[original] Flirting the Fence

Hey People!

I didn't forget! It just took me forever to find the final version. Been too many years and I didn't realize how long the original was.

But here you go, the original Flirting the Fence (currently being re-written as Day and Night). Fair warning this story is over 12 years old and I've grown a lot as a writer (I like to think).

Happy reading!

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Chapter 1

Beth walked quickly down the street, her eyes shifting left and right. She'd always loved hitting the town, seeing the new nightclubs, visiting the new restaurants, and taking advantage of the New York City nightlife. Of course when she usually did this, she was surrounded by friends, people she trusted, not out alone at 3am like she was now.

She burrowed further into the fur lining of her leather jacket, listening for any other sounds than her 3 inch heels hitting the pavement. The reason Beth had gone out tonight was to celebrate. She had just broken up with her fiancé of 2 years. She hadn't really even liked him let alone loved the guy. Beth had planned to marry him as a business deal, a mutually beneficial contract for the both of them.

Jason Brucksworth II had money, influence, and a last name known around the world. Beth was an up and coming criminal attorney from a farming town in Iowa that never really fit her. He had wanted the pretty little wife who cooked and cleaned, she had wanted his last name.

Everything had been going as planned, until she came back from her friend Ty's birthday bash a little bit early and found Jason screwing her best friend on the kitchen table. Well... ex-best friend.

Beth hadn't really even cared about Jason, it was Simone's betrayal that had cut deep. Beth had stormed out, hailed a cab, and gone to club DREAM. She'd grinded on a few guys, made out with at least one hot one, and generally drowned herself in destructive behavior. At around 2:30am her feet started hurting and her makeup had run its course. Beth left feeling worse than when she had arrived.

Freedom had called to her in the form of a still active city, and instead of hailing one of the dozen or so cabs in front of DREAM, she had decided to walk a bit.

Now she was in a bad part of town, with eyes trained on her and for once in her life she had felt utterly lost, and not just in the metaphorical sense. She was actually lost!

Chapter 2

Day watched the pretty redhead walk down the street. He decided she must be either lost or really stupid to walk in his neighborhood at 3am, alone.

Brian, his adopted son, had woken him up not more than two minutes ago because he had heard some funny noises. Since Brian's room faced the alley, he had heard the East Street Rags making loud obnoxious comments about a woman.

Day had gone to Brian's window and seen six or so gang members, all peering around the alley's corner, some of them stroking themselves and licking their lips. Day had had Brian go into the guest room so he could sleep while he found out what was going on.

Once Brian was situated, Day had gone into the living room to look through the windows there. He had seen the red head looking left and right, obviously frightened. It didn't take him long to put two and two together, the gang of horny men and the woman walking alone at night. In a perfect world he wouldn't have thought anything bad would have happened, but sadly the world wasn't perfect.

It had taken less than a minute to squish his feet in a pair of old tennis shoes, grab a bat and his keys then head out the door and down the stairs

Chapter 3

Beth was about halfway down the street when she began to hear footsteps behind her. Following the footsteps were crude hoots and hollers, along the lines of "damn baby" and "why don't you bring that white ass over here!"

Beth picked up her pace, almost running, while simultaneously looking over her shoulder. She heard some laughing and someone say, "Baby why you runnin'? Why you runnin'?"

She was nearing the end of the street, turning and looking over her shoulder when she slammed into a wall. Losing her balance, Beth began to teeter on her stiletto heels, but before she could fall a hand reached out and steadied her. It was only then that Beth realized it had been a man and not a wall, but he was so freaking huge, it was an easy mistake to make.

In the seconds that followed him grabbing her and steadying her, it seemed that fear was a living breathing thing in her gut. But before she could scream or think to scream, she was behind the man-wall, staring at a gray t-shirt covering wide shoulders

"Be very quiet," the man-wall said to her, as she heard the footsteps and hooting come to a stop. Instinctively Beth took a step closer to the man, perhaps something in her DNA recognized him as one of the good guys, maybe she was just really cold and he was giving off some serious body heat, or maybe she was just super drunk. Beth was thinking the latter, even though she'd had her last drink at 1:30, and had danced most, if not all of it off.

