AFTER THE FUNERAL

Author:      Eggbert
E-mail:      mbejane2000@...

Disclaimer:  Neither the characters nor the settings belong to me, but
             the plot, such as it is, does.

Rating:      NC-17
Pairing:     Polly Page/Juliet Becker

Summary:     Polly's about to discover that there really is a life
             after death. Juliet shows her how.

Spoilers:    Not as such.
A/N:         My first attempt at f/f slash, so be gentle. And I've
             fiddled a bit with the characterisation. I don't think
             Juliet knows that Polly exists in canon. Never mind.


For Casey and Ines.


 Juliet was still on a high after getting one over on that slimy creep,
Phil Hunter. To think he had the nerve to expect her to drop her
knickers just because he had stopped her from getting her head dented
by a frying pan. He would soon learn, she swore, that he was messing
with the wrong one.

In the toilets Juliet was distracted by the sound of heartbreaking
sobbing coming from one of the cubicles. Concerned she approached the
door.

" Hey, are you all right? " she ventured, mentally wincing as she said
it.

The door swung open and Polly Page emerged, red-eyed and trembling.
Concerned, Juliet took her arm.

" What on earth's happened? " she asked. " You look terrible. "

Polly tried to speak, swallowed hard and shook her head.

" You poor thing, " said Juliet. " You shouldn't be here; you should be
at home. "

" I haven't got a home any more, " croaked Polly and dissolved into
tears again.

Juliet held her close, waiting for the storm of weeping to pass. Polly
relaxed against her, immensely comforted by the wordless support.

When Polly had stopped crying Juliet steered her out of the bathroom.

" I'll go and fetch Cathy, " she said. " She's your mate, isn't she? "

" She was, " replied Polly darkly.

" Ah. Look, I really don't think you should be on your own. How about I
get you out of here? "

" I won't be much company, " said Polly gruffly, warmed by Juliet's
gesture.

" Then we can be miserable together, " said Juliet firmly. " I'll not
be a minute, wait there. "

Polly watched the slender redhead run up the stairs and wondered why
she had agreed to this. Friends hurt you; they left you or lied to you.
Why should she open herself up to more hurt? The warm feeling she had
had as Juliet had held her returned, shocking Polly deeply. But before
she could begin to deal with this new feeling, Juliet returned.

" Come on, let's go. " said the other woman. " I know just the place
for you and I. "

The Bricklayer's Arms was fairly quiet at that time of day. Polly
stared into the depths of her vodka and tonic as if she expected to
find the answers to all life's mysteries in there.

" So what happened to you and Cathy? " asked Juliet.

" She's a lying, conniving cow, " said Polly fiercely. " I should never
have trusted her."

" Sorry I asked, " said Juliet.

"  No, I'm sorry, Jules. You're only trying to be friendly. "

" So do you really want to talk about what happened today? " prompted
Juliet delicately.

" Yeah. I've got to tell someone. Looks like you drew the short straw,
" said Polly quietly.

Juliet listened, appalled beyond belief, as Polly recounted the story
of Owen's illness and how she had shared his house with him, the
funeral, Cathy's betrayal and her own guilt over Owen's death.

" I'm so sorry, " said Juliet, giving Polly's arm a comforting squeeze.
" But you shouldn't be left to cope with all this on your own. There
are support groups, grief counsellors..."

Polly snorted into her vodka.

" I've been down that road before, " she said. " I had a breakdown, you
know. Mostly due to Dave bloody Quinnan, the fire at Sun Hill didn't
help either. I really thought I was fine then another bloody man comes
along and, hey, I'm ready for the funny farm again. "

" You haven't had much luck with them, have you? " said Juliet. " Makes
my problems with Slimy Phil seem positively insignificant."

" DS Hunter? " Polly giggled and Juliet's heart skipped a beat. " He's
a real creep, isn't he? You'd have to be well desperate, Jules. "

They both grinned, in perfect accord.

Several vodkas and a trip to the kebab shop later and Polly was feeling
no pain.

" Why don't you stay with me tonight? " asked Juliet. " You won't want
to go back to Owen's house and I've got plenty room."

" I don't want to impose, " said Polly. In reality she didn't want the
night to end with them saying goodbye. Strange feelings towards Juliet,
ones she couldn't entirely blame on the vodka, were stirring inside her
and she didn't think they had much to do with gratitude.

" No, I want you to come home with me, " said Juliet, surprising
herself at how much she wanted this.

A look of perfect understanding passed between the two women.

" Better find a taxi then, " said Polly softly.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

Juliet's flat was small and comfortable and Polly admired the
photographs lined up on the sideboard. A stern-looking man in Army
uniform smiled out of one of the frames.

" My dad, " said Juliet. " Ex-Army chaplain. My brothers and I didn't
get much chance to get up to mischief. "

" You can see the resemblance, " said Polly. " You've got his eyes and
his colouring,"

" He's living in Germany still. Couldn't quite bear to leave it after
he was demobbed. "

" D'you speak German, then? " asked Polly.

" I have a lot of hidden talents, " said Juliet with a grin.

" I bet you do, " breathed Polly, gasping slightly as Juliet leaned in
and kissed her.

"I.... I'm sorry, " said Juliet, slightly taken aback at the lack of
response.

" No, " said Polly, thinking she'd hurt her. " Don't be sorry. It's
just...I've never been kissed by a woman before."

" I had no idea. " said Juliet. " My intuition's obviously not as
strong as I thought."

" It doesn't mean I don't want you to do it again, " said Polly. " Take
me to bed. Help me forget, well, everything. Please. "

" You don't have to beg, " said Juliet and drew Polly to her.

It was completely different from kissing a man, Polly mused. Juliet's
mouth was so warm and gentle on hers, there was no essence of stale
beer and Juliet's cheek was completely smooth as Polly stroked it.

Juliet unfastened Polly's blouse, lightly stroking her breast though
the lacy material of her bra, teasing her already hard nipple, making
Polly moan into her mouth.

Juliet broke the kiss and led Polly to her bedroom.

They fell naked onto the bed in a tangle of limbs, and then Juliet
propped herself up on one elbow.

" I just want to touch you, " she said, panting slightly. " I want you
to enjoy this, Polly. "

Polly nodded her consent. She had never felt so aroused in her life. A
pulse beat steadily between her legs as Juliet began to explore her
naked body, taking her time, her long red hair sweeping over them both
as she descended, parting Polly's legs with her hand, gently stroking
her thighs, creeping ever upwards, sliding her fingers deep inside her
lover's pooling wetness. Polly groaned and twined Juliet's glorious
hair in her hands as Juliet's thumb began to gently stimulate her
already rock hard clitoris and her hips shot forward as she climaxed,
crying aloud at the sheer intensity of the feeling racking her body.
With a feral grin, Juliet lowered her head again and licked her clean,
savouring the sweet taste of her lover.

When Polly had recovered, Juliet guided her slowly though each new
experience, guiding Polly's hands to where Juliet had waited so
patiently to be touched and when Polly felt Juliet shudder in her arms
she knew she had done well.

Dave would have rolled over and gone to sleep by now, was Polly's last
coherent thought as Juliet pulled her close again.

" Stay with me, " whispered Juliet.

Things might look different in the cold light of day. Polly was
convinced they would. But that was for another time. Not for tonight.

The End

18/7/2003