* Leather and Lace *

by Greek Warrior.

Disclaimer #1: This is an Uber story and the characters that appear in this story may seem familiar but aren't the same as the ones we all know and love. All the characters that appear here are made up from my deranged little mind. They're fict.i.tious and aren't meant to resemble anyone. This is all done in fun and yes I know I need to get a life.

Disclaimer #2: Taz belongs to the folks at Warner Brothers Studios. s...o...b.. Doo belongs to Hanna-Barberra. The X-Files belongs to somebody other than me, anything you recognize isn't mine folks, I got tired of looking this stuff up.

Warning: This story contains explicit consensual s.e.x between adult women. If you're under legal age in your neck of the woods, go away. If you live in a place that frowns upon that sort of behavior, tell'em to kiss your derrire then talk to your Congressman, or move, or both.

Warning: This story contains violence. We are talking about a certain warrior's descendant, you know.

Note: The quote at the end of chapter one is from Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet'.

Feedback is most welcome as long as it's constructive. Remember, you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, although I've always wondered why anyone would want a bunch of flies! I can be contacted at Thanks for reading.

Note: Astolpho's at the Marcello Hotel is a completely fict.i.tious restaurant and hotel.

Part 3.

Chapter Eight:.

The plane landed at Bolling Air Force Base, just south of the DC area, to a grey overcast drizzling October day. They stood under the plane's wing to stay dry while waiting for the representative from the State Department that was meeting them. "I don't remember it being quiet this cold this time of year." Kris moved to stand beside Raven. "Thanks for the parka." She had her hands stuffed inside the pockets and her head squished down inside the collar of the drab olive green coat resembling a turtle inside his sh.e.l.l.

Raven had to stop herself from putting her arm around Kris' shoulders and pulling her close. Instead she smiled at her companion. "You're welcome." The sound of footsteps approaching drew her attention. She watched the Amba.s.sador close the distance between them.

"Captain." He stood nervously beside the taller woman.

'Well that's an improvement.' She inclined her head in acknowledgment. "Amba.s.sador. What can I do for you?" She indiscreetly winked at Kris letting her know that it would be okay if she left them alone.

"I had a conversation with General Mitch.e.l.l after we landed this morning. He's on his way here along with the State Department's representative." He paused a minute to organize his thoughts.

'Oh boy.' Raven rolled her eyes. 'I wonder if the General told him that he's still going to be stuck with me for awhile.'

"I was informed that your team would be...with us a little longer." He cleared his throat and stared off into the distance. "I was also told about some of your...accomplishments and the general also told me in no uncertain terms, that I ought to consider myself lucky that you took this a.s.signment in the first place." He rocked back and forth from heel to toe with his hands clasped behind his back. "Doug, General Mitch.e.l.l, basically told me that I was being a fool and if I wanted to live to be an old fool that I had better listen to you and if you say jump, the only thing I should question is how high." He looked at her for the first time since he had started talking and saw what he thought might be a sparkle of amus.e.m.e.nt in her eyes.

"General Mitch.e.l.l seems to have a way with words." She turned serious. "Amba.s.sador, I just want to do my job and keep you and your family safe. If what I ask of you seems unreasonable, I a.s.sure you it's not. I'm not in the habit of explaining myself or my actions, but I will try to answer legitimate questions." She looked sideways at the shorter man.

"Fair enough, Captain. But I'm still not comfortable with a woman in charge." He turned his head to meet her gaze.

"I can't change your...opinion of what you see as 'a woman's place', but I am very good at what I choose to do, Amba.s.sador."

He grunted an acknowledgment and watched her back as she moved away from him towards her team members. He had sarcastically asked Lieutenant Logan just before they took off from the air base in Turkey, how it felt to 'betray his gender and tag along through life clinging to a woman's skirt'. And was surprised by the brown eyes that looked at the Amba.s.sador, filled with pity. "Pretty d.a.m.n good." The Lieutenant had said. "Considering that I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for 'that woman' pulling me out of h.e.l.lhole after h.e.l.lhole. Be careful of what you say about her, Amba.s.sador, you might find yourself up s.h.i.t creek without a shovel. This team respects her and would follow her anywhere, h.e.l.l, she's saved most of us at least once." That answer had at least quieted the Amba.s.sador during the flight and at most gave him pause to rethink one of two of his opinions.

