On A Wing And A Prayer Part 43

"Ana, el avion esta al fin de esta senda?" she asked. ["Ana, Is the plane at the end of this path?"]

Nodding her head yes, Ca.s.s insisted that she return to the safety of the compound to remove any suspicion of her role in the escape. After a round of hugs and good wishes, Ca.s.s and Rox continued on down the path alone.

They had come to within 100 yards of the plane when they heard the commotion behind them. Apparently, the escape had been discovered and a guerrilla unit dispatched to hunt the two women down. Approaching the clearing where the plane had been hidden, Ca.s.s and Rox discovered that the camouflage had already been removed, probably when the plane had been loaded earlier that evening. Unfortunately, considering the cargo the plane was carrying, it was being guarded by two soldiers armed with machine guns.

"s.h.i.t! How are we supposed to get past them?" Rox asked.

"You leave that to me," Ca.s.s replied as she moved closer to the edge of the clearing.

"Are you crazy? They have guns!" Rox exclaimed, grabbing her arm.

"Don't worry about it, Rox. I can do this," the dark haired woman said before placing a kiss on Rox's mouth and moving away from her into the clearing.

Sneaking up behind the first guard, Ca.s.s cleared her throat to get his attention, then promptly punched him in the nose as he turned around. As he grabbed for his face, she swung her right leg up and caught him on the side of the head with her foot. He went down hard, laying motionless at her feet.

Hearing the commotion, the other guard came running, only to be tripped by a tree branch that Rox had swung at his shins. As he fell to his knees, she swung the branch around and brought it down on his back, and then up under his chin. He too lay motionless on the ground when she was through.

Looking at Ca.s.s, Rox grinned and said, "This feels like deja vu all over again!"

Suddenly the sounds of more guards entering the clearing became a reality as hordes of guards approached them. Grabbing Rox's hand, Ca.s.s pulled her toward the makeshift steps and dragged her into the plane. Kicking the steps away, she closed the door just as the guerrillas started to open fire on the plane.

Rushing into the c.o.c.kpit, Ca.s.s threw herself into the pilot's seat and started the jet engines.

"Rox!" she yelled to the other woman. "Strap yourself into the co-pilot's seat and hang on. Were in for a rough take off. I hope we have enough runway." she exclaimed as another burst of gunfire peppered the plane.

Rox screamed as the small window next to Ca.s.s was shattered by the spray of gunfire.

"Hold on, Rox!" Ca.s.s shouted as she engaged full throttle, generating forward momentum to move the plane down the runway. The plane shuddered terribly as it rolled over the rough terrain toward the trees at the end of the clearing.

"Ca.s.s! We're going into the trees!" Rox shouted as she covered her eyes.

"Pull, Rox, pull!" Ca.s.s yelled as she instructed Rox to pull back on the elevator in front of her.

At the last moment, the plane rose from the ground, veering sharply into the sky, and barely skimming the top of the trees. Once they were airborne, and the plane had leveled out, Rox pried her finger off the controls and looked over at Ca.s.s. Something was wrong. Ca.s.s was partially slumped over in her seat. With the window shattered, Ca.s.s' hair was flying wildly about her face, obscuring Rox's view.

Unhooking her seat belt, Rox climbed out of the co-pilot's seat and reached up to gather the hair away from the pilot's face. That's when she noticed the red stain on Ca.s.s' shirt. Her heart immediately jumped into her throat as she realized she had been injured. Taking Ca.s.s' chin in her hand, she turned the pilot's face toward her and noted the pallor of her skin.

"Ca.s.s, talk to me. You're hurt. Tell me what to do," she pleaded with her lover.

"Rox, I've been hit.... in the shoulder. You've got to stop the bleeding," she exclaimed.

Trying hard not to panic, Rox went in search of something to use for bandages. Shuffling through the flight attendant's station, she found several white towels, which she quickly grabbed and returned to Ca.s.s. Upon her return, she found Ca.s.s struggling to reach the auto-pilot computer.

"Ca.s.s ... what is it?" Rox asked as she put the towels in Ca.s.s' lap and knelt on the floor next to the injured woman.

"I can't reach the auto-pilot. We need to go to Miami ... that's the shortest flight path to the U.S.," Ca.s.s explained.

