Sherri Polo One Shots

That's it. It was over. Nothing could have prepared them for the sadness that enveloped their hearts as they went back to wardrobe and undressed, turning in the last outfit they would wear as Stef and Lena. Since wardrobe was really a hotel room just a few doors down from where they were staying they both had changed into their pajamas with every intention of going back to their respective rooms and crashing. Sherri even put on the winter coat that they often shared on set because the morning air had become chilly and to be honest it brought her a lot of comfort on this sad day. But as they looked at each other neither of them found themselves sleepy anymore despite their lack of sleep and the amount of champagne they had consumed.

"Hey," Teri said softly smiling at Sherri.

"Hey yourself," she smiled back.

Their eyes, red-rimmed from crying still lit up as they looked at each other. This was so bittersweet for the both of them.

"You know I was just going to head back to my room and crawl into bed. I'm exhausted and I'm sure you are too. But I really don't want to be alone, and it looks like the sun is about to come up. Do you want to join me?" she asks putting her hand on Sherri's upper arm and rubbing it gently.

"I don't want to be alone either," Sherri replies, her voice cracking, the sadness of the show's end creeping up once again.

"Let me just go check on Bay, and I'll meet you out there? Our spot?" she asks winking at her.

"There's nowhere else I'd be." the dark skinned woman answers winking right back.

Their spot.

The place on the beach where they would meet almost every night and every morning to talk and laugh, watch the waves and share all their concerns and hopes for the future before they would go grab Bayley and go to breakfast or brunch. They were bonded before this trip even began. One could even say that they were bonded on the first day they met. Love at first sight, Teri always said and Sherri would always agree. But this trip had brought them even closer together which neither of them had ever thought possible.

One of the things they had talked about, but not in too much depth because it was too painful, was how they would have to face the fact that they were no longer co-stars. They would no longer have the comfort of going to work and feeling like they were coming home. Sure, they were confident that they would find other things to work on, maybe even together, but the loss of this was far greater than either of them imagined and it seemed to hit them both in the face as the morning light began to creep up. They both knew that the show would not last forever. It was inevitable that it would come to an end. What blindsided them both was how it ended. Neither of them were ready and essentially it was robbed from them in exchange for profit. That's probably the only thing that stung more than losing each other as co-stars: the betrayal by their so-called family. But at the same time, it brought them closer together as well. Sherri and Teri vs. The World and at the end of the day both decided to let bygones be bygones. It was business and essentially a lessoned learned at the end of the day. It didn't erase what they had been through or accomplished as a cast, and essentially that would be what they wanted their legacy to be, not the infighting and betrayal.

Sherri went to her room, and out onto the balcony looking out to the ocean and smiled as the sun just began peeking over the horizon. Tears began to form in her eyes as the emotion of the night began to take its toll. Maybe it was the lack of sleep and champagne too, but suddenly the sadness became overwhelming. But she couldn't help but smile, remembering the good times as well as the pain of this loss.

Teri came in quietly, watching her as she looked out on the ocean. She couldn't help but catch her breath as Sherri truly was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen in her entire life, especially in this light. Taking her cell phone from her pocket she snapped a picture of her similar to the one Sherri had shared on social media about a week prior. The photo she took of Teri was more fun, more relaxed but dressed in a bathrobe dancing on the beach with a drink in her hand it matched the energy she brought to Sherri's life just as this one of Sherri, quiet and smiling, matched the balance she brought to hers.