Show: Bad Girls

Title: This Hour Of Calm

Author: The Raven

Pairing: Yvonne Atkins/Karen Betts

Summary: Something beautiful under seeming impossible circumstances...

Rating: PG-13 to NC-15 , though I do not believe in rating things.

Spoilers: General show stuff, but nothing in particular.

Feedback: nerocorvo@f-m.fm

Disclaimer: They are not mine, I'm just rubbing them together to see what happens. The story however, is mine...

Beta Reading: It's in the works! :)

Notes: This is my preferred pairing and my reasons deal mainly with the fact that these two seem right for each other and tend to be the only two on the show that I actually like consistently. The story was written while listening to Nickelback, Bon Jovi and Moby, which might explain some things. The title is taken from a quote by Lord Byron...

Yvonne Atkins listened to the sound of the locks and bolts being secured on her cell door. With a deep sigh, she resigned herself to being locked in for the night, or even longer. It's not like there was anything else for her to do, or anything there she would be able to do about it even if she had something better to do.

Not foolish enough to keep a diary in this place of no privacy, Yvonne simply closed her eyes for a while and mentally catalogued her day.

She made the effort to memorize what seemed relevant or important, in case she would someday need it, paused to collect some funny anecdotes and not so funny moments as well and then simply allowed her mind to go blank.

It was too early to sleep, but she did not have any new books to read so after some moments of repose, Yvonne decided that a good workout would do her some good. It paid to stay in shape and though she used the prison gym on a regular basis, she even more regularly utilized the relative privacy and calm of her cell.

Unless a Screw came in, or something else happened, no one would see her and she would be able to relax as she moved her body, which would in turn make her exercise more effective.

Quickly changing into her workout clothing, Yvonne dug out her battered walkman, selected a suitable cassette and in a few moments had begun her workout.

The cassette was 60 minutes long, one she had carefully chosen to fit her in-cell workout. Each song represented an exercise and the length of time, or count she would perform it and once one side was finished, she'd move from cardiovascular exercise to power exercises. It had served her well so far, but was wearing out, hopefully the replacement would arrive before this one finally kicked the bucket.

* * * * * *

Karen Betts was walking the halls and landings of her prison. The irony in the choice of words did not escape her. In essence, this was her prison...

Night had fallen and she had decided to stretch her legs and use this quiet time to check over the general appearance and operation of the prison, well this wing of it anyway.

As she moved, she paused periodically to write in a small notebook she carried with her. Ideas, repairs and replacements, random musings and even doodles found their way into her notebook. She was however, careful to destroy the pages once she had recorded the needed information into a more official form. Too many prying eyes in this place, for all its locked doors.

As she walked quietly past a row of single occupant cells, she was drawn out of her musings by a slight sound. It sounded almost like a gasp...

Blushing at the obvious implications of the noise, Karen paused to listen for the noise again, realising that it could easily mean any number of things.

The noise was repeated, but this time it was almost a grunt and carried a note of pain in it. Concerned, Karen moved towards the door of the cell she was sure the noise was coming from and stopped herself only just in time from noisily opening the peephole.

It was possible the occupant was doing something personal and private and Karen liked to think of herself as being a person who had manners, regardless of the situation.

Gently, she eased aside the metal plate and looked into the room quickly; what she saw caused her to gasp silently.

It was Yvonne who had made the noise, but it was one of neither pleasure or pain. Maybe it was both...

The blonde woman was doing almost vertical situps, her legs jammed into the frame of her bed. As Karen watched, Yvonne's head brushed the ground and then she moved fluidly up, sitting almost straight up on the edge of the bed before seamlessly moving back down again.

After a few hypnotizing moments, Karen noticed that the clothes Yvonne wore were soaked with sweat and that every time she moved, perspiration fell from her body onto the hard and dry floor of her cell.

Involuntarily Karen licked her lips and realised that she was indeed not only intruding, but was blatantly staring on what was obviously a private moment.

Stepping back, Karen quietly closed the peep hole and completely flummoxed, made her way back to her office, her entire focus centered on just how strong Yvonne looked and how serene she had seemed even while doing what was obviously a punishing workout routine.

* * * * * *

A few days later, Yvonne found herself eagerly awaiting mail-call, today her new consignment of small luxuries was to arrive and Yvonne was pretty sure it would arrive without any problems from any of the Screws.

As if summoned by her thoughts, she found herself rising from her bunk to accept a pretty good sized package from the delivery cart. Keeping her expression carefully guarded, she waited until the delivery cart was well out of sight before she moved to her bunk and opened the small box. It was already been opened, obviously.

'Stupid twits, as if this is how we'd bring shit in if we wanted to...' Yvonne mused as she examined the contents of the box with hidden pleasure. Her cell door was open and it would not do for anyone to get any wrong ideas about her.

Batteries, half a dozen new tapes and a copy of her workout tape, 3 books some paper and some pencils, some fine cigarettes and a package of Espresso completed the package.

Quickly Yvonne stashed her things away, fishing out her walkman to check her workout tape to insure it was correct and lighting up.

Tonight she'd use it and tomorrow she'd trade the case and holder of the old tape for something else. No doubt someone had use for them, there was use for everything in this prison...

* * * * * *

Karen Betts had found herself wandering the prison almost every night that she had worked late since she had discovered Yvonne working out. Unwilling to admit it to herself, yet knowing that it was true, she was hoping to find the blonde woman working out again.

Never before had a woman, (or a man for that matter) intrigued Karen as quickly and as thoroughly as Yvonne had. Now that she had witnessed the woman working out and seen her in an almost completely unguarded state, Karen knew she was a goner.

