Dear Griffin

Hey there litsters!!

So I am back with a new story, it is roughly based on Dear John. I honestly have no idea why this idea came to me but it would be a cold day in hell when I deny any inspiration for a story. I hope you guys enjoy this latest adventure. Things have been insane in my life, so I try to make time to write whenever I can and those are rare moments. But I couldn't leave you guys without an adventure to occupy for an hour or two.

Once again, thanks to idrublood for being my beta. I also read that I am supposed to add that she did her best and all mistakes left are my one, which is true. She did a fantastic job and I am lucky to have convinced her to take on my stories.

I also have a true story that I am working on and I am truly excited about it!!! I know you guys will love it and I hope to have it done shortly, like with my time shortages my subject and inspiration for this story is also very busy.

I hope you guys enjoy the story! Don't forget to vote and comment or whatever but please refrain from mentioning my mistakes that is not the purpose of the story.

I also want to give a huge shout out to Mary Lambert and Macklemore for writing a beautiful song that fights for gay rights! That song is sure to touch a lot of hearts, if you haven't heard it, make sure to Google it! Same Love by Macklemore and Mary Lambert!

Happy reading!

SAbitch

**********

Scarlett jogged the shoreline, the music from her mp3 player blasting in her ear and for a second she looked to her right at the ocean. Suddenly she came to a stop and almost fell backward as she ran into something solid and felt strong arms encircle her body to keep her upright.

"Shit, I am so sorry," the young woman muttered.

Scarlett quickly pulled her earphones out and looked up into the most brilliant grey-green eyes she had ever seen, "uh, sorry, I wasn't looking uh, where I was, uh going."

"No, no, it was my fault, I wasn't looking," she said quickly and smiled, steadying Scarlett and dropping her arms to her sides.

"Jesus, it felt like into a wall," Scarlett commented and rubbed her shoulder.

"Uh, I am really sorry. I am Griffin, by the way," she said nervously.

"Scarlett, it's okay. Don't worry about it," she smiled into the apologetic eyes and felt her heart rate pick up pace.

"Let me buy you lunch as an apology," Griffin said quickly and almost fainted when she realized that she was talking to Scarlett da Silva, singer and actress.

"On one condition," she said and smiled when she saw the flicker of recognition flash across those beautiful eyes.

"Name it."

"You have to show me around here. I have never been in Cape Town before or South Africa, for that matter and I want to learn about the place," her respect for the tanned woman grew when she didn't make a scene about meeting a celebrity.

"Well, I am only here for another two weeks but I am sure I can show you around a bit," Griffin smiled.

"Great, I'm staying in the house down there. Meet me there at twelve," Scarlett couldn't help but stare into the captivating eyes.

"See you at twelve," Griffin smiled and started to walk away.

Scarlett stared at the tall, toned body wrapped in a tight tank top and running shorts. Her eyes followed the line of the toned legs to shapely behind, strong back and shoulders to the muscled arms. The dark hair was cropped short and hidden beneath a cap. Suddenly a picture of the Cupid's bow lips came to mind and she remembered the strong set jaw and sculptured cheekbones.

Jesus, am I checking a woman out? There must be something seriously wrong with me! But, God she is so fucking beautiful and those eyes...

Scarlett shook her head and finally started jogging to back to the rental house.

**********

Griffin had a face-splitting grin when she approached her Jeep and shook her head at the chance meeting. Scarlett da Silva was one of her idols and she had heard the Italian beauty was in the country for a holiday but she never thought she would bump into her. She was even more beautiful in real life and Griffin kept running her mind over the refined features of the brunette. Long, dark hair was tied at the nape of her neck and her olive coloured skin glowed with the fine sheen of perspiration that covered her body.

She was shorter than Griffin, 5'6"to her 5'10". Her slim body was covered beneath a loose fitting t-shirt and her long legs packed into tight spandex pants. The full but smallish breasts were hardly visible beneath the top and her full lips were always ready to curve into smile. Her dark eyes were friendly and her high cheekbones completed the beautiful package that was Scarlett. Griffin removed her surfboard from the roof and quickly swopped her tank top and short for the wetsuit stowed on the backseat.

