Maia and Rose's apartment: Saturday Morning

[maia_rutledge]

Maia was laying across the couch, her etch-a-pic laying on the coffee table forgotten as she was completely engrossed in a book. She was frowning as she read it, a notebook open besides her with a pen as she stopped every so often to make notes. A stack of unopened letters on the coffee table beside the forgotten toy.

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[niceborders]

Ivanova lurked outside the apartment for a long moment before finally knocking and hoping Rose wasn't in. She hadn't met the woman yet and wasn't entirely sure she wanted to, no matter how many stern talkings-to she gave herself.

[maia_rutledge]

Maia sat the book down and walked over to the door. She had been wondering when Susan was going to finally knock. "Hey." She said as she opened it and stepped to the side for Susan to enter.

[niceborders]

"Hey," Ivanova stepped in, looking around automatically, assessing but keeping her thoughts to herself. She turned back to Maia with a smile. "How's it going?"

[maia_rutledge]

"It's good. How are you?" Maia said moving in to hug Ivanova hello and kiss her cheek. "Rose isn't here, she headed out early this morning." Maia looked disapppointed. "I wanted you guys to meet."

[niceborders]

"At the risk of sounding like a follower, I'm also good," Ivanova replied dryly, hugging Maia quickly and accepting the kiss on the cheek without returning it. Her voice was carefully neutral. "That's too bad."

[maia_rutledge]

"It is." Maia was a little surprised by Ivanova not returning the kiss but she let it go. "Come on in. I was just reading, not really anything good though." She said with a laugh as she held up the book entitled The 4400: Death of a Nation "It's a very uneducated read I assure you." She said tossing the book back down next to the pile of unopened mail.

"Can I get you something to drink?" She said before she would move to sit down.

[niceborders]

Ivanova glanced at the book briefly, not really registering it, and muttered some vapid pleasantry about how that was too bad.

"Um, sure, a drink sounds good," she said with a smile.

[maia_rutledge]

Maia tilted her head at the remark and then nodded and headed off to get Ivanova something to drink. Coming back a few minutes later with a drink for herself and Ivanova she sat down.

"So, what brings you to my door this early in the morning?" She said smiling at her. She didn't mind at all of course but still, Ivanova up this early there had to be something on her mind.

[niceborders]

"Is it really that early?" Ivanova glanced at the back of her hand automatically. But her link had been turned in along with her PPG and she still hadn't bought herself a watch. "I'm sorry . . ."

[maia_rutledge]

Maia laughed a little and waved her hand to excuse it. "It's not I was just kidding." She said smiling at her. "Are you ok?" Maia was however worried there was a reason for Susan's visit as Susan never seemed very keen on coming to her apartment. Maia wasn't a fool she figured that Ivanova had no desire to meet Rose.

[niceborders]

Ivanova waved a hand right back. "I'm fine." She chuckled. "It's funny. I went almost two years without seeing you, and now I can't go a few days but I get twitchy. I guess I just wanted to . . . make sure you were alright." What she very carefully wasn't asking was, of course, if Maia and Rose were alright.

[maia_rutledge]

Maia melted at Ivanova's words, she couldn't go two days without seeing her and not get twitchy. "I'm good." Maia said softly, a smile on her lips at Ivaonva's words. "Really."

[niceborders]

"You're sure?" Ivanova winced as soon as the words were out of her mouth. "Of course you are, I'm sorry. I shouldn't be . . . well, if you say you're good, you're good."

[maia_rutledge]

"Susan." Maia said reaching across the coffee table and taking Susan's hands. "It's ok, alright." Maia wasn't sure what she meant by being ok, her and Rose, Susan and Maia, where they stood, what they had had in the past. What it meant for their future. She squeezed Susan's hands.

[niceborders]

Ivanova was quiet for a long moment, holding Maia's hands in her own. Finally she nodded. "I just want to see you happy, you know that, right?"

[maia_rutledge]

"I know." Maia said not letting her hand go. "I want the same for you. I always have." She said looking down at the table and then back up at Susan. "I loved you for so long...that's all I could ever want for you."