"Okay, talk me through this, Ca.s.s," Rox said as she programmed the auto-pilot up for Miami, Florida. That done, she concentrated her efforts on stopping the blood flow from Ca.s.s' shoulder. Packing the wound with clean white towels, she wrapped her braided belt around the bandage and cinched it tightly, cringing with each moan that escaped Ca.s.s' lips during the process. "I'm sorry, my love," she said repeatedly as she administered to the wound. Finally, with the wound dressed, Rox retrieved several cold washcloths from the bathroom and washed the excess blood off Ca.s.s' face, neck and arm.

Rox had never been so scared in her life. Here she was, thousands of feet in the air, in a plane full of illegal drugs, alone with an injured pilot who she just happened to be madly in love with. If it wasn't for the fact that Ca.s.s could pa.s.s out at any minute and leave her to fly the plane, she just might laugh.

About an hour into the flight, they radioed ahead to Miami to let them know the unscheduled flight had to have emergency clearance to land, and that an ambulance was required immediately upon arrival. Air Traffic Control in Miami stayed in constant touch with them throughout the flight, offering flight and weather information, and medical advice.

Rox did her best to keep Ca.s.s as lucid as possible on the three hour flight to Miami. Several times, Ca.s.s started wavering in and out of consciousness from loss of blood. Twice, Rox changed the bandages, the pile of bloodied towels growing at an alarming rate. There was a serious possibility that Ca.s.s would die from loss of blood before they even reached Miami. The closer they came, the less capable Ca.s.s was of staying conscious for more than a a few minutes at a time.

Rox was scared to death about the landing. There was no way in h.e.l.l she could land the plane by herself, and even scarier, in her present condition, there was no way Ca.s.s could do it alone either.

As they neared the airport, Rox began to panic. Climbing out of the co-pilot's seat she grabbed Ca.s.s by the front of the shirt and shook her. "Ca.s.s! Ca.s.s, honey, if you don't wake up, we're both going to die. Do you understand what I'm saying? I can't land this plane alone, Ca.s.s, please wake up," she pleaded.

Ca.s.s looked up at her, her head rolling loosely about her shoulders, as she struggled to remain conscious.

"Ca.s.s!" Rox said again, shaking her hard. "When I said I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you, I didn't mean the afterlife! Now please wake up ... I need you Ca.s.s!" Rox shouted directly into her face.

Ca.s.s' eyes flew open at Rox's last statement. Pulling in all her reserves, she struggled into a sitting a position and grabbed the flight controls. "Buckle up, Rox ... it might be a rough landing," she said, managing a half grin for her lover.

Rox grinned back as she buckled herself into the co-pilot's seat. "You're good at this crashing landing thing... right?" Rox asked with a smile in her voice.

"Right!" Ca.s.s replied as she fought to keep her eyes open. "I need you with me on this one, Rox. I don't have the strength to do it alone," she said, her eyes never leaving the runway before her.

"Okay, Ca.s.s... just tell me what to do," Rox replied.

The atmosphere in the c.o.c.kpit was extremely tense as the plane drew nearer and nearer the runway. Ca.s.s briefly went over landing procedures with Rox, including when to decelerate, and when to throw the engines into a reverse thrust mode to stop the plane once the wheels were on the ground. Needless to say, Rox was scared s.h.i.tless, and hoped that she wouldn't have to carry out these procedures alone.

On the final approach to the runway, Ca.s.s looked over at Rox and said, "You are the best thing in my life, Rox,"

"I love you Ca.s.s," Rox replied as they hovered briefly above the blacktop before the wheels touched down on the hard surface.

The plane jarred sharply as the wheels came in contact with the paved runway, causing the back end to fishtail slightly. Ca.s.s was struggling not only with the controls but with her ability to stay conscious through the landing. She was rapidly losing both battles.

"Reverse thrust ..." Ca.s.s said weakly as Rox reached over and threw the engines into reverse. Both women were thrown forward in their seats as the engines protested the sudden change in direction. Again, the plane fishtailed nearly out of control.

"Oh s.h.i.t! Oh s.h.i.t!" Rox exclaimed as she looked through the windshield and realized they were running out of pavement. "We're not gonna make it!" she shouted.

"More reverse thrust," Ca.s.s said.

