CHAPTER 11: WHO'S ON FIRST?

T HE TEA WAS sweet, the tiniest bit of spice mixed with the honey made the liquid taste slippery. Mariel had never really been one for the stuff growing up, but she had tried raspberry tea once in a little coffee shop in Madison one night when she was cramming for midterms. She never forgot it. It soothed her body and her soul, still reeling from the sudden loss her fiancй, Peter. It was a rainy night in March and she sat alone in a booth, her social psychology notes and books spread out on the table. Everyone else had left Wisconsin for spring break, but she stayed, determined to go on with her studies despite the fact that she should have been on her honeymoon that week.

Mariel had grieved and raged the weeks following his death, the shock almost too much for her to bear. She had considered giving up her dreams and simply retreating away someplace warm and safe so she could forget. But then, she knew that for her own well-being and peace of mind, she had to continue, had to move on with her life.

'Persistent' was what her professors had called her, even then. Stubborn was more like it. Mariel simply put her mind to something and was unwilling to give up until she got what she wanted. The young scientist thought that trait might come in handy with the dark detective who casually strolled across her living room. For some reason, Mariel knew that Tina Amphipoli was not one who tolerated quiters. Or non-creative types. In the investigator's line of work, Mariel knew that sometimes the strategies and plans she came up with would be unconventional, suited for the situation, even far-fetched. However, when she heard Tina's words, she had to say she was unprepared for this particular plan. Incredulously, the doctor spoke, her words scaring Idgie from her lap.

"Are you saying that I'm going to have pose as your...slave?"

Tina chuckled. She had just laid out the bare bones of her plan to the doctor as she quietly paced the living room, her body craving the activity. Pausing, the investigator turned and leaned her shoulder against the tall bookcases and idly let her eyes drift over the tomes before smiling back at Mariel. With a casual off-handed tone of voice, she spoke.

"Well, in these circles, I think the correct term is 'bottom'."

The look of horror on Mariel's face nearly made the private eye laugh out loud so she bit her lip to keep from doing it. The scientist's voice rose in a mixture of confusion, amusement, and indignation all rolled into one.

"Bottom!?? What the hell kind of thing is that??"

Tina let her fingers drift over the spines of the leather books briefly before she sat back down on the couch, her forearms resting on her knees. Turning to Mariel, a wry smile crossed her lips.

"Take it easy, Mariel...it's just a way of describing how people act towards one another in certain situations."

Mariel's eyes found the detective's own and gave her a dubious look before she paused and spoke unconvinced.

"Uh..huh. Tina, would you care to explain further because I'm not getting the picture here. I'm not sure I like the idea of being referred to as a...'bottom'."

Here, the scientist's eyes danced playfully as she smiled over at Tina. The dark-haired detective smiled back and quirked an eyebrow up before casually reaching her hand over and giving a playful shove against Mariel's knee. With a chuckle, she proclaimed.

"You're an uppity bottom too. That's cute."

Mariel raised her own eyebrow in response and licked her lips before smiling. She considered making a smart-ass comment but decided against it. Was she going to argue when Tina thought she was cute? With a waving hand gesture, she prompted.

"Feel free to elaborate on this 'bottom' thing anytime please."

Tina chuckled and looked down at her boots, a smile crossing her lips before she clasped her hands together and turned her head to the side, capturing Mariel with her eyes' blue intensity.

"Ok. Since we decided our best bet was to work the sex slave angle, we're going to have to visit a few places looking for leads. Now, I've got some old contacts at The Whip Room which is a women's leather bar and I think we should also try The Mortar and Pestle which is mixed. Both of those places should give us something to start with in the way of information."

Mariel nodded, listening as she rose and went to her desk, grabbing a pen and notepad to jot down a few things. Sitting back down, she intently wrote out a couple of words before lifting her head and catching Tina's amused expression.

"What? Can I help it? I'm a note-taker...it helps me think when I see things written down."

Tina smiled at the young researcher and nodded before lifting her cup and finishing off the last of her tea. Mariel's voice was equal parts business and excited banter.

"Ok, so where does this whole 'bottom' thing come in?"

The investigator turned her head again and smiled before responding in a deeply rich voice that the doctor was finding quite becoming on Tina.

"Well, in order to avoid arousing suspicion, we need to fit in and that means playing the part. These clubs are pretty strict about the dress-codes and the rules. They all operate within the leather community so that means we're going to have to play along or they'll boot us right out the door."

Mariel nodded as she wrote down a few key ideas and looked up as Tina paused, her sleek muscled form leaning back against the couch with her long legs stretching out in front of her. Clasping her fingers together, she rested them on her t-shirted belly, her leather coat falling open. Letting her eyes meet the scientist's own green, she continued.

"It's really about power, Mariel. Within the community, 'bottom' generally refers to the submissive partner, sometimes called a 'slave' while the 'top' is the more dominant partner or 'master'. In the clubs, you're expected to act those parts and dress accordingly. Obviously, with us, you'll be the bottom and I'll be the top."

Mariel's eyebrows came together and she held up her hand with a slight shake of her head and a semi-miffed tone of voice.

"Wait. Why is that obvious? Why do you get to be the top and I have to be the bottom?"

