I hate starting off with an apology, but one is certainly due this time. I intended to only take a short break in the wake of more stress than I was able to handle at the time, but it wasn't simply a matter of bouncing back as I'd assumed. Worse than that, when the days turned into months, I realized that the longer I was gone, the harder it was to get back to work. Being away from writing was far harder than getting back to it, though; it took some time for me to realize that. On top of everything else, my plan to change the way I go about writing completely fell apart nearly as soon as I started. I tried taking a more logical approach to writing to keep my updates regular and keep myself from getting overwhelmed, but I'm apparently not wired for rhyme and reason. I just do things. I have no doubt that I'll end up in another situation where life gets in the way and I end up wearing myself out and need a break, but at least I'll be happy...and in a better position to dive back into my work when the storm passes. I want to thank everyone for sending words of encouragement on Twitter and Tumblr as I got myself together and giving me gentle nudges to get me back on track. I have no idea how long this would have taken without you.

This chapter is incredibly short and felt a little awkward to write as I was referencing events that I hadn't thought about regularly for months, but I set a deadline for myself (which is about six minutes away as I write this) and I intend to stick to it. Just as when I wrote the first chapter, I think that the most important thing right now is to take that first step and make sure the job gets done, even if it isn't perfect.

1. "Dat Jazz" by Nicholas Cheung

For the second time that day, Fareeha found herself waking up in unusual surroundings. Again, the fact that she was on her back was the only thing that didn't seem to be out of place. Remembering trying to wake up earlier that day, she opened her eyes carefully in anticipation of another sharp pain when the light flooded into them. Her vision was blurred by fatigue, but it wasn't particularly unpleasant. Just as when she first awoke, she was certain that the sun was in the wrong part of the sky. Her insides still seemed to be in motion despite her remaining still, but it wasn't nearly as unpleasant as it had been earlier. Her mind slowly picked up its pace as she tried to push her fatigue aside and remember exactly where she was and how she'd come to be there. She thought about the last time she woke up and had tried to remember exactly where she was and quickly remembered how it had managed to finally come together when she realized that Angela was next to her. A brief thought of maintaining her dignity and composure was quickly discarded in favor anticipation as she quickly turned to her side. The quick jab of pain in her head punishing her for the sudden movement barely registered in her mind; she was consumed by a sinking feeling when she saw that the other half of the bed was empty and it took several seconds of reminding herself that she was clearly in Angela's suite to convince herself that she couldn't have dreamed the entire thing. It seemed like a ridiculous thought, but it was impossible for her to not recognize the all too familiar feeling of loneliness that felt as though it was trying to smother her the first time she woke up after parting ways with Angela following a vacation and realized that she wasn't there anymore. As she tried to turn her mind in any direction other than disappointment, she finally took notice of the music that had been playing over the suite's speakers since she woke up. (1) The song was familiar and clearly from her collection; her waking up to it must have been Angela's doing. Realizing that Angela was thinking of her and that she must be somewhere nearby finally gave her some relief from the memories that she'd been trying to keep at bay.

"Are you alright, love? You look out of sorts."

Fareeha felt a brief moment of embarrassment when she jumped at the sound of Angela's voice coming from behind her. She quickly turned to face it, once again punished by a slightly more intense pain in her head and a churning stomach. The discomfort passed much more easily than it had earlier in the morning, but she barely noticed it at all after her slowly clearing vision took in Angela's face. She was standing in the doorway that led to the bathroom, her hair a mess of tangles and a hairbrush in hand. The thick, cream-colored cable knit sweater and simple blue jeans she was wearing were a far cry from the expensive and alluring dress from the night before or the tiny shorts and apron that made Fareeha's heart hammer as if it were attempting to escape her chest earlier that day. It reminded her of every vacation they'd spent together where she'd wished for a moment like this more than anything she could call to mind. Fareeha smiled blissfully, her thoughts now miles away from the discomfort and unease of only a few seconds earlier. It seemed strange to her that, despite the way she'd reacted to the dress and the apron, seeing Angela like this made her even happier.

"...Fareeha?"

Fareeha laughed at herself when she realized that, distracted by her overwhelming relief, she hadn't actually responded. "Yes, I'm better—fine, I mean."