She walked back across the soft sand, her board tucked under her arm and the smile still grazing her lips. The water was cold against her heated skin but she picked up her pace and dove beneath the waves to get deeper into the ocean. She absent-mindedly paddled to the other surfers on the water and straddled her board as she waited for the waves to come in. After setting her alarm to go off at eleven she started paddling hard to catch the waves and surfed for hours.

Scarlett looked out from the deck and smiled at the dots in the water, desperate to catch a wave and do a few manoeuvres to impress their fellow surfers. She watched as a tall body walked from the water and unzipped her wetsuit, pulling down her shoulders and allowing it to bunch around her waist. Griffin shook the water from her hair and trembled as a cold wind kissed her wet skin. Even from a distance, Scarlett could see the faint lines that defined the muscles of Griffin's body. The tanned skin glistened in the sun and she felt her breath hitch when she saw the grey-green eyes turn in her direction and the white teeth shining as she smiled.

Griffin gave a small wave and walked to her Jeep to get a change of clothes and rinse the salty water from her body in the shower. She stepped under the cold spray and shivered at the contact. Once she was done she pulled on her jeans and a black tank top, rolling up the legs of the jeans before stepping into her sandals. She added some wax to her hair and towel dried it until it was styled the way she wanted.

The sand crunched beneath her feet as she approached Scarlett's house, wiping her sweaty palms on her jeans before knocking on the sliding door that was slightly open.

"Hi," came Scarlett's voice, her Italian accent thick as she approached the door.

"Hey yourself," Griffin smiled and lifted the sunglasses from her head.

"So, where are we going?" she asked with a smile of her own.

"There's this little restaurant on the beach, not too far from here. The seafood is really good and the vibe is pretty amazing."

"Sounds good. Just let me lock up and then we can go."

They walked in silence across the warm sand and Griffin smiled at the sight of Scarlett in her tight shorts and t-shirt.

"What are you smiling at?"

"Was just thinking that you look good in shorts," Griffin said and smiled when a light blush covered the other woman's cheeks.

"Uh, th-thanks," Scarlett stumbled.

You're a world famous singer and actress who perform in front of thousands of people and one compliment from this woman and your damn brain melts! Get a grip!

Scarlett scolded herself and blushed even more when she saw the amused grin of her new friend.

"So, I was wondering, based on how this lunch goes and how you feel about me showing you around afterward, if you wanted to join me at the beach party tonight?" Griffin asked and looked away from the blushing woman as they approached the entrance to the tiny restaurant.

"Uh, yeah, where is- is it?" Scarlett asked and almost kicked herself.

"On this beach, so you will be close to your house if you want to leave at any time," Griffin hoped that the actress would agree.

"Let's see how lunch goes," Scarlett smiled and realized that the only time she could speak properly around Griffin was when those intense eyes were not focussed on her.

"Cool," Griffin mumbled and spoke to a waiter who quickly seated them outside where they could look at the ocean.

"So, what do you do?" Scarlett asked and tried to avoid the eyes that seemed to turn her into a blubbering mess.

"I'm in the Special Forces. I came home for my annual leave and I head back in two weeks."

"That explains why it felt like I ran into a brick wall when I bumped into you this morning," Scarlett laughed and looked at the tall brunette with admiration.

"Yeah, sorry again. They kinda teach you during training how to withstand certain hits and I guess it becomes instinct."

"Can I ask you something, without trying to sound vain," Scarlett stared into her glass.

"Shoot."

"Do you know who I am?"

Griffin laughed at that and saw the smaller woman flinch, "just because I spend most of my time in foreign third world countries trying to prevent political dispute and war, doesn't mean there are no TVs or magazines. So yeah I know who you are and honestly, I am a really big fan."

"Look, I really don't want to sound vain, but why didn't react like most of my other fans?" she asked and couldn't help but smile at the quirky grin Griffin had.

"I guess that would be training too. I just figured, that after I almost flattened you, the last thing you needed was a desperate fan drooling all over you," Griffin shrugged.

Their food came and they ate in silence for a while, "I barely know you but I feel like a regular person in your company and I appreciate that."

Griffin looked at the dark head that was slightly bent to avoid her eyes and smiled, "I'm glad to hear that. There's nothing worse than trying to have a relaxing holiday and being bothered all the time. Besides, you seem nice enough and I don't have much else planned."