Again, they were thrown forward in their seats as additional reverse thrust had an adverse affect on their forward momentum. They were slowing down quickly, and so far, safely on the ground. Rox looked over at Ca.s.s for rea.s.surance, and found her completely slumped over her controls, blood oozing from her forehead caused by her impact with the control panel on the last reverse thrust.

Unable to tend to the injured woman until the plane was at a complete halt, Rox was forced to look on helplessly. Finally, the plane came to a rest, very near the end of the runway. Within seconds, Rox was out of her seat belt harness and at Ca.s.s' side. Sitting her up in her seat, Ca.s.s' head slumped over onto her right shoulder. No amount of talking or coaxing would bring her around this time. Rox searched for a pulse and found none.

EPILOGUE.

3 MONTHS LATER.

ROX STROLLED OUT onto the widow's walk, carrying a cup of hot chocolate. Leaning against the railing, she looked out over the ocean and remarked to herself that the storm brewing on the horizon was going to be a violent one. Rox loved storms. They filled her with a sense of excitement that truly rivaled an o.r.g.a.s.mic climax. Taking a sip of her cocoa, she inhaled the salty scent of the air deep into her lungs. A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth as she thought about the first night she had talked to Ca.s.s in chat. It had been storming that night as well.

Ca.s.s. Rox never dreamed she could love another human being as much as she had the tall dark haired pilot. Ca.s.s truly had saved her, both physically and mentally. She would never have guessed that the unhappiness she felt while with Chris was in reality, a longing to be with a woman. Ca.s.s brought out feelings from deep within her heart that she didn't know existed. Ca.s.s had changed her life forever.

Standing there, Rox reviewed the events that had changed her life so drastically over the past several months.

She had lived for the better part of the last year in an abusive relationship with Chris. Then one day, a note appeared in her inbox ... a note from , praising her for her work. For the longest time, she a.s.sumed Ca.s.s was a man. She began feeling things for this person that she had never felt before. When she saw Ca.s.s for the first time and realized she had made a gender error, it terrified her ... she ran. Another small grin graced her lips a she recalled that first meeting.

Taking another deep breath and a sip from her cocoa, she allowed her thoughts to continue.

Realizing that she was gay was scary, and at the same time, t.i.tillating. Exposure to lesbian relationships was nothing new to her. Her best friends, Nikki and Jerri were gay. They had a wonderfully fulfilling and loving relationship -- one that Rox had always envied -- one that Rox never expected to have for herself. Then came Ca.s.s.

She resisted the feelings she had for this woman for a long time, until one day, it was almost too late to tell her. Ca.s.s' plane had been hijacked by drug traffickers and she had been forced to fly to South America. The driving force behind her love for Ca.s.s was all she needed to justify a trip to Bogota to find her soulmate. Once there, she eventually found her, and they made their escape, recapturing Ca.s.s' plane and flying it out of its jungle runway to freedom. Once airborne, however, they discovered Ca.s.s had been shot in the escape. The next three hours were spent in the air on their way to Miami, while Ca.s.s' life fluids slowly ebbed from her body.

Once on the ground in Miami, the plane was surrounded by police and FBI agents. They approached the plane with weapons drawn, unsure of how friendly the craft's occupants would be. Ca.s.s' lifeless body was removed from the plane under heavy guard while authorities cornered Rox and interrogated her endlessly about the drug activities they had uncovered while in Bogota. Rox gave the FDA and FBI all of the information she could about Carlos Santonio, and the location of his compound ... information that ultimately led to his capture and trial on drug trafficking charges. Jason Hayer had also been captured in the raid that followed, and was now imprisoned for a very long time in the California State Penitentiary system. Rox allowed a lone tear to roll down her cheek as she recalled Ca.s.s' heroic efforts that ultimately led to the arrests of these dangerous men. Sighing deeply, she sipped once more on her cocoa and rested the cup on the railing as she watched the approaching storm.

For several weeks after that fateful day in the Colombian prison cell, Rox struggled with the realization that she was gay. Being in love with a woman required a whole new mind set. She had longed for the type of loving relationship that was so evident between Nikki and Jerri, but she truly thought she could find it with a man. It totally overwhelmed and terrified her when she realized her 'man' was a six-foot, dark haired woman with drop-dead gorgeous blue eyes. Rox wiped another stray tear from her cheek as she recalled the breathless feeling that ran rampant through her the first time she saw Ca.s.s' eyes.