Angela's expression was troubled as she made her way to Fareeha's side to examine her more closely. She definitely didn't seem fine; her pulse was racing and she seemed to be wincing as though she was trying to ignore something that was hurting her. After having seen her do so on so many occasions in the past, instinct drove Angela to worry. It was only her blissful expression that seemed out of place. Concern made it difficult to notice at first, but when Angela saw the incredibly rare smile that Fareeha wasn't even bothering to attempt to hide as she usually did, her worry took a backseat to appreciating the opportunity. She felt a fluttering inside of her as she stood over Fareeha, who wasn't even looking away. Normally, embarrassment would have set in and caused her to turn away, but now she was only looking back into Angela's eyes as though she was also savoring the moment. Spurred on by a warmth that was suddenly spreading throughout her, Angela leaned forward and brought their lips together.

Time seemed to stop as they held each other, both of their concerns now far behind them. The world around them was forgotten until an announcement from the suite's speakers shattered the moment. "Incoming message for Captain Fareeha Amari from: Lena Oxton."

Angela pouted as she reluctantly pulled herself away from Fareeha, a task that was conspicuously difficult for her. She sighed heavily as she sat down on the bed, looking at the hairbrush that she was holding as though she'd just remembered that she was still holding it. "I...suppose you should get that."

Fareeha seemed to be equally disappointed, though she was still smiling peacefully. "I'm guessing that she just wants to make sure that we're still coming to the festival. It was her idea, after all." After a quick command to display the message on the bedroom's television, her smile finally faded as it was replaced with a look of confusion as she read it.

Are you two coming? It's looking like a good time, although I can understand if you have something better to do at the moment. (By the way, if you do have something better to do at the moment, you'd best tell me all about it later!) If you come through, though, make sure you come and find me first. Just give a call when you're on your way. I'll tell you where to find me. Oh, by the way, how did Mercy like what I picked out for you?

Angela put her frustration aside for a moment in favor of curiosity. Several questions came to mind that competed for her attention for a few seconds before she managed to settle on one. "Why does she want us to see her first?"

After a moment of contemplation, Fareeha shrugged as she dismissed her look of confusion. "I was just wondering the same thing. I never seem to be able to figure out what she's up to. She hasn't steered me wrong, though, so I'm willing to assume that there's a reason for it."

"That stands to reason. I'm also wondering, though...what does she think that we will be doing that would be more important than attending the festival?"

Fareeha felt panic jolt through her like electricity as her mind scrambled to find an acceptable response to the question. When she turned away from the message to look at Angela, she was met with a mischievous smile that made it clear in an instant that her efforts were in vain. "Damn it, Lena...she's probably laughing at me as we speak. There's no way in hell that was an accident."

Angela couldn't resist laughing herself, both at Lena's sense of humor and the faint traces of red making themselves apparent on Fareeha's cheeks. Though it was still a subject that she was inclined to handle delicately, it was nice to be able to at least be able to casually reference it without fear of reprisal. She refused to be distracted from her final question, though, which seemed to be more pressing than the others now that she considered the fact that she couldn't hazard a guess on her own.

"What exactly did she pick out for you that she wanted me to see?"

Another wave of nervous energy washed over Fareeha as she remembered that Lena had mentioned something about wearing whatever she first saw when she opened her suitcase. Somewhere in the middle of being anxious to get back, being grateful for breakfast and being too exhausted to think of anything else, she'd completely forgotten about it. Now that the thought was clear in her mind, however, she was more worried about it than ever. Despite having come to the realization that Lena had yet to steer her wrong, she couldn't deny that Lena's judgement, however accurate, seemed to always involve some degree of embarrassment on her part.

"I don't know. She wouldn't tell me and I never unpacked the suitcase to see it for myself." Seeing an opportunity to derail the conversation, she quickly added, "I really should stop sleeping in my dress uniform. I'm making an awful mess of it. Do you know of anyone nearby that can clean and press it for me?"

Fareeha's voice trailed off as she saw her plan fail. Despite mumbling something about having the hotel take care of it later, Angela's eyes were firmly fixed on the suitcase and duffel bag that she'd placed in the corner of the bedroom after they'd been delivered. Fareeha knew the look of concentration well; she had seen it many times before, most often when Angela was in the middle of treating an injury. Fareeha sighed and started for the edge of the bed, resigned to her fate now that it was clear that Angela wasn't about to be deterred.

"Do not worry! I will get it!"

Angela smiled as she dropped the hairbrush and sprang to her feet. Fareeha couldn't help smiling herself; though she was certain that whatever was inside the suitcase would be mortifying, she couldn't help being grateful for it if it made Angela happy. In the midst of her concern over what she would find in it, Fareeha noticed how quickly Angela was moving. She crossed the room in a way that was vaguely reminiscent of how she flew from one patient to the next in combat; the motion was graceful, but at the same time it was so quick that one could easily miss it if they weren't watching for it. She'd barely finished the thought when the suitcase landed on the bed next to her with a thud. As Angela dropped herself onto the edge of the bed near the suitcase, the look of focus on her face changed only enough to show a rapidly growing excitement. Resigned to her fate, Fareeha smiled as she sighed and reached out to the suitcase with an unsteady hand.