"Yo Day, what the fuck man?" She could hear one of the guys who had been following her ask.

Curiously, or maybe stupidly, Beth peeked around the man's shoulders, seeing six or so guys, with angry frustrated expressions. One of the guys saw her and made an obscene gesture with his tongue that had her moving right back around the man-wall.

"Marcus," the man Beth was behind said, his voice deep and raspy and cultured. "If your mother heard you talk like that, she'd beat the blackness out of you. So don't think that you can pull that shit with me!"

The man said, taking a menacing step toward the group.

Beth heard what sounded like, a bunch of people taking one step back. Man-wall growled at them, and Beth watched the muscles in his back flex underneath the shirt.

"What the fuck are y'all doing out here?" he asked in a low controlled voice.

"Uh, we was about to uh... help that white woman; you know, doin' our neighborly duty and shit," a small voice spoke up, but Beth couldn't be sure who said it.

The other members of the group grunted agreements. But that didn't alleviate man-wall's tension.

"How nice," the man said, his back still rigid. "But Mary was just looking for me," he said, turning and wrapping his arm around me, and bringing me close so all the men could see him staking his claim.

Beth squeaked out a very unrealistic "Yeah!"

The men looked at each other, then back to her, then at the wall-man. It was obvious from their expressions that they didn't believe me. A tall lanky black guy, who looked like the leader of the group cocked his head and narrowed his eyes. "Oh yeah? Then what's her name Day?"

Beth looked at the leader like he was an idiot. Day, who Beth guessed was the wall-man, had said, "Mary was looking for him." Did the leader totally forget he had already said her name, even though that wasn't actually her name?

"Mary." Day said, like the leader was an idiot.

The leader frowned, clearly stooped. "Then what the fucks Mary doing out at 3am by herself?" he asked with a sly smile.

Yup,

Beth thought internally,

this dude is a class A dumb ass.

Beth looked sideways at Day's expression to see if he thought so too. Yup, Beth thought, it's not just me who thinks this idiot is a few cards short of a deck.

"She came to see me," Day said for an explanation, shifting to widen his stance, as he saw some of the gang members growing impatient.

Beth wasn't an idiot, she was in a dangerous situation with men she did not know. Though Day might seem like he was one of the good guys, he may not have been, Beth had been white-knighted before and knew the game. But standing out in the freezing cold in heels she had been wearing since six, surround by men in a very bad part of town, she didn't have many options. Caught between a rock and a hard place, Beth chose the hard place.

Wrapping her freezing arms around Day, she rubbed up against him like a cat, which wasn't hard to do because she was freezing cold anyway. "I'm sorry I'm causing so much trouble, baby. It's just... I missed you sooooo much!" Beth said, drawing the words out and putting heat behind them. "Can we go inside so you can... warm me up?"

Only Day could tell that Beth was shaking, and she decided to let him interrupt it anyway he wanted. He looked down at her with a serious expression, and she could see that he understood what she was doing.

"Well boys, it's time for us to go inside. But if I ever caught one of you trying to "help" another person out, I'm gonna help put my foot up your ass," Day said, shooting each boy a look that said "Eat shit and die!"

Slowly the boys began to leave, a few of them taking one last long look at me before shuffling off. One of the guys had the balls to actually grab his dick and lick his lips. All Day did was tap the bat on the ground, a very real threat, and the guy was gone.

The leader was the last to go, trying to stare down Day. Just as he turned to leave, Day called out to him. "Yo Marcus!"

The boy turned around and looked at him reaching deep in his pocket. "Say hi to your ma and pop for me. Tell 'em I'll be comin' by real soon."

The blood drained from Marcus's face as he quickly walked off, and joined in with his buddies.

"Here," Marcus said, handing her a set of keys, but keeping his eyes trained on the disappearing group of boys, who every now and then turned their heads back to look at her.

"Go inside the apartment behind me, up to the fourth floor-apartment 4A," Day said quietly to her, gently pushing her in that direction.

Hesitantly Beth looked around, but there were no cabs, no other people, and she didn't trust those boys not to come back and do something if she decided to keep walking. It looked like going up to the apartment was her best bet.