She had imagined all sorts of horrors about rejection. She worried herself sick over what her parents would say. She laid awake at night agonizing about her father dying -- disappointment in his heart over his daughter's new found s.e.xuality. As it turned out, she had worried for naught. When she returned to the States, she confronted her parents ... confessed her feelings for Ca.s.s, and about her abusive relationship with Chris. They were both concerned and supportive. Neither would have chosen the gay lifestyle for their daughter, but they wanted her to be happy. They also scolded her severely for keeping her nightmarish life with Chris from them. Concerned about the tragedies that had struck their daughter surrounding both Chris and Ca.s.s, they watched her carefully over the next few months and nursed her back to emotional health with their love and support.

Rox sighed once more, deep in thought as she felt a strong pair of arms circle her from behind.

"I love you," came the words, whispered in her ear as Rox folded herself into the embrace of the tall, dark haired woman who stood behind her.

Grinning ear to ear, she turned around to face the woman, leaning her backside against the railing, and wrapping her own arms around her lover's waist. "I love you too, Ca.s.s ... with all my heart," she said before raising her chin to accept the searing kiss she knew was coming.

Several breathtaking moments later, the kiss ended. Pulling her in closer, Ca.s.s held the smaller woman tightly as Rox rested her head on the spot just above Ca.s.s' b.r.e.a.s.t.s. They stood there together as the storm approached, the gusting winds blowing their hair around in disarray.

While standing there, safely in the embrace of the woman she loved, Rox recalled how desperately lost she felt when she thought Ca.s.s had died on that plane.

Upon landing, Ca.s.s. .h.i.t her head on the control panel, and combined with the loss of blood, she fell into a deep state of unconsciousness. Rox had been unable to find a pulse on the injured woman's wrist. Not wanting to acknowledge to herself that Ca.s.s had died, she clung desperately to the older woman, sobs racking her slight frame as she violently shook Ca.s.s in a futile attempt to awaken her. When the paramedics first arrived in the c.o.c.kpit, she refused to let them touch her. Instead, she cradled Ca.s.s' head in her lap and stroked her blood streaked face as she rocked back and forth and softly cooed, "Come on, Baby. Please wake up. I love you Ca.s.s. I need you. Please ... wake up." Finally, the paramedics had to wrestle Ca.s.s out of her grip to remove the injured pilot from the plane.

For hours the FDA grilled Rox for information while Ca.s.s was fighting for her life in the emergency room of Miami's Jackson Memorial hospital. For hours, Rox answered their questions in a dull monotone voice. She was convinced that she had no reason to go on ... no reason to live. After the interrogation, during which, Ca.s.s' innocence was established, one of the FDA agents offered her a ride to the hospital where they planned to question Ca.s.s. She looked at them with unmasked confusion on her face, convinced they were out of their minds for wanting to interrogate a dead woman.

When Rox finally understood that Ca.s.s was still alive, she couldn't get to the hospital fast enough. Once there, she refused to leave Ca.s.s' side until she finally awoke. As she regained consciousness, Ca.s.s looked at her through hooded cerulean eyes filled with such love that it turned Rox's insides to mush.

"Hi, my bard," Ca.s.s whispered hoa.r.s.ely.

Rox's tears fell onto Ca.s.s' cheeks as she leaned forward to place a delicate kiss on the dark haired woman's lips.

"Welcome back, my love," Rox choked out. "Don't you ever do this to me again ... do you understand!!" she said in a tone of mock severity.

"Or else what?" Ca.s.s teased.

"Or else I might have to hurt you!" Rox replied, smiling broadly before leaning in for another kiss.

Rox stood there in the circle of Ca.s.s' arms, a slight shiver running through her in response to the traumatic memories. So much has happened since that fateful day, my love, Roxanne thought as she pondered their life together over the past three months. She was so nervous the first time they made love. She had so much to learn and was terribly afraid of disappointing Ca.s.s. Ca.s.s has been patient -- exceptionally so, and by the time they laid there, both trembling with fulfilled desire, she was thoroughly convinced that she had made the right choice in accepting this woman and her newly discovered s.e.xuality into her life. Thank you so much for joining me here ... for moving 3,000 miles across the country to be with me. You will never regret it ... I promise, she added as a shiver of desire tore through her.