Tina looked over at her, her dark eyebrows raising as she chuckled just a bit. Crossing one boot ankle over the other, the investigator gave a casual shrug and smiled.

"Mariel, no one would believe it if I were your slave. Trust me."

Mariel shook her head, indignation winning out this time in her voice.

"Hey, what makes you think I can't be the dominant one? How do you know?"

Tina glanced over at the researcher in her All-American glory, blond hair falling casually across the dark green fabric of the couch she leaned against. In her t-shirt and khakis, Mariel Potidean looked every bit the girl-next-door instead of some big leather top. Hell, it'd be a stretch to get her dressed and passed off as a bottom. Of course, Tina conceded, looks were deceiving when it came to who ruled in the bedroom. Briefly she wondered exactly what the young doctor would be like in that arena before she stopped herself and got back to the matters at hand.

"Listen, Mariel, this has nothing to do with what you might really be like. Right now, we need to pass ourselves off in a believable way and I already know I can pull off the top thing with no problem."

The sureness in the investigator's voice as well as everything Mariel had noticed about Tina actually made that point perfectly clear. In fact, sitting there in her leather coat and casual self-assurance, Tina already gave off the vibe that she was in charge, something that the researcher had found quite appealing. She had never really thought about it before but she guessed that such things could also play out in the bedroom as well. Mariel bit her bottom lip, imagining Tina taking charge there as well. With a slight shiver which she covered by standing again, it was her turn to pace the living room.

"Ok...you do have a point there. I trust you on this. We're never going to get anywhere if we don't make it look real. So what do I have to do?"

Tina watched as Mariel paced, her shoes long since removed so that the young scientist padded across the hardwood in her socks. Mariel's body shifted as she turned, her lithe form muscled and surprisingly agile. The private detective concluded that Mariel must work out, her body as well-honed as her brain. With a smile, Tina nodded.

"Do you have a phone?"

* * *

Mariel had stretched out fully, lounging on her couch, her hands behind her head with her eyes closed. She had shown Tina into her bedroom where the other phone was located. Aside from her computer hook up, the scientist's apartment had only one other phone. Letting the investigator have her privacy, she relaxed, her mind vaguely tired but yet wanting to replay the entire evening.

Even though they had only met earlier that night, Mariel almost felt like she had known the tall, dark woman forever. She couldn't quite explain it, but there was a level of comfort and familiarity that she would have never expected. Could it be possible to feel that? Mariel had plenty of friends growing up, and even though she connected with them, there wasn't that same sense of...she didn't know what it was. Even as close as she had once been with her beloved sister, she hadn't felt the same kind of deep 'knowing' that she felt with Tina. It was crazy. Wasn't it?

Fuzzily, things shifted and Mariel felt herself drifting in warmth. In the silver moonlight of post-sundown, she wandered through tall rows, the dark stalks of corn high above her head. The air was humid, deep in the summer, and the crickets and cicadas were still chirping. Lightening bugs glowed on and off all around her. She was walking and walking, the coarse green leaves itching against her skin. There was something wrong. What was it? The row reached out forever in front of her and she stumbled, catching herself before she fell. Turning, she looked for Lisa.

Tina put the receiver back, her eyes still drifting over the cozy bedroom. She had been sitting on the edge of Mariel's bed while she made her plans. Idgie had nestled herself on the doctor's soft pillow, sleeping contentedly. The thick down comforter on the bed was soft and smelled freshly like flowers and citrus. She smoothed her hand over the blue flannel covering it and glanced around the room. Aside from the nightstand with a couple of books on it, there were few items in the room. A thick light blue rug covered the floor at the foot of the bed, an old wooden trunk resting at the end. There was also a dresser with pictures on it, a family of smiling faces. Standing, Tina moved over and took a look, smiling at a young Mariel, her arm around a girl of the same height with darker hair and two parents behind them. Next to that picture were a couple of older ones, grandparents maybe. Tina paused when her eyes fell on a picture of Mariel laughing and standing next to a slightly taller young man with his arm around her, his dark hair and fresh face looking back at her. Peter, she assumed.

She clicked off the light as she moved out of the bedroom and back into the quiet living room. With a quick glance, she saw Mariel stretched out on her couch. As she moved closer, the investigator saw that the young scientist appeared to be sleeping. Her face was gentle, the wisps of blond hair falling haphazardly across her brow. With her eyes closed, Tina thought Mariel looked younger still and innocent. The detective walked softly, coming to stand next to the couch, unwilling to wake the doctor up, content to study her peaceful face. Slowly, Mariel's brows came together as she twitched, her arms moving to reach around herself in sleepy comfort, soft murmurs coming from her lips.

"Li.."

Mariel pushed back the rows of stalks, searching for her sister. Wading further and further into the field, she began calling out Lisa's name and getting no answer. Frantically, she began to run, the corn scratching against her face and arms and legs. The sound of the crickets and cicadas growing louder as she ran, flashes of light from the fire flies flew past her eyes. And she ran. Forever it seemed.

Tina sat down gingerly on the edge of the couch next to the scientist's dreaming form and put a hand on Mariel's arm, lightly giving it a gentle rub. Lowering her voice so as not to scare the sleeping woman, she spoke.