Lena is a good friend, but I'm going to kill her.

When the suitcase finally opened, an excited and involuntary gasp from Angela was the only thing that reminded Fareeha that enduring this moment was somehow worthwhile. On top of the hastily folded clothes was a carefully placed black babydoll that she was sure was the thinnest piece of cloth that she'd ever seen. The parts of the bodice that covered the bust was made of intricately woven lace that reminded her somewhat of the yoke of the dress she'd worn the night before, only slightly more substantial in that she was reasonably certain that she wasn't able to actually see through it. It was the most fabric that the babydoll had to offer, however; everything below that point was so thin that Fareeha wondered for a moment why it was even there. Underneath, she saw a lacy pair of black panties that also seemed reminiscent of the night before. It seemed certain that Anaïs had something to do with this, as well.

Being so preoccupied with preparing herself for what she was about to see and then trying to get past it once she had, it took a moment for Fareeha to remember that Angela was still nearby. Being so surprised herself, she didn't even bother to guess what Angela's reaction might be. She looked up to see Angela staring at the suitcase with an expression that suggested that she wasn't quite sure where she was or what she was doing. Though it was difficult to gauge her reaction, the faint traces of red slowly making themselves apparent on her cheeks gave Fareeha the impression that it was somehow a positive reaction. Angela swallowed hard and cleared her throat softly before speaking.

"Would...you...like to try it on?"

Fareeha's heart stopped as she heard the words. Though she had hoped for a positive outcome somehow, she hadn't expected this. She blinked hard and looked at Angela again as though trying to confirm what she'd just heard. After several seconds of silence, Angela suddenly looked up and returned Fareeha's gaze, looking as though she was just as surprised by what she'd just said. The faint traces of red quickly turned to deep crimson as her mind raced for an appropriate amendment to her statement.

"Well...that is...your uniform...I mean...wrinkles." The words came out as a jumbled mess; as Angela heard herself speak, even she could only barely make any sense of them. Struggling to find a way to somehow explain away her nervousness caused her to burst into laughter. "I...I am sorry, love. I know that you are uncomfortable with things like this, but I would be lying if I said that I did not want to see you in it."

Fareeha couldn't help laughing herself. "Don't worry about it. I had a feeling that it would be something like this if Lena was behind it. To be honest, I was just hoping that you would like whatever it was, so I'm satisfied...more or less."

Though she was still laughing at herself, Angela seemed to be relieved by the response. "So you are not upset?"

"I'm still going to kill her for this if that's what you mean."

Angela's laughter started anew. "Close enough, I suppose." After unconsciously giving the open suitcase another sideways glance, she was forced to admit once again that she really was excited by the thought of seeing Fareeha wearing the babydoll. As the seconds went by, it became progressively more difficult to turn her thoughts in another direction. As much as she wanted it, though, she remained determined to maintain her resolve to not make Fareeha uncomfortable. As with earlier in the day, the subject didn't seem quite as sensitive as she first assumed given that they were able to laugh about it, but Angela was still acutely aware of the fact that, because of situations both past and present, the last thing she should do was try to push things along too quickly. Still, although she refused to do anything that might upset Fareeha in any way, she couldn't stop occasionally glancing at the suitcase. The opposing desires wrestled with each other until an idea occurred to her. It felt recklessly irresponsible to her in the sense that she felt ashamed of herself for not being able to entirely abandon the thought of the babydoll, but at the same time, it seemed to be a fair compromise between wanting to move forward and not wanting to press the issue.

"Well, should you ever decide to...er...try it on...I believe that I may be able to make things fair."

"Fair? How so?" Though Fareeha immediately felt her insides twist at the thought of actually wearing the babydoll, curiosity compelled her to wonder what Angela was thinking.

"I just mean that I would be willing to reciprocate." Angela gave another involuntary sideways glance, but this time in the opposite direction. Her eyes had stopped on some suitcases neatly arranged in a far corner of the bedroom as her thoughts turned to a nurse's uniform hidden away in a box inside of one of them. The nervous energy rapidly building inside of her gave her a whole new appreciation for Fareeha's embarrassment. Despite this, it had been her idea to take this path; more than that, as her stomach began to churn in nervous anticipation, she couldn't deny that it was fair.