"Come inside Rox," the seductive voice purred in her ear. "You're shivering ... and it's going to rain soon." Ca.s.s added as the first raindrop fell to the deck of the widow's walk.

Rox looked up at Ca.s.s, intense emotion and pa.s.sion emitting from her gaze. "No, Ca.s.s. Stay out here with me ... make love to me, right here ... right now!" she demanded.

Ca.s.s smiled broadly, knowing the effects a violent storm had on her lover's libido. Taking Rox's chin in her hand once more, she lowered her head for an intensely invasive kiss, her tongue snaking in and out of Rox's mouth, doing a pirouette of love with the smaller woman's own tongue. Deep pa.s.sionate moans escaped Rox's lips at the invasion.

Ca.s.s felt a deep sense of love and fulfillment with this woman that she had never felt before. She would happily give up flying and commit herself to being Rox's love slave if that is truly what she wanted. After thoroughly tasting her wife's mouth, she worked her way down along the edge of her jaw and neck, where she left several love marks, sucking greedily, while Rox pulled her in closer with a hand behind her head.

"Oh G.o.d, Ca.s.s!" Rox exclaimed as a flood of moisture lubricated the s.p.a.ce between her legs at the attack.

Ca.s.s was nearly out of control. She simply couldn't get enough of the luscious beauty before her as her large hands roamed up and down the smaller woman's body. Rox entwined her fingers in Ca.s.s' hair and set the direction for her lover's probing mouth. Throwing her head back as Ca.s.s pushed her against the railing, Rox gave the taller woman complete access to her throat, which she quickly devoured.

"Rox ... Rox, I need you," Ca.s.s said desperately as she pulled Rox's shirt out of the waist band of her khaki shorts and ran her hands up and around her bare back. Rox shivered with uncontrolled pa.s.sion at the contact.

The rain around them increased in intensity.

"Ca.s.s ... take me, please!" Rox begged in response. The pa.s.sion and need Ca.s.s had sparked deep within her had built up so strongly, she thought she would burst if she didn't get relief soon.

Ca.s.s surprised the smaller woman by wrapping her arms around her waist and lifting her off the deck. Swinging around, she gently placed her down again, standing her against the wall of the house. Pressing the entire length of her body against Rox, Ca.s.s took Rox's hands in her own and raised them over her head, pinning them to the building. Looking deep into Rox eyes she said, "Tell me what you want, lover. Tell me what you need."

Rox nearly climaxed on the spot as she looked at the total pa.s.sion in her partner's eyes. "I want you to make love to me, Ca.s.s. I need you inside of me." she replied breathlessly.

Thunder rumbled nearby as the vibratious sound waves rolled over them, causing them both to shudder in antic.i.p.ation of what was to come.

Rox reached forward with her mouth, trying desperately to touch a pa.s.sion point on Ca.s.s' neck. Frustrated that her efforts were futile, she growled out Ca.s.s' name and pulled her hands from the taller woman's grasp. Rox was on fire. She simply couldn't wait any longer as she grabbed the front of Ca.s.s' shirt and tore it open, sending b.u.t.tons flying in all directions. Next, she reached behind the taller woman and unfastened her bra, allowing generous, perfectly round orbs to escape their prison. Within moments, Rox's mouth had thoroughly explored every inch of Ca.s.s' b.r.e.a.s.t.s, taking extra time to suckle on the taller woman's erect nipples ... nipping, biting, tugging. Rox's pa.s.sionate a.s.sault only fueled Ca.s.s further as she screamed out Rox's name, then clamped down on the tender skin between the smaller woman's neck and shoulder.

"Oh my G.o.d! Rox, please, I need you. Baby, I need you now ... please!" Ca.s.s begged, writhing uncontrollably, and pressing Rox harder against the wall of the house.

Once again, the rain increased in intensity as a flash of lightning lit up the sky.

With a strength she didn't know she possessed, Rox flipped Ca.s.s around and pushed HER up against the wall of the house. Falling to her knees, Rox reached up and unfastened Ca.s.s' belt and waistband, pulling the jeans she was wearing down to the floor. Ca.s.s' hands had braced themselves against the wall, her head thrown back, eyes closed as Rox started her exploration of the taller woman's body. Ca.s.s had to summon all the strength she had to remain standing while Rox's tongue trailed along her inner thigh.

