Safe and Sane

Hudson, we have achieved baby.

We're at home, she's perfect.
-Auri

He waited until the baby and Auri had been released from the hospital to show up at her doorstep. He arrived with flowers and food -- of the take out variety. "Hello," he said, with a surprising amount of warmth. "You look fantastic, point me to your kitchen."

Auri was exhausted but beaming, cradling the baby against her chest when Maddie was allowed into the room. The infant was sleeping, tiny and delicate against Auri. She smiled when Maddie came in, looking up at her, "Hey."

I'm at the hospital. Baby's on the way.

Maddie had done something she hadn't done in awhile: She'd gone out shopping. It wasn't as much of a spree as she used to do, but still, it felt nice to have some money to spend again. Maybe even better because she'd earned it. It was hers to do with as she wanted.

She put on her first outfit and went to find Auri.

"Aaauuuuriii..." she called.

Dinner had been Italian, out and comfortable. They'd gone back to Auri's home after, Auri taking the opportunity to change into comfortable sleep pants and a tee shirt.m She yawned, climbing onto the couch and half wrapping around Maddie. "You smell lovely today."

Auri stalked into the club and took someone's hand, curling it over her stomach. The baby was kicking, hard and pushing against her belly. She was six months pregnant and showing, a round press of belly through her shirt.

"I think peanut's a soccer player."

Beth's flight had been delayed.

And then her connection had been delayed.

And then her landing at Denver had been delayed because of bad weather and poor visibility.

All of which meant that by the time her taxi reached Boulder's city limits, she was very aware of her jetlag, exhausted, needing a shower, hungry, and retaining just enough mind to realise that being on her own would be a very, very bad idea. She directed the taxi to the club, called Gus and left a rather incoherent message on his answerphone, called several other people who just happened to be in her stored numbers and left equally incoherent messages, overtipped the driver, dragged her suitcase into the club common room, sank to the floor, wrapped herself around the case, and promptly fell asleep.

Maddie had invited Auri over to her house for a early holiday celebration. She'd spent most of the previous day cleaning and decorating and even tried her hand at baking cookies. She'd been partly successful but at least the house smelled good.

When the doorbell rang, she hurried to the door, stopped to check her hair and then opened it and smiled.

"Hi!"

Auri growled, very softly, coming into the lounge with a half undone leather top, tight at the back. Not quite a corset because it wasn't meant to tighten the waist, but along those lines. It wasn't done and it wasn't going to be done because she had just a the slightest bit too much of a stomach to manage it right now.

"Is there anyway this is closing?"

Auri was prowling through the club, predatory and careful with each step, heels clicking on the wooden floor. She was still in her work suit, a tailored suit with long wide legs and a fitted jacket over her stomach. She wasn't showing yet. She found Maddie in the lounge, stopping in front of her and smiling, slowly. She offered Maddie a hand up, hair still immaculately pulled back, no tendrils escaping at the bend.

Auri had a newspaper and a glass of milk, curled up in a chair. Her glasses were on top of her head and her shoes were under the chair. She was, unsurprisingly, grumbling, settling in her chair. She had a red marker and was pointedly correcting the New York Times.

Everyone had a hobby.

It was a party. It was a costume party. There was food, there were traditional Halloween games- bobbing for apples, a place to carve jack o' lanterns and way, way too much candy and junk food. A place to dance. There were also a few open play rooms, set up for groups or exhibitionism, but that wasn't the focus of the night.


There were awards for the best costume, for the scariest, the funniest, the most creative, the sexiest.

Maddie showed up at Auri's unannounced.

"Hi! I have a surprise for you. Can you spare a few hours?" She was trying not to look too excited but wasn't doing too well. She was definitely grinning and there may have been a small bounce which she quickly tried to hide.

It was the last day before work started on the second studio space, and, coincidentally, Ryan's birthday. He figured it was as good a time as any for inviting people over to the studio - after all, they'd been away for Brae's birthday, and it would be a good chance for them both to catch up with everyone. And he really wasn't going to let anyone take food or drink (except water) into the studio once the work was completed.

The existing studio room was firmly closed. The reception was cleared and playing host to tables of food and drinks, the lounge was as comfortable as usual, and the space that would be the second studio was lit by a series of lamps angled to reflect off the walls.

The leaves were just starting to change on the trees- it was a beautiful day, really. Crisp, clear, sun shining and just the faintest hint of a chill as summer unfurled into fall. There was soup in the cafe, some chili, in addition to the regular assortment of drinks and snacks.

The lights were up full in the common room. A long table along the wall held a selection of snacks designed to be eaten with your fingers, or fed to someone else. Fairy lights were threaded over the bar, and a selection of vodka cocktails were on offer along with the usual range of drinks and minerals.

There wasn't any particular reason. Just a Friday night as the evenings began to draw in.

It was a little cooler- highs in the low seventies, lows in the hight 40s- so the doors were closed this week and they were doing an assortment of teas. Despite it being newly September, not even Fall properly yet, there were pumpkins scattered throughout the cafe.

Auri handed Maddie the yellow roses, then scooped her up, lifting the other woman off the ground and spinning her around, "Congratulations, gorgeous."


She'd given Maddie the weekend for friends and family, but Monday, she'd found Maddie at the club and was claiming for the night.

The lighting in the room that had been set aside for the purpose of aftercare was low, there were stacks of blankets and pillows, and every seat in the room was designed for two or more people, overstuffed and extremely soft. There was also lots of water, light food, and basic first aid supplies - creams and over the counter pain relievers- available in cabinets on the walls.