liz, this was something that she deeply desired. Having voluptuous breasts of her own had always been part of her long-term picture, and now... Alex... She had so many emotions when it came to her lover. Liz admired her, was sometimes jealous of her, loved her, missed her when they were apart, sometimes needed to be apart, wait... Loved her?

When they arrived at their destination, Alex helped Liz inside and brought her to the couch. She then raced off to her refrigerator, returning with two frozen bags of peas.

"I hope you like peas!" She laughed, "I've got four more bags in the freezer, and they're all for you, baby."

Alex handed Liz the bags while the young woman grimaced.

"I hate peas," Liz replied as she gently laid the bags on her chest.

"Rest. I'm right here if you need anything, but rest. The nurse said the painkillers will kick in a bit later than you'd probably like, so remember your centering stuff if you have to." Alex sat in the recliner next to the couch.

Liz smiled at her and reflected again on those emotions of hers.

'She must love me, she just spent thousands and thousands of dollars to buy my boobs.' She thought, 'Alex isn't rich, she has a nice apartment and drives a nice car, but she's not rich.'

Liz tilted her back and looked at Alex, who glanced up from her book and smiled at the younger woman.

"You good?" Alex asked.

"Thank you, Alex," Liz said quietly.

"For what?" Alex asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Just for being you. Thank you, Alex..." Liz nearly whispered, feeling tears forming in the corners of her eyes. She smiled at Alex and looked away, closing her weary eyelids.

"I see those painkillers are kicking in." Alex chuckled.

Alex went back to her book, but she wasn't really reading. 'God, she seems so small right now.' She hated seeing Liz in pain. She had told her that getting bigger tits wasn't going to make her any more of a woman; that she was already, fully and completely, a woman. Liz explained that she needed this, even if she had to accept it would be for selfish reasons, she wanted these breasts. She tried to explain to Alex that the woman inside her was somehow tied to what she needed to see in the mirror.

After Alex had convinced her that it wasn't any trouble paying for the surgery, and that had been no easy feat, she'd made Liz promise her that she would never feel beholden to her. She never wanted Liz to feel like she owed her anything. Her only request was that Liz let her look after her following the surgery. Alex explained that she felt at least partially responsible for the pain and discomfort the procedure would cause, so it made sense that Alex kept her comfortable, and helped in her recovery. Besides that, Liz's parents worked, and she wasn't at all comfortable with Liz alone in an empty house for most of the days of her recovery.

There was more though. Alex had fallen for Liz. She hadn't planned it that way, not now, maybe not ever. But if she were being honest with herself, it wasn't as though she had ever decided that Liz would just be another conquest. No, Liz was special. There was something about her... There were plenty of things about her, but she was special. She lit up any room she walked into; her abnormally, adorably large eyes and winning smile had a way of disarming anyone she looked at. And when she looked at Alex, it made her... Well anyway...

Alex hoped that Liz would accept herself, now that she'd had this surgery. She had heard countless stories of trans women that just needed boobs to be complete, who then needed additional surgeries, and then even more, and some that even had the bottom surgery, only to feel still unfulfilled. That wouldn't be Liz though. She couldn't imagine Liz chasing something that could never be had. No, she felt like this was what Liz needed to get on with her life and be truly happy; finally, the version of her that she wanted, that she needed, to be.

To get on with her life... What did that mean? Did she want to say 'to get on with their lives?' Alex considered the thought. 'Why can't I just admit it, even to myself?' She shuddered in her chair, 'It's not like I'd have to get down on a knee and propose to her or anything, would it be so terrible to just say "Liz, I love you."?'

Alex knew the younger woman had strong feelings for her, it was obvious. But at the same time, she knew that before her, Liz had been a virgin. Without having any other relationship experiences, certainly nothing serious, how would that be fair to Liz? 'I'm not sending her packing to go ring up a body count, and then hope I get her back as the same Liz she is right now.' No, she resigned herself to the thought that she wasn't letting go of Liz, and that if Liz felt the same way, then they would work out whatever needed to be worked out. Did Liz still have that "handsome guy and white picket fence" dream though? Alex knew she could never give her that. They would have to talk about that, that is, if they decided to make things... To make things... What?

