Moving In

Another quick side chapter to follow others.

***

Leaving Jesse to talk to the others Fiona leads Zoey out to her car to start moving things into the house. They are only a few steps out of the door when Fiona senses Zoey slowing down behind her. By the time she reaches her car, which she could see was stuffed with a hastily packed load of belongings, she turns to see Zoey had fallen well behind. Each step more halting than the last.

Zoey pauses and looks back over her shoulder toward the house where she’d just witnessed a family’s love so unlike the toxic cesspool of fear and anger back at the Beckett home. They had trusted her to witness it and share in it. There is a distant look in her eyes. Any other time Fiona may have hurried the girl along with snarky impatient words, but she knew Zoey was going through some shit right now and everything that had just happened in the house would have only sent her head spinning more.

Eventually Zoey comes to stand beside Fiona looking much less sure about things. As Fiona goes to open the trunk Zoey lightly lays her hand over it.

“I’m a silly girl.” She says softly.

Fiona’s eyes narrow as she studies Zoey closely. She wasn’t much for heart to heart stuff but after this morning she was feeling more open than usual and it was clear Zoey needed to get something off of her chest.

“Zoey.”

“Yeah?”

“Out with it. What’s up Darlin?”

Zoey’s blue eyes flash up at Fiona and smile plays around her lips then quickly disappears. “Darlin.” She whispers.

“Come on.” Fiona presses. “If we’re going to be sisters we have to share things.”

“Sisters?” She says in a wistful tone. Looking up at the taller woman she says. “Fiona…I shouldn’t be here. I don’t belong here.” She looks back to the house. “What you all have…it’s just…it’s just wonderful. I didn’t know families could be like that. You all love each other so much and I’m intruding on that. What you all have…”

“What we have.” Fiona says. “We. You are a part of this now. You’re El’s girl.”

Zoey’s voice darkens. “Fiona…my Dad…when he finds out…he’s not a nice man when he’s angry.”

“Zoey…”

“Fiona.” She looks up. “I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened to Elsie. I love her…so much. I really…I just…she’s so… She’d be better off without me.”

Laying a hand over Zoey’s trembling shoulder Fiona looks her eye to eye. “Calm down.”

“I d-don’t want to ruin what you guys…” Her stammering voice gets faster and higher. “I n-n-need to go…”

“Calm down Zoey.”

“It isn’t my p-place to…I shouldn’t…”

“Calm.”

“W-w-we need to take this stuff all back Fiona. Maybe he won’t notice if we do it quick. I c-can’t…” She mewls and wrings her hands together. “I’m scared…I don’t…I don’t…”

“Zoey! You are staying here.” Fiona states firmly. While not having experienced this precisely Fiona recognized that fear and that panic in Zoey’s scared voice from the voices of novice submissives. Zoey needed someone to take control for awhile to do what she couldn’t so that she could focus on healing and finding herself. In retrospect she wished they had waited to introduce the sexy stuff with the fragile Zoey, but as Jesse had said things just kind of happened this morning. “Zoey.” She says. “You ARE staying here. It’s done.”

“But…he won’t…”

“Stop! I don’t want to hear about that so called man again.”

“But Fiona, I don’t…”

“I am telling you. Whether you like it or not, you’re here now. I’ll tie you down if I have to. The decision is made.”

“But what if…”

“Zoey!” In an instant Fiona’s voice is as loud and sharp as the crack of a whip. Zoey clamps her mouth shut and gazes up with big doe eyes. Fiona stands imperious, looming over the frightened girl with all of her potent natural charisma, not as a figure of terror but one of unassailable authority. As a Domme one had to command total respect and trust or everything else was for nothing. The fear part, while important, was ultimately just for fun. Her voice softer but no less imposing she says. “You are staying.”

On the verge of tears but valiantly holding them in, Zoey doesn’t say a word. Instead she reaches out with both arms. Fiona encompasses her in a big strong hug. Zoey clings to her as if she might float away if she let go. Fiona kisses her head. “You’re home Zoey.” Holding her tight Fiona feels Zoey’s fear slowly ease with each long deep breath. It is not long before she lets out a big breath of release and relaxes completely. In Fiona’s embrace it felt like nothing in the whole world could touch her.

“I’m home.” She whispers.

Fiona lets the hug go loose. “Don’t think this is some charity. Being a part of this family isn’t all roses. We’re a lot to deal with, and having a me as a big sister will take some getting used to. Trust me Darlin, we’re as lucky to have you as you are to have us.”