Scarlett looked up the woman uncertainly and smiled when she saw that she was joking, "way to bruise a girl's ego!"

"I'm sure that hardly left a crack in yours," she ducked when a serviette came flying at her and laughed.

Scarlett laughed and wondered how it was possible to get along with someone so quickly. It only took a few minutes before the banter came from both sides and the women laughed as they shared dessert. They argued over the bill until Griffin reminded her that she invited her and that it was her treat.

"Do you wanna come over for a drink?" Scarlett asked and was surprised when she heard the words leave her mouth.

"I would love to but I have to go fetch my brother from school. I will come around at about six and then we can have a drink before heading to the party. Well, shit sorry, that is if you wanted to come?"

Scarlett tried to hide her disappointment with a smile but didn't realize that she wasn't doing a very good job, "yeah, I would love to go. Just ring the doorbell when you get to my house."

They walked out onto the beach and made small talk until they walked onto the deck of the large house.

"So, I'll see you later," Griffin said hopefully.

"Definitely," Scarlett smiled and fought back the urge to hug the strong woman in front of her.

Her eyes followed the retreating figure of Griffin as she made her way across the beach and she questioned the sudden connection she felt with the woman. She smiled and realized that she had finally made a real friend and this holiday suddenly seemed worth it.

***********

Griffin drove toward the nearby school, a smile still plastered on her face. She never thought she'd meet her idol, let alone be considered a friend of the above mentioned. Her brother stood waiting at the curb with a girl next to him and she smiled at the tall young man who looked so much like her.

"Hey, sis," he smiled and hugged when she got out.

"Hi, so who is this?" she asked with a warm smile, her shades still firmly in place.

"This is Tina, my girlfriend. She is going to come with us to the party tonight. Tina this is my sister, Griffin," he motioned to the dark, intense woman.

"Nice to meet you," the young girl said nervously.

"You too. Well let's get going, I have somewhere to be at six," she said and made her way to the door.

"How was your first day as a civilian?" Braydon asked casually as he opened the door for Tina.

"You will never guess who I met today and have drinks with at six before the party," Griffin said with a grin that crooked at the one side of her mouth.

"Who?" Braydon asked perplexed.

"Scarlett da Silva," Griffin looked over at her brother and burst out laughing at his disbelieving facial expression.

"THE Scarlett da Silva?" he asked through a tight throat.

"Yeah, the one and only. She's here on vacation and she literally ran into me this morning."

"Are you sure you didn't hallucinate?"

"Ha... Ha... I will introduce you tonight, just don't act like a blubbering fool when I do," Griffin smiled, her brother had as big a crush on the actress as she did.

"Are you bringing her to the party?" Tina asked from the backseat.

"Yeah, if she still wants to go," Griffin smiled at the pretty young girl in the rear-view mirror.

"That would be so cool," she gushed and blushed when the siblings started laughing.

Half an hour later they stopped in front of a modest house and walked through the door. Their mother was at work and this left them alone for a few hours before the party started. They gathered in the kitchen and made sandwiches for lunch, Griffin didn't eat much due to her lunch with Scarlett but sat with her brother and reconnected.

"How's that scar looking?" he asked with a mouth full of food.

"It's not red and sensitive anymore but it will always be there," she said with a shrug.

"Let me see," he requested.

Griffin lifted her shirt and saw the young girl's eyes nearly pop out of her head. Along her torso ran a long scar where a child soldier attacked her when she refused to shoot him. She let her guard down when they took the gun from him and he attacked with a knife when she approached. Griffin was barely able to stop her team from shooting the young boy of about twelve.

"Well, it makes you look rugged in a sexy way," he said at looked at the long scar that ran from under her breast across and down to her hip.

"Yeah, I know. Chicks dig scars," she laughed and asked him about school.

They spent a long time catching up, Tina rarely speaking but laughing at the sibling interaction. At four their mother came home, a complete contrast to the siblings who had most of their father's genes. She was fair skinned and had blonde hair that hung down her back with the same grey-green eyes.

"Hey mama," Griffin hugged the elder woman and held her close for a long time.