'Just say it!' Her thoughts screamed at her.

Alex looked away from her book and saw Liz, sleeping peacefully and looking as cute as ever, with two bags of frozen peas perched on top of two huge breasts that weren't there when she woke up that morning. She couldn't help but smile at the sleeping beauty as her mind wandered away from the here and now, thinking back on the day that had ultimately led her to this moment.

*****

Liz was staring at herself in the mirror again.

Alex hated to see her like that. She understood all too well the thoughts that were going through the younger woman's head, and it pained her that Liz couldn't see herself as she saw her; as a beautiful, perfectly imperfect, totally complete woman. The pattern had started subtly enough; she noticed Liz absentmindedly touching her chest, or casting lingering, sidelong glances at her reflection in mirrors and windows, always with a barely perceptible frown. But as they grew close, very close, over these last three months, Alex noticed the recurring theme. She wasn't sure if the behavior was increasing in frequency or if she simply noticed it more as she became more attuned to it, but she was acutely aware of the sadness that Liz's general air of upbeat positivity and joy concealed.

It wasn't a constant in her life, not at all. By all measures, Liz was a happy, bubbly girl with a certain sweet innocence about her. Her sparkling eyes and bright smile went hand-in-hand with her general disposition; a characteristic that Alex felt defined her, and that she so adored. Yet that pain was there, just under the surface, rearing its ugly head at odd, seemingly random moments. Alex had tried to talk to her about it, to get her to see that it was only her perception of herself that caused her to feel that way, but Liz was steadfast in her determination that she wouldn't be complete until the version of herself that she saw in her mind's eye matched the version of herself that she saw in the mirror.

That version was standing in front of Alex's dresser, fully nude, having just woken up after another amazing night together, staring at the reflection of the beautiful young woman with long, brunette hair, big sparkling eyes, and A-cup breasts. Alex slid out of bed and sidled up behind her, wrapping her arms around Liz's stomach and bending to plant a gentle kiss on her elegant neck.

"Are you okay, baby?" Alex spoke softly, squeezing her affectionately.

"I'm fine." Liz smiled weakly in the reflection, placing a hand over her lover's.

"I hate to see you like this, sweetheart..." The words felt hollow somehow; helpless. They had done this dance at least a dozen times and nothing Alex said ever seemed to help.

"Alex, I'm okay!" Liz insisted, turning around in the older woman's arms to look her in the eyes, flashing that trademark smile of hers.

But Alex understood that Liz was putting up a front for her benefit.

"Come back to bed, baby." Alex returned the smile half-heartedly. She wanted to do something, anything, to take her lover's pain away.

Liz let Alex take her by the hand and lead her back to the bed. The older woman crawled onto the mattress, adjusted the pillows to sit upright against the headboard, and gestured for Liz to join her. Liz turned and slid in between her legs, feeling Alex's soft tits against her back as she leaned against her, pulled close by Alex's arms. She smiled at a soft, lingering kiss placed on her cheek, and laid her head back against her lover's shoulder. The two sat quietly, wrapped in a warm embrace as time ticked by, oblivious to the tender moment they shared.

"I'm starting to think you won't ever get past this until you get what you want." Alex's voice was nearly a whisper when she finally spoke.

"I won't," Liz replied flatly.

"Then maybe it's time to talk about actually doing it."

"I can't ask my parents to pay for it. They've been so amazing about all of this, but that's too much." Liz said glumly.

"Liz... What if I told you that I had the money saved up from back when I thought I wanted a boob job, and it's just been sitting there ever since and that it would make me very happy to see it go towards a new pair of tits?" Alex offered.

Liz was startled by the comment. She hadn't meant to put Alex in that position, in fact, it never occurred to her that she might say such a thing. Suddenly, she felt overwhelmed. Her head swam in a dizzying stream of thoughts brought on by Alex's offer. She leaned back, craning her neck to look up at the beautiful woman who held her so tenderly.

