Playing With Fire

+++++++



Carrie smiled when she felt a warm body press into her as the Texan stretched, mumbling incoherently, trying her best to avoid waking up. Carrie lightly ran her nails up and down Kelly's bare back, kissing the top of her head as she moaned appreciatively.



"Thanks for last night," Kelly finally managed as she pulled Carrie closer, snuggling into her.



Her smile widened. She would never get tired of hearing the sound of that voice in the morning, or any time of the day for that matter, "You're very welcome."



"So maybe," Kelly sighed in content. "We could just stay in bed all day and shut out the rest of the world?"



Carrie laughed softly, "You have no idea how good that sounds. But, unfortunately, we're gonna have to face things sooner or later."



"I pick later," Kelly grumbled.



"Everything's gonna work out fine," Carrie assured her. "Besides, you're gonna get hungry."



"Damn it," she cursed softly, causing Carrie to giggle. "You know me too well."



"It's my job," Carrie shrugged.



"Kelly, it's time to get up, I've made break..." Jeanne's voice trailed off as her eyes landed on the pair of them in bed together.



Carrie groaned inwardly. After everything that's happened, they still forgot to lock the damn door.



"What the hell are you doing?!" Jeanne exclaimed.



"Waking up," Kelly replied, unsure of what the recent outburst was all about.



Her cheeks turned crimson as she felt Carrie's touch pause on her back--her bare back. This wasn't exactly the best position for your mother to find you in.



"Get away from my daughter," Jeanne said firmly.



"What?" Carrie couldn't help but let out a slight laugh.



"You heard me."



"Mom, she's my girlfriend," Kelly reminded her, sitting up and wrapping the blanket around herself. It was way too early in the morning to be dealing with this.



"So?"



"So, it's nothing she hasn't seen already," Kelly replied, smiling as Carrie handed her her shirt that had been tossed on the side of the bed the night before. Carrie winced at that proclamation.



"She what?" Jeanne asked, her voice soft.



"Oh God," Carrie whispered.



"Get the hell away from my daughter," she said harshly.



"What's the fuss about?" Ashley asked, hurrying into the room. Her eyes fell on the two Idols still in bed and she sighed. "Jeanne, how about we go finish breakfast," she suggested.



"If I see you so much as touch my daughter ever again--" Jeanne started.



"Don't you dare threaten her," Kelly broke in, finally fully waking up.



"Jeanne, please," Ashley said, tugging on the older woman's arm.



"What's with the party?" Jason asked, entering the room full of people. His eyes fell on Carrie in his sister's bed. He gave her a slight nod, and she just shrugged with a helpless smile.



"Mom, come on," Jason said guiding his mother out of the room. "Let's give them time to get up and ready for the day, ok?"



"Did you know they were sleeping together?" she asked him.



"I'd rather not think about it this early in the morning," he replied, closing the door, leaving the two singers by themselves.



"So..." Carrie nodded.



"Good morning," Kelly smiled innocently, making Carrie laugh.



"How about a shower?"



"Together?" she asked hopefully.



"Kell, do you really think that's the best idea right now?"



"They're downstairs," she shrugged.



"Kell..."



"And she already knows we're sleeping together."



"Yea, thanks for that," Carrie sighed. "Before, I knew she just wanted to kill me. Now I think she might actually try."



"Yea, sorry bout that. I just wasn't thinking right," Kelly frowned.



"Don't worry about it," Carrie replied, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "I'll meet you downstairs, alright?"



"Care, wait," Kelly said as the country singer got out of bed.



"Yea?"



"Look, I know this isn't going to be easy," she said, wringing her hands nervously. "She's gonna say some stuff which will probably piss me off and hurt you, which will piss me off even more. And you know how I don't think when I'm pissed, and I just say and do stuff. I just...you know I love you right? And that no matter what happens, I'll still love you."



"Of course," Carrie replied, leaning over the edge of the bed to kiss her forehead. "No matter what happens with you and your mom, I'm gonna be here, Kell. Don't you worry about that."



"Thanks," she smiled softly as Carrie kissed her once more.



++++++++



Carrie ran into a shorter body as she turned the corner, walking into the hall from the bathroom. She heard Kelly's soft laugh and relaxed as the Texan slipped their hands together.



"You ready?" she asked with a soft smile.



"I don't know," Carrie replied. "How about a little encouragement?"



Kelly giggled as she reached up, kissing Carrie softly, "How's that?"



"Perfect," Carrie smiled, giving Kelly's hand a gentle squeeze as she allowed her to guide her down the stairs and into the dining room where the rest of the household was waiting.



Kelly couldn't help but smile as the familiar smell of one of her mom's homemade breakfast's hit her. Her mom had even already fixed her and Carrie a plate. Kelly frowned at the sight of bacon and sausage piled on each plate. She caught Ashley's eye as they walked fully into the dining room and gave her a hopeful look. Ashley shook her head.



Kelly couldn't help but laugh softly as she turned to Carrie, "Go sit. I'll be there in a sec."



"But Kell," Carrie looked at her worriedly.



"I'll fix it," Kelly assured her before dropping her hand and entering the kitchen.