She never thought she would say such a thing to one of them, a normal human, but Zoey…she was something special. Fiona hated to admit it but the girl had gotten to her. Zoey looked at her…well…she looked at her the way Fiona wished Elsie would look at her. Zoey looked up to Fiona the way El used to before Fiona fucked it all up. Zoey needed a big sister in her life right now. Fiona had mended things with her little sister and forged a renewed bond with her brother, and she was so very grateful for it all, but with Zoey it was truly a blank slate, a chance to be a big sister all over again from scratch. And with Zoey there wasn’t that same overwhelming desire mixed with an intense competitive zeal she always felt around her blood relations making it so much easier to remain calm with her.

“Listen. I’m not good at this fucking mushy stuff. Mom and El are better as you learned last night. If you need a shoulder to cry on they’ll always be there for you. But I’ll make you a deal.”

“A deal?”

“You stay strong for me and I’ll be strong for you.” She says. “You’ll have nothing to be afraid of as long as big sister is around. How about it? Can you be strong?”

“Uhh…I guess?”

“No guessing.” Stepping back she holds Zoey by both shoulders. “Stand up tall. Tall and proud. Show me that Bailey pride.” Zoey does so. “Chin up, chest out.” Zoey does so. “Tell me. Tell me what we’re doing right now.”

“Um…we’re…we’re taking my stuff into the house.”

“Whose house?”

“Um…” Zoey thinks. “…our house?”

“Is it a question?”

“No.” Zoey shakes her head and says more assuredly. “Our house.”

“That’s right.” Fiona nods. “Why is it our house?”

“Because…because we’re a family.”

“Clever girl!”

Zoey beams. “My room is in the basement. The basement of our house.”

“Yes it is.”

“I belong here. I belong with my family. I’m home.”

“Yes! That’s it!” Fiona urges her on. “Talk from your heart. Show me your strength.”

“And…and tonight…tonight I’m gonna make dinner in our kitchen…for the family. My family!” Zoey was gaining steam. “And…and my big sister is going to find me some work. I’m gonna work hard. For my family, for Elsie, and for myself. I’m not a guest here. I live here. I live here with my family.”

“You’re on fire!”

“And I’m gonna be with Elsie. Because I am Elsie’s girl! I love my Elsie!”

“YES!”

“And I am NOT afraid…I am not afraid of anything…because Fiona Bailey is MY big sister!”

“Ha ha!” Fiona pulls her in for another hug. “You make me proud Darlin!”

Zoey hugs Fiona with all of her strength. “I’ll be strong. You’ll see.”

“You already are strong Zoey, you just can’t see it.”

Stepping back she looked an entirely different woman than the one who so sheepishly walked up to the car. “What if El doesn’t want me in the end?” She looks toward the house again. “I’m…I’m madly in love with that woman Fiona. When she looks at me…ohhhhh.”

Fiona chuckles. “Yeah, when El lays those eyes on someone…they’re bound to fall in love with her.” She rubs Zoey’s shoulder. “The difference with you is that she fell in love back. I think it’ll work out. Having your own room will give you both a little space as things evolve naturally. You were smart to insist on your own room.”

Zoey really liked how Fiona always called her smart and clever. Nobody else ever called her that.

“Does she love me though?” Zoey sighs.

“Can’t you tell by the way she looks at you?”

“Yeah, but…she doesn’t look at me like she looks at Jesse. Or the way he looks at her.”

“Oh, that. You noticed that huh?”

“Yeah.”

“You don’t miss much, do you?” She puts her arm around Zoey in commiseration. “Yeah, I know that look well Zoey. I’ve seen it all their lives. Those two have something. Whatever it is…it is just for them. Don’t ever try to get between them and you’ll be fine.”

“Okay.”

“And hey! With you here it finally evens up the odds. Usually it’s those two united together with me the odd one out, but we blondes have to stick together right?”

“Right! Team Blond.”

“Atta girl.” Fiona gives her a little shake. “Feeling better now?”

“Yes.” Zoey smiles.

“Good.”

“You’re the best.”

“About time someone around here recognized it.” Fiona quips.

“Fiona.”

“Yeah?”

“Do you…do you think I might actually be pregnant with Elsie’s child?” Her hand touches her belly.

Fiona hand grips just a little tighter, her jaw tightens, and she goes quiet. She wanted SO BADLY to talk about this, to sway Zoey to her point of view, to start to build a better future for the family and the world. But there were more important things at stake. A promise to Elsie. Besides, while Zoey might become a Bailey mother…her new sister was no simple breeder. She wasn’t a them. She was one of the family. All Fiona says is. “You should talk to Elsie about that.”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, can we start moving your shit now?” Fiona gripes, bringing some levity back into their energy. “It’ll be easier if you let me do most of the carrying and you just keep ahead of me and open the doors.”

“You got it Sis!”