Quickly, she began to head towards the building, ignoring her screaming feet as she reached the door and opened it. Day was right behind her, watching her back, as the trekked up the stairs and into his apartment. It was only after they were safely inside that she slid against the door and broke down.

Chapter 5

Day watched the woman sink to the floor and break down in silent tears that rocked her small frame. He wasn't really sure what to do, so he side-stepped her and locked the door. Then he took a couple steps back and awkwardly scratched his shaved head.

Day watched as the woman looked up at him through bleary red rimmed eyes. Then she propelled herself at him, burying her face in his shirt and clutching onto him for dear life. He was at a loss of what to do or what to say, so Day put down his arms and kept them firmly at his side, letting the woman cry into his shirt.

A couple seconds later Brian came out of the guest room, rubbing his eyes and staring at him Day locked in an embrace with a strange woman. Day silently shook his head, and mouthed, "Go back to sleep."

Brian nodded, and headed off to his own bedroom, giving his father a little wave. Day stood still as seconds ticked by into minutes with the woman in his arms crying like the dam broke loose.

Day was exhausted and needed to sit, so very gently he maneuvered them to his couch. Very gently he disentangled her from his soaked shirt and sat a little distance away from her.

"Everything's going to be okay," Day said, scratching his head again, and thinking of what else he could say. "Uh... if you want you can stay here for the night?" Day said, as he watched the tears continue to fall from her face.

The woman blinked at him a few times and then her mouth wavered, and her face scrunched up and she was crying worse than she had been before.

Reacting on impulse Day dragged the woman against his chest, gently rocking her back and forth, whispering soothing nothings to try and calm her. Finally the tears became broken sobs, and then little sniffles, and then nothing. Silence.

Day wondered what he would do now. But even as he thought about it, a yawn crept up on his and took him by surprise, making him turn his head and cover his mouth. "Honey, I think you need some sleep. I think we both need sleep," Day said finally, setting her from him and pulling himself up off the couch.

The woman just shook her head, and reached for his shirt. Never had Day, had a woman cling like this to him, and he wasn't exactly sure what to do. She had seemed so confident and sure outside, playing the part of his girlfriend to get the guys away, but now she just seemed broken.

"Let me go get some blankets," Day said, rubbing a hand over his face as another yawn took him.

"No," the woman said quietly, her voice hoarse and thready.

Day was really tired and a little cranky when he responded, "Well the alternative is sleeping with me." But even as he said it he realized how much of an ass he sounded like. For god's sake the woman was almost raped tonight, of course she's in shock, Day thought. "Look I'm sorry, it's just I'm tired and-"

"Ok," the woman said, using his shirt to pull herself up.

Day blinked a few times, not sure he had heard her correctly. "Ok, what?"

The woman took a deep breath, and looked him straight in the eye. "I'll sleep with you."

Chapter 6

Beth watched Day's mouth open and close like a fish out of water. Never in her life had she done anything like this. She didn't cry in front of people, especially not strangers, and she never slept with strange men. And she did mean sleep, Beth didn't have a desire to fuck anyone at the moment.

Even though Beth knew she was acting like a complete nut bull at the moment, she also knew her mind was completely rational. The alcohol had exited her system long ago, and the adrenaline that had entered her system had completely faded leaving her exhausted.

She just didn't want to be alone, it was that thought that had prompted her to except his offhanded offer. Though she had known he was just frustrated, probably not sure what to do with a crying woman, he had still offered, and she was lonely enough that she had accepted.

It was obvious from his demeanor that sleep was all that had been on his mind when he had prompted the question. Even now, scratching his neck and looking uncertain, sleep tugged at him, placing bags under his eyes and making him yawn nearly constantly. Yawning was infectious and soon Beth was yawning with him, tears leaking from the corners of her eyes as a large yawn took over her.

She watched Day shake his head, mumble something resembling "follow me," as he began to walk towards a small hallway off the entrance. Beth followed him, carelessly kicking off her shoes and picking them up. Her feet hurt so much that she stumbled and would have fallen had Day not turned and caught her.

Day grunted before hauling her up in his arms and quickly striding over to the door at the end of the hallway. Beth blinked as she was deposited into the bathroom, listening without really hearing as Day told her where things were. He mumbled about getting her a change of clothes and then left, closing the bathroom door behind him.