"Reciprocate? How?" Though Fareeha had an idea of what Angela was suggesting, it seemed too much to hope for. Her thoughts and heart both raced as she considered the possibilities. Choosing to open the suitcase quickly became a good idea again.

"You will see, I promise. For now, however, we should get ready to leave."

Fareeha nodded and turned back to the suitcase, considering what to wear as she carefully folded the babydoll and put it aside. In the middle of being surprised by her sudden interest in caring for it, another thought occurred to her. "What should I wear? I don't know how formal an occasion this is."

Angela shrugged with uncharacteristic indifference. "Wear whatever you want. That is what I am going to wear, anyway."

"Won't people have expectations?"

Again, Angela shrugged before picking up her hairbrush and continuing smoothing the tangles out of her hair. "I am certain that they will, but I do not care. I do not intend to put any more effort into wearing clothes today than I absolutely have to. I will not judge them for how they deal with their hangovers and I expect the same courtesy in return."

Fareeha laughed, comforted by the thought that being famous may not be as much trouble as she had been imagining. I might be able to manage this, after all. Not being in a mood to spend any more energy than absolutely necessary on clothing, she reached into the suitcase and pulled out the first things that caught her eye. Closing a fist on a white t-shirt and blue pair of jeans, she pulled them out and tossed them aside before returning to the suitcase to search for a comfortable pair of socks to replace the thin dress socks she was wearing with her uniform. Satisfied with what she'd found and now anxious to wear something comfortable for the first time since she put on her uniform to head to the festival the day before, she quickly made her way to the edge of the bed. Her stomach protested the sudden movement, but it was tolerable and passed reasonably quickly once she was on her feet. Grabbing her clothes, she made her way to her duffel bag and pulled out a pair of hiking boots. Looking excited, she headed for the bathroom, already unbuttoning her dress shirt and getting a gentle laugh from Angela, who had noticed how eager she was to finally wear what she liked.

Several minutes later, Fareeha came out of the bathroom feeling more comfortable than she had in what felt like months. As she thought about it, she realized that this was likely the longest she'd ever spent wearing something solely for someone else's benefit. Her Raptora armor, military uniforms and t-shirts and jeans all felt like a second skin to her. Her dress uniform was usually her only source of discomfort where clothes were concerned, largely because of the trouble it caused to keep it clean and free of wrinkles. Even this wasn't much of an issue as she rarely ever had a reason to wear it and, when she did, it was only for a few hours of her day at most. Having spent the last day and a half wearing either the dress uniform or a dress and shoes that felt even more out of place—something that she hadn't considered to be a possibility a day earlier—wearing a t-shirt and jeans again felt like coming home after a mission.

"Was it that bad, love?"

Fareeha's reverie was broken by Angela's question, barely intelligible through her laughter. She looked up to see Angela, her hair now neatly arranged and pulled back as usual, sitting in a chair and sliding her feet into a pair of trainers. After a confused expression from Fareeha, Angela added, "you look like a prisoner that has just been pardoned."

Fareeha gave a sheepish smile in return. Though it was true that this wasn't too far off from her thoughts, she didn't want to give Angela the impression that she regretted the effort that she'd put into her appearance the night before. Although it proved to be unnecessary to meet Angela's expectations, her reaction had made it worthwhile several times over.

"Let's just say that it was worth the effort."

Angela laughed again as she stood and crossed the room in a sudden hurry, not stopping until she'd wrapped her arms around Fareeha's neck. After a quick kiss, she leaned her head on Fareeha's shoulder, still smiling. Fareeha looked confused, though not at all displeased.

"Not that I'm complaining, but..."

"It is appreciation; partly for the effort, but mostly because you are still my Fareeha after giving it."

Though she didn't quite understand, Fareeha was able to hazard a guess at what Angela meant. The thought that it was that important that she remained the person that she was made her even happier that she'd gone through the trouble in the first place. It was clear that, as she'd hoped when she started down that path, the effort she'd put into the night before hadn't gone unnoticed. More than that, it was special to Angela...but not so special that she had considered trying to turn her into something that she wasn't. For a brief moment, Fareeha again found herself thinking of the countless times that, in spite of herself, she'd found herself wondering if Samia would have stayed with her if she'd changed something about herself. Though it wasn't easy to break old habits, Fareeha couldn't deny that her worries about being with Angela seemed more ridiculous every time they came to mind. She had definitely chosen better this time; in fact, she was almost certain that she had chosen the right one altogether.