Madam President

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Note: Almost there. :))

Freen stroked slowly over Rebecca's hand as Rebecca swallowed thickly, eyes glued to the TV they'd been watching for the better part of an hour, now.

The public announcement of her brother's sentencing. A sentence Freen already knew. A sentence Rebecca already knew.

Richard would never again be a free man.

And it was best that those involved with his trial make that announcement. It was best that Rebecca mourn a loss that Freen had spent months convincing her that it was okay to mourn in private.

And then the words came. The words came, and Rebecca looked away from the TV and away from Freen as Freen held her hand tightly so she wouldn't withdraw any further than she already had.

There was tension for a moment. Tension so thick it was difficult for Freen to breathe as she moved closer to Rebecca on the couch.

"Baby..."

Rebecca made an awful sound. An awful, choked sound that was full of far too many things for any one person to try holding in.

Freen wrapped her in arms too strong to be struggled free from. Rebecca only gave a half-hearted attempt, anyway. Just a press of both her hands to Freen's chest that went almost unnoticed.

She surrendered, then. Allowed herself to cry it out with plenty of reassurance from Freen and with Freen's hands stroking her back all the while.

"This is allowed," Freen whispered when Rebecca finally seemed too exhausted, even, to cry.

"He's your brother. He was good to you when you needed it most. None of this changes that. You aren't a bad person for being upset, Rebecca. Do you know what you are?"

Rebecca shook her head weakly against Freen's shoulder.

"A wonderful person. The best, strongest person I've ever known. The kindest, too. You are so hard when you feel you have to be, but the heart you've got in there?" Freen pressed a hand over Rebecca's chest right where she could hear it hammering away.

"It's unlike anything I've ever seen. Just refuses to give up. Just like you."

Rebecca relaxed ever so slightly in Freen's arms, then, content to be held and be kept safe by her.

Because that hadn't changed, really. In the six months Richard's trial had dragged on, none of it had changed. Well. Maybe that wasn't entirely true.

Their relationship was no longer a secret. They had breakfast together every morning. They walked together every day. And they shared the same bed every night.

And the general public? Well. It turned out they loved a good romance.

And what better romance was there than to fall for the woman who risked her life to save yours when your fanatical brother tried to take it from you?

All the pieces had fallen into place so easily. From the outside in, anyway. Even if that wasn't quite how it had gone. Even if the public didn't know Rebecca had loved Freen for much, much longer.

Even if they didn't know Freen was an alien. Not yet, anyway.

They were still pondering on that one.

But this was enough for now. It was actually so much more than they could've hoped for just a few short months ago.

"Can I be honest with you?" Rebecca asked as she touched along Freen's fingers with the tips of her own.