Kris filled the vacated spot beside her father. "Is everything okay?" She questioned wearily. She had overheard part of the conversation, surprised by her father's almost apology, which had surprised her and exonerated her father somewhat for his earlier behavior.

Andrew looked at his daughter's profile and sighed. "That is one very dangerous individual, Kristen."

"Yes, she can be." She forced her gaze away from the woman in question and looked at her father. "But I suppose anyone can be dangerous if given the right circ.u.mstances." She countered. She sighed deeply; she knew where this was leading. "Father, I won't stay away from her, she's my friend. And that's something that I haven't had too many of in my life, so I won't give that or her up." A test of wills, the first one between father and daughter, was interrupted before a clear winner could be determined, by the arrival of the General, the person from the State Department and the cars to take them home. Kris knew it was just the beginning, but she also felt like she had accomplished a Major victory by just standing up to her father in the first place.

Andrew Whitfield watched in silence as the cars slowly moved closer. He turned to his daughter to correct her a.s.sumption that this discussion was concluded but she had moved away from him to join her sister. On the surface he was annoyed that she had challenged him. But deep down he was proud that she had stood up to him for someone she believed in. He also grinned a little at the fact that she had gotten the last word in, something that no one had done in a long time, except his wife that is.

For Raven and her team the rest of the day was spent installing security cameras at the Whitfield's house that was located in the Bethesda area off MacArthur Blvd in Montgomery Country just outside the central DC area. The Captain quickly discovered it was more of a mansion than a house. It had been an early wedding present from Regina's parents. They had sold their restaurant, retired and moved to Marsh Harbour in West Ocean City on the coast of Maryland leaving their daughter in D.C. attending cla.s.ses at Georgetown. They hadn't realized their mistake of their overindulgence and how it contributed to Regina's supercilious att.i.tude until it was too late.

The house was centered on two and a half acres of landscaped grounds, surrounded by a ten-foot high brick wall. The house was a huge two-story colonial that looked to be perfectly square. Six bedrooms and three full baths occupied the second floor, while the first floor contained a formal dining room to the right of the front foyer and a living room to the left. A modern kitchen with a walk-in pantry, a den/office for the Amba.s.sador and a study for his wife and a library, plus a few small workrooms for the Amba.s.sador's staff, completed the ground floor. There was a half bas.e.m.e.nt that had been converted into a family room. The area behind the main house was taken up with six small connecting cottages for the staff. Which consisted of Issy, the maid Leila that had been with them in Istanbul, Eleanor the maid that had remained behind at the house, the butler Robert that had also remained behind, and the two secretaries Stephanie and Ismail. Raven learned that Parker would be occupying one of the empty bedrooms in the main house.

The Captain commandeered the remaining unclaimed room for the members of her team to use while on duty. They would run round the clock shifts until the Sate Department could spare personnel that could take over for them. Which wouldn't be until four days from now since the White House was having a costume ball on Halloween. 'Bet that put the Secret Service's undies in a wad.' John had stated once the representative had joined the Amba.s.sador in his office. The off-duty people would share rooms at the Grand Hyatt at Washington Center.

Raven had just finished the conversation with Colonel Albright about the additional checks on the butler and maid that they hadn't had a reason to check before now and she talked at length about her concerns of a possible leak on their end, when Kris found her. "How about some dinner since I know you skipped lunch?" She stood behind the dark head with her hands resting on broad shoulders.

They were, for the moment, alone in the spare bedroom, which now looked like a security control room with all the small TV monitors that were showing different parts of the house and grounds. Raven tilted her head back to look up at her companion and let a tired smile cross her face. "I'd love some."

They entered the dining room to find most everybody else gathered there. Issy had set up a buffet style dinner for them and the two women joined the end of the line just in time to hear Regina complaining about the arrangement. "I don't like eating food that other people have come in contact with." But that didn't stop the fork in her hand from completing it's journey into her mouth, which was almost always in the open position.

Kris shook her head and rolled her eyes. "I happen to like a good buffet myself." She said loud enough for Issy, who was filling the soup tureen, to hear. Which earned her a wink and a huge grin from the cook.

"They've got the best buffets that I've ever eaten in Las Vegas. Some of the hotels have a Champaign brunch on Sundays." Raven responded.