Beth did a quick look around the sparse bathroom, before she stood up, wincing at the pain she felt in her feet. She opened the medicine cabinet he had gestured to, grabbing a new toothbrush and using his toothpaste to brush her teeth. She was using his soap to wash the makeup residue off her face, when there was a soft knock on the door and then a hand appeared with a shirt and a pair of shorts.

Beth took them gratefully, mumbling a "thank you" before the hand disappeared and she heard the creak of bed springs. She continued to wash her face before slipping into the clean clothes he had given her.

Silently Beth opened the bathroom door and turned off the light, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness of the bedroom. Day had been so quick about carrying her to the bathroom that she hadn't gotten a good look at the room.

The bedroom was just as sparse as the bathroom, with a bed, bedside table, and dresser. Carefully Beth made her way over to the bed, making sure she wouldn't step on anything, but surprisingly the floor was clean.

She reached the bed to see Day turned on his side with a blue shirt on. Beth slid into the bed and rolled to her side.

"Good night," Day said gruffly from his side of the bed.

Beth closed her eyes, and tried to sleep away all the bad that she had experienced in the last 24 hours. "Good night."

Chapter 6

Day was having a dream about his dead wife. Shontell was pressed against him, snuggling close. Day looked down at her, beautiful ebony skin, thick black lashes, and heavy curling hair. She smiled, reached up to kiss him, and disappeared.

Day woke up with a start, silent tears of pain leaking from his eyes. He shut them, shut out the world, shut out his heart, and tried to compose himself.

"Hmm..." A tired female voice muttered against him. Day popped open his eyes, and stared down at the red head pressed against his side, her head pillowed on his chest, her small hand curled up to his shoulder.

What the fuck?!

Day thought in a panic. He looked down at himself and groaned when he remembered he had kicked his clothes off sometime in the morning.

Fuck!

He very nearly screamed out loud, as his morning erection tented the sheets. It wasn't so much that he was attracted to the red head, but that she was a soft woman curled around him like a vine. Day tried to tell himself.

The woman shifted again, bringing her leg dangerously close to his erection. Day set his mouth in a grim line, and very slowly, very quietly began to move away from her, disentangling their limbs.

"Day?" The woman said in a small sleepy voice, just as he had moved her leg off of him.

Day paused in his tracks, trying to think of what to say, what to do.

"Please... don't leave," the woman said, her voice unsure.

"I'm naked," Day said gruffly, not much of a morning person, and not much of a sentimental guy.

He waited while the woman thought, hoping to god she wouldn't scream rape, or try to kill him. After a few seconds he again tried to leave, feeling even worse now that he had made her uncomfortable.

"My fiancé cheated on me with my best friend," the woman said quietly, taking Day by surprise.

Slowly he turned back to her, and saw her slightly propped up, looking at him with such vulnerability he sighed and laid back down. For some reason this woman liked him, liked to cling to him, and he was just a sucker enough to let it continue.

Tentatively the woman put her head back on his chest and settled back now, breathing a sigh of relief once she was done.

"Um... My name's Beth," she said against his chest.

Day blinked a little, only then realizing he had never gotten her name. "You look like a Mary." Day said, and then wanted to smack himself for being so rude. Here she was trying to rely on him, and he was just being an ass.

"Uh, I'm so-" He began, but Beth cut him off.

"Mary's my middle name, so you weren't far off," Beth said with a small genuine laugh.

Day just grunted, waiting for her to continue.

"I went to a friend's birthday yesterday, but I got home a little early," Beth began, tightening up a little bit as she continued. "I found them on the kitchen table fucking like rabbits." She stopped, clinging tighter to Day.

Day wasn't really sure what to do. His erection didn't look to be fading anytime soon, and the only way she was missing it is if she was blind. He wondered if patting her back or head would be weird, but in the end his softer side won out and he gently rubbed her back, making sure to stay far away from the lower section.

"The dude's a fucking dick, and your best friends a jealous whore," Day spat out before he could think better of it. He was usually candid, just because he spent most of his day with guys, but in the presence of ladies he tried to refine himself and be polite. It seemed he was doing a pretty shitty job of that now.