Survival In The Black

“Passion, it lies in all of us, sleeping... waiting... and though unwanted... unbidden... it will stir... open its jaws and howl. It speaks to us... guides us... passion rules us all, and we obey. What other choice do we have? Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of love... the clarity of hatred... and the ecstasy of grief. It hurts sometimes more than we can bear. If we could live without passion maybe we'd know some kind of peace... but we would be hollow... Empty rooms shuttered and dank. Without passion we'd be truly dead.” - Joss Whedon Bel’s eyes opened to the darkness and she stretched slowly in bed, the tightness of muscles the only reminder of the night before. That and the deep snoring beside her. She smiled a bit before she sat up, the sheets falling from her bare body and pooling at her waist. She turned slightly and looked down at the sleeping form next to her, the corner of her mouth turning up in a half smile while she looked over his naked frame...

And I hear them saying you'll never change things And no matter what you do it's still the same thing But it's not the world that I am changing I do this so this world will know That it will not change me. The Change – Garth Brooks Bel looked in the mirror and traced her fingers along her hair, eyes taking in the now bleached bangs and red hair that was chopped short around her head and face. The weekend spent on Persephone did her well. She caught up with Sarah and Walter, old patients and new contacts. It was Sarah’s idea to go to this fancy place usually reserved for companions. The money helped a lot even though Bel’s opinion of companions changed significantly over the past few months. She wouldn’t say she disliked them, just the idea of them. The fact that most thought they were better than everyone and all they cared for was the credits. She had yet to meet one that had a heart of gold. Just ones that cared for their own bottom line. “You look beautiful, Ms. Carver. ...