Pausing outside of Yvonne's cell, Karen focused on her hearing and willed herself to pick up what was going on behind the heavy steel door. After a few long moments, she was rewarded with the sound of a slight grunt; Yvonne was working out.

Quickly scanning the landings and the shadows for evidence of anyone Karen gently and silently slid the metal slide of the peep hole aside and looked into Yvonne's cell.

Indeed the blonde woman was working out, this time it was push ups. Karen felt her shoulders ache in sympathy as she watched transfixed.

Yvonne's legs were splayed out and her left arm was behind her back with her hand clenched into a tight fist. The woman was doing one armed push ups, slowly, methodically, repeatedly. The display of raw power stirred something deep inside Karen...

Yvonne carried her strength well, one would never guess what was hidden under her day clothes and Karen realised somewhat belatedly that it was probably quite deliberate, the concealment. Yvonne Atkins was not someone who would ever be likely to reveal her cards until she was good and ready and even then it was not a given.

Realising that she had no idea when Yvonne would be done and not wanting to be caught in such a voyeuristic act, Karen again closed the metal slide of the peep hole and stepped away from the door to silently walk back to her office.

* * * * * *

The next morning, Yvonne was contemplating her breakfast with great disinterest when she became aware of eyes on her. Instincts well honed for survival kicked in and Yvonne's best game face slid into place as she glanced around, trying to determine the source of the scrutiny and its cause.

None of the women seated around her seemed to be even glancing in her direction and though there were Screws in presence, they seemed to be examining the patina on their shoes, rather than anyone in particular.

Still, someone was watching her and Yvonne was determined to find out who it was. On impulse, she looked up and caught the culprit in the act. It was Karen Betts...

Though Yvonne could not see the detail of the other woman's facial expression from the distance, she could tell that the scrutiny was intense and that the woman had not yet noticed that Yvonne had noticed her watching.

While Yvonne watched, she saw Karen write something into a small notebook and then turn away almost abruptly before she simply walked away. Intrigued in spite of herself, Yvonne forced herself to finish her food before she wandered back towards her cell, wanting time and space to think over why she was so interested in Karen Betts.

* * * * * *

Karen found herself once more outside of Yvonne's cell, listening for sounds of the woman inside, hoping that the woman was working out, yet horrified at her seeming obsession.

It had taken her only a few minutes to realise that one of the reasons she was compelled to seek Yvonne out when the blonde woman was working out, was because Karen longed to see her in the unguarded state it provoked.

Almost as if on cue, Karen heard the telltale sound of Yvonne straining and surreptitiously opened the slide to the cell's peep hole.

Today, Yvonne was hanging suspended from the bars on her tiny cell window, strong hands were wrapped in carefully arranged cloth and she was lifting and raising her legs. The steady methodical movement captivated Karen and she felt herself frozen to the spot as she lifted her eyes to look at Yvonne's face.

The blonde woman had her eyes shut and the sweat was running off her face in rivulets. Karen's eyes automatically followed the course of the salty drops and she watched them disappear into Yvonne's sweat soaked shirt. This brought Karen to Yvonne's breasts, which were in stark relief as her shirt was pulled tight across her body by the position she was in.

Now it was Karen's turn to sweat as she licked her lips involuntarily...

Distracted by Yvonne's breasts, Karen had failed to notice that Yvonne had stopped moving and that her eyes were open and looking directly at her.

A moment later, she did notice and for a long moment the two women looked at eachother; not as prisoner and jailer, but as women...

* * * * * *

Yvonne Atkins had never backed down from anything in her life, so when she had opened her eyes and observed the veiled face of Karen Betts looking in on her as she worked out, Yvonne knew that she would not back out this time either.

"Come in..." She said as she dropped to the floor and then gently pulled the headphones of the walkman from her head. The tape had finished, which is why she had opened her eyes and spied Karen Betts watching her...

As Yvonne watched, she could see Karen debate with herself, even though the small slit that the peep hole provided, before she heard a key being inserted into the cell door and then the bolt gently pushed back.

A crack opened and a moment later, Karen Betts was inside her cell and looking at her with equal parts hesitation and equal parts curiosity. Yvonne could also see something else in the woman's intense gaze, lust... No, not lust, something more complex. It was desire, interest, tenderness...

It was clear that the other woman was trying to hide her emotions, but Yvonne was not fooled.

"Come closer..." Yvonne said softly as she unwrapped her hands and loosely rolled up the long strips of cloth.

Not actually expecting the other woman to comply, Yvonne was startled when she looked up from finishing her task and found Karen practically standing on top of her.

Moving as carefully as a curator would while restoring a priceless painting, Yvonne reached out to Karen, giving the other woman any and all opportunity to move away, back down, turn and leave.

She did not...

Emboldened, but still impossibly careful, Yvonne moved her body closer to Karen's, her nose filling with the combined scents of her sweat and Karen's perfume overlaid by feint tobacco. Instantly intoxicated by the potent elixir, Yvonne laid her hand on Karen's shoulder and pulled on the other woman gently, encouraging her to do something, anything.

Abruptly, Karen seemed to come out of whatever stupor she had been in and Yvonne felt herself enveloped by strong arms and without hesitation she wrapped her own arms around Karen.

"Kiss me..." Yvonne said after another moment passed.

This time there was no hesitation in Karen and the woman leaned in and gently pressed her lips against Yvonne's.

A heartbeat passed and Yvonne felt herself almost slammed against the back wall of her cell as Karen proceeded to ravish her mouth. Responding after a beat, Yvonne put more into this kiss than she had into all the kisses she had experienced before it.

When she felt Karen's hand slip under her shirt, to caress her sweaty covered skin Yvonne could not help the moan that bubbled up in her throat.

This was so right, so beautiful...

The End