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.
"I'm sharing that later," she smirked as Sherri turned to look at her. Moving next to her they stood side by side taking in the massive ocean and the beautiful sunrise that crept up over it.
"Coming back to social media?"
"Just for a minute. I can't handle that kind of responsibility. I don't know how you do it."
"It's easier than it looks. You just take it too seriously because you feel so hard. It is both a fault and an asset, my love."
Teri couldn't help but wink at her as she reached out her hand and they interlocked their fingers as they watched the sunrise in silence. Once it was up, the blonde began tugging her back to the room.
"Come on. I brought you something."
"A present?"
"Sort of."
She guided her back into the room and on the table was a bottle of champagne.
"My favorite? You are a rockstar, Polo!!"
"I try," she smirks. "I stole it from Brad when he was droning on and on about "family". Lying sack of shit," she laughs as she pours us each a glass.
"You do realize that he probably spent about 300 dollars on this bottle right?"
"Yep. And fuck him," the blonde declared clinking glasses.
"Fuck him!" Sherri added with enthusiasm.
"I only have to be nice to him on social media. I don't have to be nice to him here. Plus, they didn't need any more champagne."
"And we did?" Sherri laughs knowing that they each had at least a little buzz from all the champagne they drank after the last scene.
"Of course. We fucking earned it. Now, raise your glass: to us!"
"To us!"
"To a once in a lifetime love. You will always be in my heart and forever in my soul," Teri tried to say as her voice began to crack.
"My heart will always be your home," Sherri added as her voice began to break too. Then, without even clinking glasses a second time, she takes her drink from her and pulls her into her arms holding her as tightly as she can.
"Promise me," Teri suddenly says desperately as she pulls back and takes the curly haired woman's face in her hands. "Promise me that this isn't over."
"T, I..."
"I know me Sherri. You know me. I don't mean to. I can't help it. I pull away from people. It's how I've always been..."
"And you know me," she says firmly as she takes her hands and places them on top of hers. "I won't let you. Because you and me?"
"We're forever," Teri says softly as she presses her forehead to hers.
"Exactly. Forever."
"A once in a lifetime love," Teri whispers closing her eyes.
"Exactly."
They stay like that for seconds? Minutes? Neither of them is really sure as Teri takes Sherri's hand and kisses the palm. They both keep their eyes closed, lost in this moment. Tears fall silently as they take a minute to just feel.
Slowly and softly their lips meet. Gently, but too firm to be innocent. With intent. They both knew that this was inevitable. With this kind of love and attraction and passion it was like swimming upstream every time they were alone together. Not that they hadn't crossed this line before, but they always were able to reign it in. But with all the emotion of this night they both were too tired to fight against the current anymore.
Lips tangled together as tongues dipped and teased causing small moans to escape both the blonde and dark haired woman's mouths. Hands roamed over backs and hips, grabbing clothing and gripping tightly. Their eyes remained closed as Teri pulled the coat down off of Sherri's shoulders, revealing bare skin that she nipped with her teeth then soothed with her tongue. Moving along her shoulder and to her collar bone Sherri leaned her head back, exposing her neck, encouraging Teri to explore it with her lips. Her mouth trailed a hot, wet path along the side of the thin woman's neck as her hands slid the small straps of her tank top down her arms, exposing her breasts.
Sherri's hands moved to the back of Teri's neck, holding it tight and gripping the back of her hair as their mouths met again in a slick, hot kiss, the kind of kiss where you can't get enough. The kind where you almost forget to breathe. The kind where you don't want to breathe. The kind that you don't want to end.
Not knowing how, or who led them there, they find themselves in the bedroom. Their mouths still locked in a searing kiss as they strip off their clothes swiftly and then Sherri is on the bed with Teri hovering over her. As their nipples graze they both hiss, breaking their kiss as they both look down in fascination as the hard pink nipples dance around the firm darker ones. Adjusting herself so her thigh is between Sherri's legs and her middle is straddling her muscular thigh Teri takes a minute to just take her in.
"I have seen so many beautiful things in my life but none are as beautiful as you under me," she says in a low voice as she kisses her chin... her cheeks... her nose... and finally her lips. Slowly with no rush. Taking her time and just enjoying the warmth of the kiss as she feels herself start to grow slick against Sherri's leg.
"And you over me," Sherri moans between kisses as her hands go down to her ass and places a hand on each cheek pulling her closer. Soon hands make their way between legs and they slide together and breath harder and harder as they ride against each other until they both fall into complete bliss. Unable to stop there the blonde catches her breath then quickly kisses her way down between Sherri's legs, swirling and tugging nipples on her way down, gliding her tongue over her inner thighs until her mouth is drenched in her essence and she is carrying her through not one but two bed sheet gripping, back arching oral orgasms. She tries for a third, latching her lips firmly around her clit and grazing it with her teeth and flicking tongue, only to be shaken off when she can't handle the intensity.
Instead she flips them over and pulls her tongue into her mouth sucking it gently, moaning loudly as she tastes herself in every part of her mouth. This is when she finds herself thinking she could possibly try for a third, but she refocuses her energy knowing that Teri still has had not had more than one. And then she makes her way down and returns the generous oral favor over and over and over again.
Hours pass and they finally collapse in exhaustion, naked, and tangled in each other's arms not knowing what tomorrow will bring. Hell who knew what this afternoon would bring? But for now this moment was exactly what they needed.