"Hey, Grif. So are you guys ready for that party? It saves me from cooking," she said and smacked her daughter's behind as she walked away.

"Yeah, I just want to shower and get dressed."

"She has a date with the Scarlett da Silva," Braydon interjected and ducked the swinging arm of his sister with a laugh.

"That's nice," she said and went about her normal routine.

"Mama, Scarlett is like a Hollywood famous actress," Braydon said in exasperation.

"I know, I just don't understand why you guys make such a big deal about it. She is just a normal person after all."

"Maybe one day you will understand," Braydon mumbled and led Tina to the spare room where she could change.

Griffin laughed and walked down the hall to her room to grab the clothes she wanted to wear and headed to the shower. She pulled her shorts on over her bikini after she stepped out of the shower and pulled her blue Superman shirt on. After stepping into her sandals and grabbing a light jacket, she kissed her mother goodbye and waited for the younger two to join her.

**********

After leaving her brother and his companion at their friend's house on the beach she walked toward the large house Scarlett lived in. She shook the sand from her feet and sandals and knocked on the door. Scarlett walked to the door and smiled warmly at her guest.

"Hi," she said with hint nervousness.

"Hey there," Griffin smiled.

"Come in, we can grab a beer and then sit on the deck."

They grabbed a beer and sat on the settee on the deck, talking about random things and sharing stories about their lives.

"So why did you join the Special Forces?" Scarlett asked in curiosity.

"Well, my father died fighting the war against Apartheid. I was only fourteen when he died in 94 before the official elections and he never got to see how he's fighting had made a difference in this country. I guess I joined because I wanted to live his legacy and be like him. So after school I signed up and was accepted. After the first two years they offered me a five year contract and I still have a year left."

"Wow, I'm sorry about your father. So are you gonna sign another contract?"

"I don't know. I mean my mother is getting older and I just want to be home more, but it depends on what happens. It's not something I'm thinking about right now because there is so much that can happen between now and then."

"That's true," Scarlett looked into her bottle contemplatively and thought about how for the first time in years she felt like a real person and not some conjured up character of someone's fantasy.

"We should probably head to the party. I promised my brother I would introduce him to you. Oh and be warned there will be a lot of people fawning over you but I will try to keep them in tow."

They walked across the beach and heard the loud music echoing across the sky. There were people everywhere and at some point Griffin grabbed the actress's hand to pull her through the crowd toward the house where the music was coming from. After looking around for a while and grabbing a beer they finally found Braydon and Tina.

"Hey," Griffon said and sat on one of the available chairs.

"Hey sis," Braydon said back followed by a soft 'hey' from Tina.

"This is Scarlett, Scarlett this is my brother, Braydon and his girlfriend, Tina. And all of his other friends that I really don't know the names of."

Braydon almost fell off of his chair and Griffon burst out laughing.

"Oh, uh, Hi, ni-nice t-to m-meet y-you," he stammered.

"Hi, you too," she shook his hand and smiled at the male version of her new friend.

They all laughed and talked, the occasional fan coming over to ask for an autograph but all in all she was amazed at how Griffin had kept the unwanted attention away. She quickly realized that people feared the soldier and respected her in a fierce way.

When the song Wake Me Up by Avicii started playing Griffin jumped up and started singing at the top of her lungs, causing Scarlett to laugh harder than she had in years. She stared at the woman in amazement and realized she wanted to know everything about her.

Griffin snapped her fingers and moved her body while her legs twisted as she danced. Scarlett laughed at the enthusiasm that went into the performance. She could see the love for this song on Griffin's face and realized that the lyrics did truly hold a special message for the soldier.

"So wake me up when it's all over

When I'm wiser and I'm older

All this time I was finding myself

And I didn't know I was lost..."

"She is a dreamer and believes in this fantasy love," Braydon supplied to the laughing Scarlett.

Scarlett smiled at him and wondered how someone could approach life so logically and yet be a dreamer. Suddenly the dark haired woman intrigued her even more and she hoped that she could get a lifetime friendship out of this.

"Yo, Captain, I am gonna play your favourite "fight-for-gay-rights song next," a strong man shouted from behind the DJ booth.

"Thanks."

"Captain?" Scarlett asked with a grin.