Carrie went sit down in her place at the table nervously. She could feel Jeanne's eyes boring a hole into her while Jason and Ashley looked at her sympathetically. The smell of the food before her hit her strongly, and she gently pushed the plate away.



"Something wrong with the food I made?" Jeanne asked shortly.



"No, I'm sure it's delicious," Carrie replied, knowing better than to take the bait. She handed her plate to Jason who had been eyeing it since the moment she sat down. He took it hungrily, smiling his thanks.



"Here you go," Kelly smiled happily, sitting next to Carrie. She placed a bowl of her favorite cereal and another full of pieces of her favorite fruit before her.



Carrie grinned, "Thanks."



"No problem," she replied, starting into her own breakfast.



++++++++++



Carrie sighed as she put her toothbrush back in it's holder in Kelly's bathroom. No ill words had been spoken over breakfast, much due to the fact that hardly any words were spoken at all. It was like there was this huge time bomb just waiting to go off, though no one knew when.



She tilted her head slightly, the sound of hushed voices reaching her ear.



"You had no right to do that," Kelly said, agitatedly.



"Do what?" her mom asked, feigning innocence.



"You know what," Kelly replied. "You know she's a vegan. That's how you got kicked out of my house the last time."



"Sweetie, quit overreacting."



"Mom," Kelly sighed. "Please get out of my room."



"Kelly Brianne--"



"Now mom," Kelly said with finality.



Carrie heard the door to Kelly's room open and close. She nervously opened the bathroom door to find Kelly sitting on the edge of her bed, her head in her hands.



"Hey you," Carrie greeted carefully, walking up to her.



Kelly looked up at her, frustrated tears running down her cheek, "Hey."



"Come here," she said, helping her stand and pulling her into a hug. "You ok?"



"Yea," Kelly mumbled against her shoulder. "I just don't understand her."



"She was just trying to upset me," Carrie said, rubbing her back soothingly.



"Why would anyone want to upset you?" she asked. "You wouldn't hurt a fly."



"Maybe she thinks if she can get under my skin enough, I'd want to leave."



Kelly looked up at her fearfully.



"Which would never happen," Carrie assured her. "Trust me, I'm tougher than I look."



Kelly sighed happily as she pulled her into another hug, "Maybe I should just ask her to leave."



"Kell, if she came here, then she was probably missing you. That's a start, right?"



"Yea," she mumbled.



Carrie kissed her forehead, "She's gonna come around eventually."



"Do you really think so?"



"I know what it's like to have you not in my life and to miss you," she said, pushing a stray curl out of Kelly's face. "I wouldn't wish that on anyone."



++++++++



"What are you doing?" Carrie asked as she walked into Kelly's room to grab a movie, surprised to find Jeanne looking through a drawer in Kelly's desk.



"None of your business," Jeanne replied, not even looking up.



"I might be wrong, but I think I remember Kelly asking you not to touch anything in her room," Carrie said.



"She's my daughter I can do what I want in her house," Jeanne countered, finally looking at the blonde country singer.



"Just because she's your daughter, doesn't mean you own her. She's 25. It's her life. It's her house."



"She's clearly, not ready to be living her own life," Jeanne said, looking at Carrie pointedly.



"Are you kidding me? You do realize that your daughter is the head of a million dollar business. She's the boss of countless people. She makes more in a week than most people do in a year. How is she not ready to be living her own life?" she asked, curiously.



"Well it's obvious from some of the decision she's made..."



"If anyone needs to grow up, it's you," Carrie replied, doing all she could to keep her anger in check.



"How dare you," Jeanne scowled, taking a step towards her. "You need to start showing some respect."



"I will when you will," Carrie countered.



"Is everything ok in here?" Ashley asked, walking into the room.



"Peachy," Carrie smiled.



"Good," she said, looking between the two of them. "Kelly wanted to know if you found DVD because she had the popcorn ready."



"Yea," Carrie nodded, going into the closet and digging through one of her bags. "It's right here."



"Ok. Jeanne, I'm heading to town. You wanna come for a ride?"



"Oh, I'm just going to finish up in here," she smiled.



"I thought Kelly didn't want you messing with anything," Ashley said, eyeing her carefully.



+++++++++



"Why didn't you tell me you found my mom in my room?" Kelly whispered as she was snuggled next to Carrie in their usual spot on the floor in the theater room.



Carrie looked down at her with a raised eyebrow.



"Ashley told me," she shrugged.



"I don't know," Carrie sighed. "I didn't want you to worry about it, I guess."



"Do you know what she was doing?"



"It seemed like she was looking for something. She was digging through your desk."



Kelly let out a deep breath as she wrapped her arm tighter around Carrie's stomach, burying her face in Carrie's neck, "Maybe it's time I asked her to leave again."



"Kell--"



"Care, no. It's obvious she's not even trying to accept us, so what's the point?"



"Just give her a little more time."



"Why are you pushing this?" Kelly asked, pushing herself up to be able to look down at Carrie.



"Because," Carrie frowned. "You're going to be meeting my parents soon, and eventually I'm gonna tell them. I mean, I hope they're more accepting than your mom is, but if they're not...I wouldn't want you to hate them for it."



