by Saless
Chapter 72

Sarah snorted, "I've already told you I don't like guys! I looked up to him, like a big brother, right from the start. But I never had those kinds of feelings for him!"

"Sorry. Go on." Erica said.

"Well, Mike watched out for me at school after that, and we walked home together every day. He couldn't always stop them from talking about me, but sometimes he could. And nobody laid a hand on me when he was around. I only got into one fight at school after I met Mike, and they were careful to come after me at a time when Mike wasn't there. Anyway, before long we were hanging out at his or my house almost every day. When Dad found out he was watching out for me, he stopped hitting me where Mike might see it. And then we had the same PE class one year, so he stopped completely. By then I'd gotten really good at hiding what I was doing, so he never saw me dressed up again." Sarah said.

"Did he think you'd stopped?" Erica asked.

"I don't know. Maybe. He probably wanted to believe that. It was relatively easy to hide at that point, because I'd been taking stuff from the clothes my Mom gave to Good Will for a while. So I didn't have to use her clothes, I had my own. But then Mom found me…" Sarah trailed off, shuddering.

"Do you want to take a break?" Erica asked worriedly while stroking Sarah's hair.

Sarah didn't respond for a few minutes, but finally said, "No, I'll finish." She took a deep breath and then continued, "Like I said, Mom always got home from work late, so I never worried about her catching me. So of course she came home early one day because she wasn't feeling well. I was admiring myself in one of my Mom's old dresses she'd given away months before when she walked in on me. The door was closed, of course, but I didn't hear her open it. When I turned and saw her there I froze, and so did she. Then she started screaming at me…"

Sarah took a few minutes to calm herself before continuing. "She called me all sorts of names, and backed me against the wall. Then she lifted me up by the throat like you saw. And then she threatened to have Dad rape me if I ever wore women's clothes again…" She trailed off again, fresh tears streaming down her face.

Erica held her tighter and said, "I understand a little better now. You believed her because your Dad had already been beating you for years, right?"

Sarah nodded, "Yeah. It didn't seem like that big a stretch. I was sure he would do what she said and when she asked if I had any other clothes hidden away I handed them all over. She was mad all over again at how many female clothes I had. I was sure she was going to hit me, or choke me again. But she just took all of it away and never spoke of it again. She didn't even look at me differently. It was like she'd forgotten the whole thing."

Erica just held her for a while without saying anything. She felt Sarah getting scared, so she said, "Did you still want to wear women's clothes after that?"

"Every day." Sarah said softly.

"Why didn't you? Once you were on your own it would have been safe enough." Erica asked.

"I was too scared. I didn't have any clothes and I was too afraid to buy any. Besides, I was tired of being a freak. I so wanted to be normal…" Sarah said sadly.

"Shhh! Remember, you're not a freak! I understand better why you have so much trouble with that part, but it's not true!" Erica said firmly. She paused before adding, "So, you always felt like a girl, then?"

Sarah nodded slightly. "Yes." she whispered.

"So this is like a dream come true for you. You've just been fighting it because of your parents, and because of me?" Erica asked.

"Yes," she said even more softly, "I'm sorry."

"Hush. There's nothing to be sorry about." Erica replied and kissed the top of Sarah's head.

"But, I lied to you!" Sarah protested, looking up at Erica.

Erica smiled crookedly and said, "When? When you said you wanted to change back? I understand why you did that. It's okay."

Sarah looked back down and said, "No, I mean I lied about being a guy! You never would have wanted anything to do with me if you'd known what I am."

Erica looked thoughtfully down at Sarah. "You're probably right, we probably never would have been more than friends. And that would have been the greatest loss of my life." she said sadly.

Sarah looked back up at Erica, "Really?" she asked.

"Of course silly!" Erica replied, "I love you!"

"But, I don't really want to change back. Ever." Sarah said.

Erica smiled and said, "I'll tell you a secret! I think I actually like you better this way!"

Sarah's eyes widened in amazement. "Really?! I thought you were as straight as they come!"

Laughing, Erica said, "I thought so too! I guess I was wrong, huh? Don't worry; you staying as you are isn't going to hurt our relationship one bit! In fact, I'll help you get your name legally changed, if you want."

"Wow! Really?" Sarah asked.

"Yes, really! I think I'd like you to keep your legal gender the way it is for a while longer though." Erica replied.

"Why?" Sarah asked with a frown.

"Because I want to marry you!" Erica replied.

Sarah would have fallen off of Erica's lap if she hadn't been holding on to her. "W-what?!" she exclaimed.

"You heard me. I love you Sarah Kinsley, and I want to marry you. If you'll have me." Erica replied softly.

"I-I love you, too!" Sarah said, choking up. "I'd like nothing better than to marry you!" Sarah threw her arms around Erica's neck and gazed lovingly into her eyes. Her barriers came crashing down and all the love she felt for Erica poured through their bond. Erica's eyes widened and she gasped in shock, but soon her love was flooding through the bond, as well. They could both feel their bond strengthening in that moment.

"Wow! That was…amazing!" Sarah said breathlessly.

"You're telling me!" Erica agreed in amazement.

"So, did you just propose to me?" Sarah asked.

"Yes. Did you just say yes?" Erica replied hopefully.

Sarah smiled broadly, "Of course!"

Erica's answering smile was just as wide. "Good! Then I have something for you, if you'll let me up." Sarah reluctantly got up off of Erica's lap. Erica disappeared into Sarah's bedroom and returned a moment later with her hand behind her back. She sat back down and let Sarah sit on her lap again. "Let me see your hand." she said.

Sarah held her hand out and Erica slipped a beautiful gold ring on it. It was etched with Celtic designs and had one large diamond in the center of the design. "Where did you get this?!" Sarah gasped.

Erica grinned sheepishly and said, "I palmed it out of that pile of treasure in the tomb. You like it?"

"I love it!" Sarah gushed, "But I don't have a ring for you!"

Erica held up a ring box with a grin, "It just so happens they were a matched pair!" Sarah opened the box to find an identical ring and slipped it on Erica's finger.

"I love you so much!" Sarah exclaimed and kissed Erica passionately. By the time they separated they were both flushed and gasping for air.

"I just remembered," Erica said after they'd both taken a few moments to compose themselves, "that Mike was going to start teaching us this morning. I'm surprised they haven't been here looking for us yet."

Sarah got a faraway look in her eyes for a moment and she said, "I think they're here."

"Here? In the apartment?" Erica asked in confusion.

Sarah shook her head, "No, just outside, I think."

Erica looked at Sarah strangely and then shrugged. "I guess we should let them in, then." she said. She walked over to the door and opened it, and there were Mike and Jill. "Want to come in?" she asked.

Mike and Jill filed in, with Vash becoming visible on Jill's shoulder as soon as the door closed. "Is Sarah okay?" Jill asked. "Her emotions have been all over the map this morning."

Erica felt another surge of love from Sarah as she admired her engagement ring. "Yeah, I think she's okay." she said.