"That sounds decadent." She wiggled her eyebrows up and down. "I've never been there, is it a fun place?" She piled her plate high with spaghetti noodles then poured sauce over them then added several meatb.a.l.l.s and on top of them dumped Parmesan cheese."

Raven watched in wonderment at the mountain that was taking shape on top of the plate Kris held. 'She probably had lunch too.' She was getting full just looking at the plate. "You forgot the garlic bread." She announced when Kris bypa.s.sed the basket.

"Oops, thanks for reminding me." She leaned back and s.n.a.t.c.hed a couple of pieces.

"Yes." Raven remembered the question she had been asked. "It's a lot of fun even if you don't gamble. They sat down at the table next to each other. She caught herself before she added 'We'll have to go sometime'. That was something the rest of the people in the room didn't need to hear, yet.

"Do you?" Kris asked after she wiped the sauce off her chin.

"Do I what?" Raven speared a fresh mushroom out of her salad bowl and popped it into her mouth.

"Gamble." Kris clarified.

"Oh. Not really, but I do like to play the slot machines. I've been known to try blackjack, but I'm not very good at it, I usually lose more than I win." She explained.

"Are you talking about the computer games?" Viv asked when she overheard their discussion.

"No, Las Vegas." Her sister corrected.

"Now there's an immoral place." Martin jumped into the conversation.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, brother dear, but you've never been there so how would you know?" Viv challenged.

"Because of all the gambling and drinking. And I bet you didn't know that prost.i.tution is legal there." Parker jumped to Martin's defense. "The good thing about that is at least they have to pay taxes like the rest of us and they don't have to hide any 'medical' problems at free clinics that we pay for." He added smugly.

"Considering you don't live in Nevada, Parker, you wouldn't be paying for them." Kris pointed out. "Besides, they're just supplying a demand."

"Ooh, good one." Viv complemented her sister, which aggravated Parker.

"Well, if wives would give husbands what they need, there wouldn't be a market for it." He replied with indignation.

The two sisters were looking at him like he had finally gone off the deep end. "Were you born this stupid or do you have to take pills everyday?" Viv asked.

"Parker." Raven had been sitting quietly through the 'discussion'. "You seem to have several opinions on prost.i.tution. So tell me, where did you learn all the, ah, ins and outs about it?" She kept the smile off her face by the hardest considering Kris and Viv were snickering. She couldn't just sit by and let them have all the fun. 'This guy is just too easy.' She thought as she calmly watched the meaning of her jest sink-in.

Parker's face was turning a dangerous shade of red. He sat as still as a statue for a minute before he threw his napkin onto his half finished plate of food and stood. "You." He pointed at Raven. "Are an unnatural b.i.t.c.h. And I'll advise you to stay away from my fiancee. She's mine!"

Kris jumped to her feet at the comment. "I don't belong to you, Parker. And I'm not your fiancee. You never asked me to marry you. You, mother and father just a.s.sumed it because that's what all of you wanted." She never raised her voice. "And I'll pick my own friends and thank you to keep your nose out of my life." She refused to let him see how upset she was and calmly sat back down to finish her meal.

Parker opened and closed his mouth a few times without any sound emerging before storming out of the room. "Good for you." Viv praised her sister. "Bout time you told him off."

"You okay?" Raven moved her hand under the table, placed it on Kris' thigh and squeezed encouragingly. 'So much for a quiet night.'

Kris pushed a meatball around with her fork. She heard her sister's words of praise and shrugged her shoulders as if to say, 'I should have done that long ago'. A smile immediately came to her face at Raven's concern and a burning feeling traveled through her body to settle between her legs when she felt the woman's hand on her thigh. She shuttered and almost moaned. "Yeah, I'm, ah, fine." She managed to say and rein in her desire. She cleared her throat. "I'm just glad mother and father had left the room before that happened." 'I know he'll go tell them but maybe I'll get a reprieve until tomorrow.'

The next four days pa.s.sed uneventfully. Parker had either not said anything about the argument or Andrew and Regina had chosen to let it go. Viv stated that she thought Parker was so embarra.s.sed about being told off, that he decided to pretend it didn't happen. Either that or the fact that the morning after the confrontation in the dining room, an invitation for the Amba.s.sador and Regina to the costume ball at the White House had arrived and distracted them.