"Alex, no, I didn't mean to make it sound like that. I wasn't asking you to help me." Liz objected.

"Didn't think so for a second." Alex smiled warmly at her.

There was a long moment of silence while Liz tried to make something coherent out of the noise in her head.

"What if you change your mind? Then you won't have the money because you used it on me."

"Sweetie, have you seen me? You don't mess with perfection." She flashed Liz a playful wink.

Liz giggled at that. Alex was perfect, there was no argument there.

Was this something that could actually happen? Could she accept such an insanely generous offer? Of course not. It was too much to ask of anyone, and she had only been with Alex a few months. As close as they had gotten, and as amazing as their relationship was, she could never let Alex do that for her... Could she? Liz had never felt so torn in her life; a part of her wanted to hug and kiss the older woman, to scream and jump for joy, and fall down laughing on the mattress. An equally powerful voice inside her told her she could never allow it, that it would be a debt that could never, ever be repaid... That she didn't deserve it.

It was all too much. A sob wracked Liz's tiny body and she broke out in tears.

"Oh, baby, no!" Alex exclaimed, hugging her tightly, "Breathe in, center, breathe out, remember sweetie? It's okay. You're okay."

Liz cried hard. Maybe harder than she had ever cried in her life. She let the emotions pass through her, feeling the warm tears stream down her face and the choking sobs so intense that they hurt. And then she repeated Alex's words, her words, in her head. 'Breathe in... Center... Breathe out...' She took a deep breath, feeling herself regain some semblance of control as Alex wiped a tear from her cheek.

"Alex, it's too much... Why would you want to do this for me?" Her voice came out shaky as the words passed through trembling lips.

"Because I can, sweetie. And because you deserve it..." Alex trailed off, trying to find the courage to say out loud the words that completed the sentence in her head; 'And because I love you.'

She hated herself at that moment for not being able to express how she felt. She could picture how good it would feel to say those simple words, the sense of relief, the joy it would bring them both. She knew in her heart how Liz would react, and that it would take away her pain, if only for the moment, but she could not bring herself to say them.

"Liz, baby, let me do this for you. I want so badly to do this for you."

Liz said nothing, burying her head against Alex's chest, hearing the older woman's heartbeat and feeling her strong, warm arms holding her close.

Alex waited with bated breath for Liz to process whatever was going through her head. She knew the wheels were turning; Liz was looking for reasons to decline the offer, but she hadn't said 'no.' Brushing a fringe of dark brown hair over the younger girl's ear, she teased her fingers down, following the jawline until she reached her chin and gently guided her face upward until she was gazing into her eyes. The crying had stopped, but the remnants of the tears remained; Liz's big doe eyes sparkling all the more for the moisture that clung to them. Alex raised her eyebrows, asking a wordless question with her eyes as she looked back and forth between Liz's.

Still in a state of confusion and disbelief, Liz stared back into those brilliant, piercing eyes; irises as bright and clear as the finest emerald, and dark pupils that expressed an infinite depth. She felt the older woman's sincerity as an ineffable connection passed between them and her doubt dissolved into oblivion. Trust. Liz trusted Alex with every fiber of her being. She realized the offer made to her came from complete and total selflessness; there was no manipulation or ulterior motive behind it. Alex wanted this for her as badly as she wanted it for herself, and if she were to deny it, she would be serving no one's interests.

Finally, Liz gave a subtle nod, never breaking eye contact with her lover.

"Yeah?!" Alex exclaimed excitedly, a wide smile stretching her pretty lips.

"Yeah." Liz giggled.

Alex's reaction made Liz feel as though it were she who had just done something incredibly, inexplicably, insanely wonderful for her girlfriend and not the other way around. There was something deep and magical about that feeling, impossible to define and yet undeniably powerful. For the second time that morning, Liz cried. Not the pained tears of hurt and confusion, though equally overwhelming, these were tears of pure, unabated joy.