"Mariel..."

The moonlight got brighter and Mariel felt herself falling, the scene changing in her mind to a misty place with no shape or form.

"Mariel, wake up..."

Tina's voiced soothed as she watched the researcher drift towards consciousness, her eyes fluttering in confusion as she turned her head to the side before focusing on the detective.

"Hmm? Was I sleeping?"

Tina smiled and nodded, her hand leaving the softness of Mariel's arm. With a gentle quiet rumbling voice, the detective shifted and shrugged her shoulder.

"Yeah, you were...look, it's late, I'm going to head out of here. I've got everything set up for tomorrow."

Mariel raised herself up on one elbow and reached out her hand, fingers finding purchase on soft dark leather. Somewhere inside her she felt a vague sense of disappointment at the thought of the private detective leaving. Golden eyebrows raised as the doctor tried to shake the fuzziness of sleep from her head, almost remembering a dream about her sister..maybe.

"Wait...what's the plan?"

Tina looked over at the obviously tired scientist and smiled. Idgie came into the room looking annoyed that her owner was not in bed with her providing a warm body for the yellow cat to curl up against. With a light jump to the couch arm behind Mariel's head she purred loudly, giving a look of displeasure at Tina who was responsible for keeping her soft warm human pillow from their bed. With a quiet voice, the investigator explained.

"We'll meet an old friend of mine at my place tomorrow. She's going to bring some things for you to wear, she's about your size."

Mariel let go of Tina's jacket and ran a hand through her blond hair as she nodded. Clearing her throat, she spoke.

"Ok...then what?"

Tina smiled and chuckled, the earnestly sleepy voice of the scientist sounding like something Tina had heard or felt before, long ago. And all the questions and clarifications, that too felt distantly familiar. With a quirk of her dark eyebrow, the detective answered.

"Then we get to do some of that exciting field work you wanted."

Mariel smiled and closed her eyes as she shook her head, remembering their dinner conversation, which at this point felt like a million years ago. She opened her eyes again when she felt the couch shift as Tina's tall body rose, picking up their tea mugs as she went before taking them into the kitchen. Mariel pushed herself up and stretched, making a contented little noise as Tina came back into the room. With a sleepy but happy expression, she followed the investigator to her apartment door.

"So...when will I see you tomorrow?"

Tina grabbed the stapled copies of the case information Mariel had prepared for her from the end of the couch before she stopped at the door, turning to the shorter blond and smiling. She spoke as her hand fished in her jacket pocket for her keys.

"How about we get lunch and go over the details?"

Mariel smiled, her head tilted up to regard the tall detective. With one hand she rubbed her t-shirted belly and nodded her head, her voice sounding happy about that idea.

"Lunch...that sounds good. I work out over at Patton Gym in the mornings, but I should be done by 11 or so. How does that sound?"

Tina reached her hand to unlock the door and smiled, her dark head nodding her agreement.

"I'll pick you up then."

Mariel nodded and put her hands in her pockets.

"Great."

Tina shook her head in agreement.

"Yeah."

Both of them stood there suddenly awkward, silence for a few moments before Mariel chuckled and spoke.

"So, how 'bout them Cubbies?"

Tina relaxed and laughed, reaching out to the shorter woman's shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze before letting her hand drop, her gaze drifting down briefly before returning to Mariel's face. With a sigh, her eyes softened as she spoke quietly.

"Listen, Mariel, I...about dinner. I shouldn't have said some of the things I did or treat you like a kid who didn't know what she was getting herself into. I..um.."

Mariel shook her head and interrupted gently, her hand reaching to rest on the detective's leathered arm.

"Tina, it's ok, you don't need to apologize. We both were trying to figure out how this would work and you were just making sure I was up to the task. I don't blame you for not wanting someone you couldn't trust to cover your back. I promise you, though, that I'm in this with you totally and completely. You have my word."

Tina nodded, her blue eyes connecting with the scientist's before she smiled, her reply coming in a gentle rumble.

"And you have my word that no matter what, I'll make sure we stay safe. No matter how rough it might get or where this will take us, you should know that I will find a way or die trying."

The scientist nodded solemnly as she took in Tina's words and put her faith and trust into this woman completely. And it felt absolutely right and she believed every word. The investigator gave another quick nod and opened the door. Mariel's voice was soft as she watched the tall woman move out into the dim lighting of the apartment building's hallway.

"See you tomorrow, Tina."

The detective turned before she headed down the stairs and smiled, her dark head nodding. As she descended, she pointed at the door and called up.

"Make sure you lock that door tight, Mariel. Safety always."

Tina grinned as she disappeared down and Mariel chuckled, closing the door and locking it as she was told. Leaning back against the cold hard surface, she brought her arms around herself and smiled. This quite possibly was the best day of her young life, all because a tall dark stranger had come into it with casual grace and charmed the hell out of her. With a sleepy sigh, Mariel decided that maybe she had found her tree in the forest, in the most unlikely of places, Chicago, and in the most unlikely of people, Tina Amphipoli.

Date: 2015-12-17; view: 435