Halloween morning came too quickly for Kris, she knew she was running out of time to tell her parents that she was leaving with Raven when she went back to Seattle. The Division's team would be packing up the next day to make way for the Secret Service. Although she and Raven hadn't been able to talk about their plans, she did know that the Captain and John would be staying a few extra days to brief the team that would take over security.

"Kris?" Viv knocked on her sister's bedroom door and entered. "Gwendolyn is downstairs."

"Gwendolyn?" She sat up in bed surprised.

"Yeah, you know, the person you were like this with growing up." Viv had crossed her index and middle fingers.

"I remember who she is." Kris stuck out her tongue at her little sister. "I'm just surprised she's here." Kris' correspondence with her childhood friend had dwindled over the years. When her father became an Amba.s.sador and the family moved away, the two girls wrote each other religiously. After several years, the contact became cards at holidays and birthdays and only an occasional letter. "Tell her I'll be down in a minute." She asked Viv as she grabbed her jeans and started getting dressed. In fact a card last Christmas was the last time they had been in touch.

Kris found her old friend sitting in the living room, sipping tea. Gwen had dark red hair that fell to her shoulders with eyebrow length bangs. A light dusting of freckles dotted her nose and cheeks and even though Gwen's pallor was rather pale they had started to fade somewhat, with the onset of winter and the lack of sunshine. Her friend was a couple of inches taller than Kris but probably weighed about twenty pounds more. Kris didn't remember Gwen being quite so heavy looking, she had always been skinny, so much so the other kids in the neighborhood called her toothpick. But she looked healthy and happy and that's all that mattered. The woman was dressed in a wool tweed skirt that came to her knees, brown, orange and white in color with a white cashmere turtleneck sweater. "Gwen." Kris called to her friend. "It's so good to see you again." A smile on her face as pale green eyes met darker green ones.

Gwen returned the smile as she stood to hug her childhood friend. She placed a peck on each of Kris' cheeks as she stepped back. "Let me look at you." Gwen grasped Kris' hands and held her arms away from the young woman's body. "You look...like you just woke up actually. You did, didn't you?"

"Yes." Kris admitted laughing. "I still don't do mornings. But this morning I went back to bed after we got home from early ma.s.s. So I have an excuse." They sat together on the couch. "Tell me what you've been doing."

"I have a feeling my life has been boring compared to yours. We heard why you came back so suddenly, with the terrorists and all."

"Really?" Raven pushed off from the doorframe she had been leaning against and stood menacingly in front of the redhead. No one had informed her of the stranger's appearance at the door and she was p.i.s.sed to say the least. "And just who did you hear this from?" It came out more as a menacing growl than a question. She looked down on a pale face that suddenly turned whiter.

"My...my father." She explained to the dangerous looking woman towering over her. "He...he works at the Pentagon."

"Raven." Kris stood up with her hands on her hips looking quite miffed at the way her new friend was trying to intimidate her old friend. "Captain Raven Chandler, meet Gwendolyn Mitch.e.l.l. General Mitch.e.l.l's daughter, we grew up together." She turned back to Gwen. "You'll have to excuse tall, dark and deadly. She takes her job rather seriously."

"I, ah, didn't mean to frighten you." Raven felt like a fool. Her protective instincts started working overtime when she saw the stranger sitting with Kris. She was also a little jealous at the affection the two women seemed to share.

"Actually it's not Mitch.e.l.l anymore, I got married last January." She turned her attention back to Kris. Her father hadn't really told her about the reason for the Whitfield's return, she had overheard him talking to the Amba.s.sador on the phone. She had also overheard the part about the person standing in front of her now, and that person was even scarier in the flesh she decided.

"Really? Who'd you marry? Anybody I know?" Kris interrogated her old friend, totally ignoring her new one.

Raven tuned out the conversation. 'd.a.m.n, I really think she's p.i.s.sed at me. Well, why wouldn't she be you idiot? You practically threatened her friend.' She stopped kicking herself and turned her attention back to the two women.

"No you don't know him, but that's the reason I stopped by, to ask you to go to the opera tomorrow night with Harold and I. We could go to dinner before hand and it would give you and Harold a chance to meet. We have two extra tickets so you can ask your fiance Parker to go. I just met him before you came downstairs; your mother introduced us. What do you say?" Gwen asked.