Rox' tongue slipped in between the folds of Ca.s.s' womanhood, causing her to slam her head back against the wall. Rox reached between Ca.s.s' legs and spread then apart to give her better access to the treasure she so desperately sought. Placing three fingers in her mouth, Rox thoroughly lubricated them before posing them at the entrance to her wife's core. Ca.s.s was nearly out of her mind with desire. Capturing Rox's eyes, she held them as she bent her knees, and pushed herself down onto Rox's hand at the same time the smaller woman thrust upward. The sensation was incredible. Soon, Rox was pumping furiously into Ca.s.s as the taller woman thrust downward, her head thrashing side to side while her arms braced herself against the wall of the house. Before long, Ca.s.s couldn't control it as a flood of o.r.g.a.s.mic pa.s.sion pa.s.sed through her. "Rox!.... ROX! Oh my G.o.d! I coming! I love you, Baby," she screamed as she was a.s.saulted internally by wave after wave of spasms, and externally by the wind and rain raging around them.

By the time the spasms had subsided, Ca.s.s' legs refused to support her any longer, as she slid down the wall to the deck. Rox gently guided her fall to floor as she laid down with her, and held the trembling woman until she had regained control of her senses. When Ca.s.s' breathing returned to normal, she rolled herself over to lay on top of the smaller woman. Tucking her arms under Rox's shoulders, she kissed her pa.s.sionately, and thanked her for making her feel complete. "I love you, Rox," she said. "Now it's my turn to lead you to Elysia," she added.

Rising to her knees and sitting back on her heels, Ca.s.s knelt before the smaller woman and thanked every G.o.d in existence for allowing her to be part of Rox's life. Leaning forward once more she allowed her hands to roam up and down the bare skin on Rox's legs. Rox's hips gyrated in a circular motion under the a.s.sault, while her eyes begged her tall lover for more.

Seeing the sense of urgency in Rox's face, Ca.s.s leaned down to place a gentle kiss on the red-head's mouth. "Be patient, my love," she whispered softly. "I will give you want you need, my bard."

Rox closed her eyes and drew in a sharp breath as Ca.s.s' words sent bolts of pa.s.sion shooting to her groin. "Please hurry, my love. I need you so much!" Rox replied.

With Rox laying on her back, a naked Ca.s.s straddled her thighs and slid her hands under Rox's T-shirt. The intensity of the rain had increased to the point that Rox's shirt was drenched and plastered to her skin. With little effort, Ca.s.s lifted the shirt over Rox's rain soaked head and threw it against the wall of the house, where it stuck for a moment before falling to the deck.

Looking down at the pet.i.te woman from her perch, Ca.s.s' heart filled with a sense of incredible awe that this woman loved her.... that this woman wanted to spend the rest of her life making her happy. Tears mixed with rain as moisture ran from Ca.s.s' face onto Rox's b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Leaning down, Ca.s.s allowed her tongue to trail around the perfectly formed mounds, making circles on her lover's skin, avoiding the painfully erect nipples, and tasting the salty liquid that had run from her own eyes.

Rox was in agony from the torturous a.s.sault. "Ca.s.s, please!" she begged, arching her chest high in the air, demanding Ca.s.s give her b.r.e.a.s.t.s the satisfaction they craved. Ca.s.s accepted the invitation eagerly as she sucked each of Rox's nipples into her mouth, biting and nipping unmercifully as Rox writhed beneath her in ecstasy. Lightning lit up the stormy sky, sending pa.s.sionate shadows dancing across Rox's face.

Rox's hips began to buck as Ca.s.s realized she was pushing her wife to the point of no return. Climbing off the smaller woman, Ca.s.s knelt before Rox and unfastened the waistband of her shorts, pulling them down along with the lace panties beneath them. Soon, Rox was totally naked, lying there with rain pummeling her body, exposing her sensuous wares for her lover to sample.

Ca.s.s just couldn't resist any longer. Diving into the center of Rox's being, she ran her tongue in and out of the folds, tasting and licking before finally sucking the tender pa.s.sion point deep into her mouth. Rox moaned loudly as she reached out and pulled Ca.s.s' head in closer.