A. K. Naten - Turning Tides

~ Turning Tides ~
by A. K. Naten

Rated: R with smatterings of NC-17 here and there
Keywords: ANGST; UST; sex; more angst
Summary: Love is rarely perfect... sometimes it seems impossible. A young woman leaves her troubled past, determined to start a new life in a new city. When she becomes hopelessly entangled with a domineering, emotionally embattled individual, she doesn't know if it's a dream come true, or her worst nightmare.
Warnings and Disclaimers: This is a F/F SLASH PIECE that depicts sexual relationship(s) between consenting adult women. If depictions of this nature disturb you, stop reading and bail now. If you're under 18 years of age or if this type of story is illegal where you reside, get lost, dude. This story is character-driven. There is no in-depth plot. There is no action or adventure. However, many aspects and situations are based on real-life occurrences. The story and its characters are original and are copyrighted by me. Please don't steal this; if you wish to post this to your own site, or whatever, be courteous and ask my permission first. Any similarities to persons/characters living, dead, or imagined is purely coincidental and not intended. All included song lyrics are probably copyrighted by their respective authors/bands and are borrowed without permission. Just ignore that part... I've tried to give proper credit.
Additional warnings: Sex, Violence & Rock 'n Roll: Yes; Yes, but nothing major; Yes, but just song lyrics. Angst and UST: Yes, there's LOTS of that. If you know my work, then you know my angst. Swearing/Cursing: Yes. If that bothers you, fuck off. Final Warnings: If UST annoys you, bail out now; if severe angst annoys you, BAIL; if you prefer a warm-fuzzy kind of story, BAIL. Please don't diss' me and send me whiney emails telling me that it was 'too angst-y' - You've been warned.
Additional author notes (aka, 'you can skip this part if you want'): Using song lyrics has sort-of become a 'trademark' for me. I've used them here again because, #1) I like the songs; #2) they felt pertinent; #3) I really dig it, man. Although this story may fall under the 'Xena Uber Alt. Fic.' category, I must confess to knowing very little about the show and its characters. I did my 'research' mostly by way of pictures and photos. I'm a visual person, and pictures, to me, tell so much more than words can; I like to look at a picture and just run with the feelings I get from it. So, why write a 'Xena Uber Alt. Fic.' if I know so little about the show, you ask? ...Good question. Someone clued me in to the Xena sub-culture awhile ago, and although I knew next to nothing about the show, I was intrigued by the pictures/video clips, and thought the two leads made an intriguing 'couple'. Or, maybe I just have a 'thing' for tall chicks and short chicks? Or maybe I was finally becoming bored with Scully & Reyes? ...Who knows.
I must give a huge *thank you* to my always-inspiring, ever-supportive beta reader and editor, Mahrta Conchita Consuelos. You have helped me SO much, and in SO many ways, my luf. Your thoughts, critiques and input are oh so valuable, despite all the times I've argued with you and answered your meticulous commentaries with a resounding 'fuck off!' Apologetic, appreciative kissies for you, dah-ling (with tongue).
Begun in earnest October, 2002; completed December, 2003.

"People have funny things
Swimming inside,
They swing like pendulums
They turn like the tides;
Darling, I don't need money
I could be happy with someone to love
Someone to trust... someone to love." - Garbage

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CHAPTER ONE
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Allison sighed with relief as she finally steered her blue VW beetle onto the 200 block of West Market Street. After making three wrong turns and getting lost in the huge, bustling City of Jacksonville, the little blonde was ready to scream. The early July morning was already frightfully hot, and she feared she was sweating profusely beneath the brand-new designer suit that she'd paid way too much for.
Thankfully she had given herself an extra half-hour; she ended up needing it, and being late for her first day of work would make for a horrific first impression. Turning at the traffic light, the blonde easily spotted the humongous building that was to be her new home.
Fourteen stories of blue-tinted, glass-encased concrete and steel isn't too difficult to spot. She thought with a satisfied grin.
She was already beyond nervous due to her recent move to the city, but now that her 'first day' of the new job had finally arrived, she was actually feeling queasy. She thought back to last night's pep-talk phone call from her sister: "You'll do just fine, Alli, you always do." Kaitlyn always had a way of easing her mind and bolstering her confidence. She smiled, remembering her older sister's calming voice, and she was pretty sure that she felt better already.
Jacksonville was known as the 'First Coast', and although it was already one of the largest cities in the U.S., geographically, it was still undergoing growth spurts. New businesses and industries were constantly springing up all over, and established corporate giants were eager to get into the booming area that seemed to hold good promise of becoming a southern metropolitan powerhouse. The City was a good mixture of old and new; the downtown center was picturesquely bisected by the St. Johns River, with the eastern edge being situated along the warm, salty shores of the Atlantic Ocean. The downtown riverfront was dotted with tons of shops, stores, restaurants, cafes, and other cultural delights, while the beach was a casual scene that came to life at night when it beat with the pulse of a hundred different nightclubs, bars, and assorted eateries.
Even though she grew up only hours away, just outside Savannah, Georgia, Allison was sure that Jacksonville would be so different. It was a teeming melting pot with a myriad of people from different cultures and ethnic backgrounds. It was a 'promised land' of sorts, and the young woman hoped that it held great potential for her as well.
She had been considering getting away and striking out on her own for a long time; she needed a change, preferably for the better. Over the past few years, she had begun to feel that her life was becoming filled with nothing but failures and disappointments. All the hopes and dreams and aspirations she'd always had for herself seemed to slip further and further out of her grasp. She constantly felt like she was wasting her time and her life; there were still so many things that she wanted to do, and see, and experience. So when she heard about the opportunities that awaited young, professional people in the rapidly-expanding business sectors of Jacksonville, Allison decided to take a chance at changing her destiny.
Now that she was here, standing on the precipice of opportunity and possibility, she could barely contain her mixed feelings of excitement and trepidation.

******

She reached the parking garage of the building and showed the guard her brand-spanking-new security/i.d. card. With a polite, "Good morning and welcome, Ms. Phillips," she was ushered through the gate and into her new career.
The elevator reached the 13th floor and Allison exited hesitantly, her eyes darting around to read the directional signs. It looked different from when she had been here several weeks ago to interview again, and ultimately accept the job offer, and she idly wondered if the place had been remodeled or something. She finally found the receptionist's desk and approached a severe-looking, middle-aged woman.
"May I help you?" The woman asked, looking up at the petite, young blonde before her.
Allison put on her most professional voice, "Yes, I'm Allison Phillips, I have a 9:00 meeting with John Stevenson-"