Kris was a little apprehensive with telling Gwen about Parker. That would mean she would have to explain why she wasn't marrying him, she never could keep a secret from her childhood friend and she wasn't sure how Gwen would react to the news of her falling in love with Raven. Especially after a few minutes ago when it looked like Gwen would faint from the look the Captain had given her. 'So what do I tell her?' She refused to look in Raven's direction thinking she would see a look of pity on her friend's face at what Kris was sure was cowardliness on her part. "I, ah, don't know. I mean we'd have to clear something like that through security. So maybe we should plan on doing this another time." 'Please drop it so I don't have to deal with this.' Kris silently begged.

To Raven, the sound of Kris' voice conveyed distress and reluctance. 'Why doesn't she just tell her about Parker? I don't understand.' But then one of the few insecurities she had reared its ugly head. 'Because that would mean questions that Kris is...is what? Is too ashamed or afraid to answer?' Raven's expression turned hard when Kris wouldn't look at her. 'That gives me my answer, she's ashamed.' She stood and left the room now wondering if the shame stemmed from her being a woman or from the type of person she was.

Kris had not noticed the array of emotions crossing Raven's face in her reluctance to face her companion but did give her a curious expression when Raven stood suddenly, which went unnoticed since the Captain didn't look in Kris' direction as she left. Kris vowed to find her friend later and focused her attention back on Gwen.

"Kris?" Gwen shivered and picked up her friend's hand. "She's scary."

Raven paced the length of the command room several times before stopping to stare out the window, which overlooked the staff cottages. The two members of the team that were monitoring the views from the security cameras glanced in the direction of their Captain with puzzled expressions. They were use to their Captain being stoic or indifferent or angry, they were even use to bored. But they didn't know what to make of the expression of defeat that inhabited her face. The two men exchanged worried looks.

"Corporal Franks."

"Yes, Captain?" The older of the two men acknowledge her.

"I'm taking your next patrol." She informed him and left the room. Leaving the two men scratching their heads in confusion.

During the next hour Kris and Gwen talked, slowly catching up with each other. The entire time, Kris tried to think of a way to politely get out of going to the opera in case security allowed it. The only thing she could come up with was to tell Gwen the truth but she still wasn't sure she could handle that. She was contemplating how she would react to her friend's negative response if that were the case, when her mother entered.

"Gwen, good you're still here. I told Parker about tomorrow night and he said that he would take care of the Secret Service." She turned to her daughter. "Kristen, you will have to have something new to wear. I'm sure that you didn't pack any of your dresses before we left the emba.s.sy considering that horrible woman and her orders for packing only one suitcase."

"Mother, you know perfectly well that there was a valid reason for that." Kris said with a tinge of anger in her voice. She didn't notice the questioning expression she received from Gwen since she was glaring at her mother. 'My reason for not going just flew out the window, thanks mother.' She thought as she rubbed her suddenly aching temples. 'Oh well, how bad could one night be? Besides, I'm going to see Gwen and meet Harold, not to be with Parker.'

"Whatever, dear." Regina dismissed the possible confrontation. "Now go find one of 'those people' to take you shopping. I'm sure Gwen would be happy to help you since I can't go. Invitation to the White House you know." She stated with self-importance as she glanced in Gwen's direction. "Go on, Kristen." She added when her daughter hadn't moved.

Kris left the room in search of Raven. 'G.o.d, if I can just get through today and tomorrow night, maybe everything will be alright.'

The Captain had returned from her circuit of the grounds to her vigil at the command room window. She had hoped having to concentrate on the patrol and the solitude would clear her head and her heart from the feelings of pain and betrayal, but it hadn't. 's.h.i.t, Raven, get over it.' It wasn't working. She felt like crawling under a rock and hiding. 'You're a big girl, deal with it.' A sigh escaped her throat as she rubbed her eyes.

The door opened and Kris' head appeared. "Ah, there you are." She turned to close the door and didn't see Raven's posture stiffen. "I seem to be stuck with having to go to the opera tomorrow night and I need something to wear." She stood beside her friend at the window and reached her hand out with the intention of placing it on top of Raven's that was resting on the windowsill.