Chapter 9. Twenty minutes later, the lights from the big ranch house came into view.

Twenty minutes later, the lights from the big ranch house came into view.

" Wow." Amanda breathed. " It's huge! " Even in the rain and darkness, Amanda could tell that the home was impressive. Two story, with a lovely wraparound porch and a balcony on the second floor, the stucco structure would be equally at home in the high rent district of Somerville.

Lex pulled her around to a side entrance. " We'll go in through the mud room, " she said, opening a plain looking door, " No sense in tracking in half the ranch through the house." She motioned the small blonde inside. " Martha would probably break her best spoon on my rear end." She closed the door behind them and flipped a light switch.

The soft light was almost blinding after being in the rain and darkness, and it took Amanda a moment to adjust. Small, with a bench along one wall and hooks for hanging items by the door, the little room was plain, yet clean.

Lex sat wearily down on the bench, and Amanda followed right behind her. " Well, it sure feels great to finally be out of the rain." The young blonde brushed her dripping hair out of her eyes. Her companion was leaning back against the wall, eyes closed.

" Oh, yeah. Gimme a second and I'll get you something dry to change into."

Now, with decent light, Amanda took the opportunity to study the quiet woman sitting next to her. Tall. Gotta be at least six foot. Long dark hair still gathered in a loose ponytail, broad shoulders and a very muscular build. That tee shirt can't disguise a body like that. Then Amanda noticed something else - the light blue tee shirt had a dark stain that started just below her breasts, and spread down her right side.

" Lex! " she cried, placing her hand on the silent woman's arm.

Lex slowly opened her incredible blue eyes and turned her head towards the other woman. " What's the matter? " she mumbled, trying to focus her eyesight on the young girl.

" I…I… th..think you're bleeding, " Amanda stuttered, at a loss for words. " Why didn't you tell me? " she asked, wanting to help, but not quite sure how.

Lex groggily looked down at her chest. " Didn't know, " she said, trying to reassure the stammering woman. " C'mon. Let's get our shoes off, and go find Martha. She'll get you something dry to wear." She was about to reach down and remove her boots, when Amanda slid off the bench to squat on the floor below her.

" Here, let me." She gently tugged the muddy boots and socks from the taller woman's feet, then pulled off her own mud encrusted shoes and drenched socks as well. " Yuck." She stood up and removed the heavy coat. " That thing must weigh fifty pounds! " she joked, as she hung it up on a hook next to the door. " You were saying something about dry clothes? " She slowly pulled Lex to her feet. " Think I can sweet talk Martha into something to eat? All this exercise has made me hungry." This with an impish grin.

Lex allowed Amanda to help her to the door. " Oh, I think that can be arranged. She'll probably stuff ya like a prize hog."

They walked through the door to find themselves standing in the kitchen. Amanda spotted a short, heavyset woman talking on the phone, obviously very upset.

" No, Mr. Hubert, she's not back yet, and I'm really beginning to get worried. It's been almost four hours since she left…" she turned around and stifled a gasp. " Oh, my lord! Lexie, what have you done to yourself, child? " she hung up the phone without another word, and rushed over to the two women, who were now dripping puddles in her kitchen.

" Hey, Martha… picked up a friend today… think you could find her some dry clothes? " Lex smirked, still leaning heavily against the smaller woman.

Amanda gave the heavy woman a large smile. " Hi, I'm Amanda. Lex rescued me out of the creek today when my car got tossed in."

Martha laughed. " My goodness, Lex always did have a habit of bringing in strays." She quickly closed the distance between them. " You both look like you could use a warm bath and a cup of hot cocoa." She gently placed her hand on the taller woman's face. " Honey, think you could take your friend upstairs, while I fix something warm to drink? "

Lex smiled. " Sure, Martha." She pulled the younger woman through the kitchen and into the hallway. " C'mon…. let's go upstairs and I'll find you something to change into after you've had a hot shower." She gently guided the younger woman through the hall, and up the oak staircase.

Halfway up the stairwell, Lex stumbled. She would have fallen except for the tight grip Amanda was keeping on her waist.

" Okay, that's it." The young blonde gently guided Lex to a sitting position on one of the steps. " Now you sit right here and don't move! I'm going to go get Martha, so she can help me get you settled."

The older woman was about to protest, but was stopped by a soft hand covering her mouth.

" No." Amanda said, shaking her still damp head. " Please don't try and argue with me." She removed her hand and patted the sitting woman on the head. " I'll be right back." She quickly turned and hurried back down the stairs, disappearing into the kitchen.

Lex leaned back against the banister, her eyes following the lithe body. Quite a little spitfire, eh? She closed her eyes and sighed softly.

Amanda burst back into the kitchen, a little breathless. Martha spun around from where she was stirring something on the stove. " What's the matter, dear? Did you get lost? " a twinkle in her smiling brown eyes.

The young woman shook her head. " No, nothing like that. I need your help." She reached for the older woman's arm, and began pulling her out of the kitchen. " Lex is hurt, and I need some help getting her upstairs. She won't tell me what's wrong, but she practically collapsed on me! "

The two women reached the foot of the staircase and promptly looked up.

" Oh, my! " Martha exclaimed, practically running up the stairs. She stopped at the slumped form. " Lexie, honey? Can you hear me? " She gently turned the quiet face towards her.

Blue eyes slowly opened at her entreaty. " Hmm? " they blinked. " Sorry, " Lex reached up with one hand and rubbed her eyes. " Guess I am a little tired." She tried to sit up, but the pain in her chest pushed her back down. " I suppose a little help would be good." She smiled up at Amanda, who had been standing there with a worried look on her face. " And I bet you could use some aspirin, right? "

The young woman returned her smile. " Yeah, for some reason I seem to have the darndest headache."

Lex chuckled, as Martha pulled her slowly to her feet. The housekeeper gently wrapped an arm around her charge, and Amanda moved to support her other side. The three of them moved slowly up the remaining stairs quietly.