Kelly smiled down at her, "And you say I'm too sweet for my own good?"



Carrie just shrugged, and Kelly leaned down, pressing their lips together. Both of their eyes immediately closed at the touch, and Kelly lowered her body down, sighing into the kiss at the feeling of Carrie against her. Carrie's breath caught in her throat as she felt Kelly's soft hand, sliding under her shirt and onto the small of her back. She felt as if she were about to cry as the realization of just how much she had missed Kelly's touch, washed over her.



Carrie flipped them over, earning a giggle from the Texan that was now beneath her. She slowly began to kiss her way across Kelly's jaw, and the singer leaned her head back, giving Carrie all the glorious access she wanted.



"Get. Off. Of. My. Daughter." Jeanne's voice cut through Carrie's foggy mind like a butcher knife. She could actually feel a growl rising in Kelly's throat, against her lips.



Carrie rolled off of her, as Kelly sat up.



"Mom, this is my house," Kelly frowned. "You can't just barge in here."



"What did I tell you about touching my daughter?" Jeanne asked, completely ignoring Kelly.



"Mom," Kelly fussed, standing.



"How long have you been sleeping with my daughter?"



"Jeanne!" Kelly exclaimed. "That is none of your business."



"Kell, you know, we've been trying to keep things calm, but it's obvious that nothing's going to get settled until she says what she has to say, so just let her," Carrie sighed, standing as well.



"You are one little self-righteous brat, you know that?" Jeanne glowered.



Carrie just shook her head.



"You think you're so much better than me, don't you?"



"I never said that," Carrie argued.



"But you believe it."



"How could I think I'm better than you? You're the mother of one of the most amazing people in this world. I've done nothing compared to that."



"So how long?" Jeanne repeated.



"I really don't think that's any of your business," Carrie replied, looking at Kelly who nodded.



"She's my daughter."



"She's not a child."



"I believe we've had this discussion already," Jeanne pointed out.



"Yea, but you obviously weren't listening."



"You really are something else. Obviously you are to horrid of a person for any man to ever fall for you, so you've turned to women instead--"



"I didn't ask for this," Carrie shook her head, surprised at how hurtful one person's words could be.



"And as if your sins weren't enough, you've gone and corrupted my daughter--"



"I love your daughter," she countered. "And I would never ask her to compromise her beliefs."



"Can't you see how wrong this is?" Jeanne asked.



"Can't you see how stubborn your being?"



"I guess people like you are just naturally rude little bitches."



"People like her?" a soft voice questioned as Kelly spoke up for the first time. Carrie's heart dropped at the pained look in Kelly's eyes.



"Yes, you know," Jeanne said, waving in Carrie's direction. "People like her."



"So," Kelly's voice was even softer, but yet, somehow, even firmer than before. "You mean, people like me."



"Kelly, don't be silly. You're not like her."



"How so? I'm also in love with a girl. I mean, that's what you're referring to, right?"



"You-you're just--"



"I'm not confused mom," Kelly replied, surprised by the tears that were filling her eyes. "And this is not just some phase."



"Kelly, listen to yourself. This isn't right."



"You know," she sniffed, fighting hard to not let the tears actually fall. "Last time you were here, you said I wasn't your daughter. I think you were right."



"Kell.." Carrie said, worriedly.



"No," she shook her head, her voice shaky. "You're not my mom. My mom taught me to never judge someone, and she taught me how to love unconditionally, because we couldn't help who we loved. My mom wanted nothing more than for me to be happy and healthy. I don't who you are, but you definitely aren't my mom."



"Kelly," Jeanne's voice cracked.



"Now please," Kelly struggled. "Get out of my house. I don't want to see you anywhere near here ever again."



Kelly could feel the warm tears falling as she watched the door close behind her mother. How symbolic, she thought to herself as a soft hand intertwined with her own. She turned into the body next to her, allowing Carrie to comfort her, wrapping her arms around her.



"I'm sorry," Kelly cried. "I'm so sorry."



"Shh," Carrie soothed as she sat them down in a chair, cradling Kelly on her lap. "Don't worry about me right now."



Kelly let out a sob, and Carrie pulled her closer, feeling her heart break for the girl in her arms. It was never easy to lose someone you love, especially in the way that she just had.



"It's all my fault," Kelly managed, her face buried in Carrie's shoulder.



"No, it's not," Carrie said firmly, lifting her chin so she could look her in the eye. "None of this is your fault. You said it yourself, you can't help who you love, and as a mom, she should know that. She's supposed to love you unconditionally. It's not fair to you the way she was treating you or the things she said. You did what you had to do to keep from getting hurt anymore."



"But, she's my mom," Kelly argued, fresh tears streaming down her face.



Carrie wiped them away sadly, "I know."



"Why couldn't she see how amazing you are?"



"I could be the most amazing girl in the world, and I don't think it would have made a difference," she admitted.



Kelly closed her eyes as the tears started to fall harder. Carrie ran her hand through Kelly's hair, cradling the back of her head as she pulled her closer.