Two Of A Kind

Authors note: Hi everyone This is my first fanfic ever. Reading all these wonderful stories here, I thought Id give it a shot myself. Ive placed the story two months after the season finale. Although most of the L girls will be featured in this story, the main focus for now will be Shane. There might be possible Season 2 spoilers but Ive tried to write my own story. All the characters of course belong to the L Word except dr. Alex Roberts. Shes all mine. I can use all the feedback I can get so please criticize away And enjoy (I hope)!

Chapter 1 – Soulless


There are so many things people take for granted in their lives. Their homes. Their friends. Their families. But there are some less fortunate souls who know just how precious these things really are. Early on Shane had learnt the value of love and affection and kindness. Who would have thought that a lack of something could teach you to appreciate it. Quite often people will say that you dont know what youve got until its gone, but thats not necessarily true. Watching other people have something you dont, can make a person quite aware of whats missing in their own lives. As had been the case with Shane when she was a child. And even now watching her friends, the love in their eyes, the ease and affection with which they treated each other she still felt that there was something she was missing, despite that now she was part of their circle. It would make sense if she had felt envy, but she didnt. Sometimes you learn to accept the things you cannot change, and the way she had felt for so many years she had given up hope of ever changing that.

Shane was awoken from her reverie by Alice tugging at her sleeve. SHANE, Alice bellowed, Hello!!! Where the ***** were you I know its hard for you to pay attention when it doesnt involve anything ending with you all hot and sweaty, but could you please pay a little attention? After all, this is a big deal and if were going to pull this off were all gonna have to pitch in. Shane glared at Alice and then she just shrugged. A small grin appeared on her face. She leaned over to Alice and whispered in her ear, Well, I wouldnt mind if it ended up with you getting all hot and sweaty. Alice felt Shanes lips brush against her earlobe and she shivered involuntarily. The effect this woman could have still amazed her. The moment was broken when Dana clipped Alice in the head. Jesus Al, if youre gonna mack on Shane could you please do it when Im not around? And you, she said turning to Shane, I know shes hot but stop hitting on my girlfriend. Danas face was tense and her eyes had gone dark. Accusingly she stared at Shane as Shane stared back at her impassively. Alice, Tina and Bette were watching the exchange between the two with a bit of apprehension. They werent used to seeing Dana so serious. Then Shanes face broke into a grin again, Well, hey, dude, it aint my fault your girlfriend is so hot, making Alice blush once again and slouching down in her chair in an effort to just disappear. Youre damn right she is!, Dana said laughingly as she saw her girlfriends blushing face and she pulled her into a hug. And the whole gang started laughing now the tension was broken.

Ok, maybe we should get back to what we were talking about, Bette said after the laughter had died down a little. As businesslike as ever Bette took control of the conversation. The girls were sitting at their usual table at the Planet. The place still looked pretty much the same. The staff. The interior. The atmosphere. There was just one thing missing. Marina. One day she had been there and the next she was gone. It had been a few months now that they hadnt seen Marina. One day Shane, Alice and Tina had been in there catching up when suddenly Alice had mentioned that they hadnt seen Marina for a while. None of them thought anything of it at first, but then Alice had done a little digging and they had found out that Marina had tried to commit suicide. Alice had gathered all of them in her apartment and had told them what she had found out. so she checked out two weeks ago and no one has seen her since, she had concluded her tale. This made all of them silent. Their friend had been hospitalized and they hadnt even known. Wrapped up in their own tales of woe theyd all lost track of her when she needed them the most. Shane still recovering from her disastrous encounter with Cherie. Alice and Dana struggling to come to terms with their feelings for each other. Tina trying hard to deal with Bettes betrayal. And Bette withdrawn into her own world appalled at herself for what she had done, but unable to tell Tina that she wouldnt do it again if she could do everything all over again. That day in Alices apartment they agreed that they had to find Marina and somehow bring her back to where she belonged. To the Planet. To their planet, so to speak.

And thats why the girls were having lunch. It had been a month and a half since the talk and it seemed they were nowhere closer to finding Marina. Their personal lives however had started to resolve themselves. Dana and Alice were now dating. Dana was learning to deal with Alices incessant chatter and her insane six degrees of ***** separation chart twenty-four-seven, while Alice tried very hard not to get insanely jealous every time she saw Dana and Lara together who were now very good friends. Tina and Bette had called a truce. They were trying to move on with their lives as friends. Bette had felt sorry for hurting Tina, but she didnt feel sorry for the attraction she had felt for Candace. This had cut Tina deeply who still loved Bette deeply. But Bettes inability to say what she needed to hear had made her move out permanently and now she was slowly starting to deal with life without Bette. Being around her wife, ex-wife, still hurt but they were working on it. And Shane was recovering from her fling with Cherie. She still wasnt sure if it had been love. She didnt think so, but not having experienced love before she knew that if it wasnt it had been closer than she had ever been. Cherie, Shane mused looking at her friends thinking how much had changed in the last two months. I think we should contact the police and explain the situation, Bette said making Shane look up. And tell them what exactly?! Our mentally instable friend got her heart broken, tried to kill herself and now we cant find her, Alice exclaimed looking at Bette as if she was dumber than a brick. We dont know the situation Marina is in. What if bringing in the police is only going to make things worse?, she said a little softer. Dana took hold of Alices hand and brought it to her lips placing a gentle kiss on her palm. Then she looked at the rest of them and said what they were all thinking. What if we never find her?.

The patient in cubicle two is coding, yelled a nurse three steps away from her and disappeared around the corner with another nurse and a doctor hot on her heels. Shane looked around her and tried to spot someone who could help her. After Dana had voiced all of their fears, Shane had gotten up and said, I have an idea. If it doesnt work then we can call in the pros, and then she had just walked out the door with Alice yelling at her to come back. Good old Alice grinned Shane. Always had to be on the in. She had gotten into her truck and had driven straight to County Hospital where Marina had been treated after she had taken those pills. After being given the runaround for an hour and a half Shane had finally managed to get the name of the doctor who had treated her. She figured theyd been going about finding Marina the wrong way so she decided to go back to where the disappearing act began. And now she was standing in the emergency room trying to find doctor Alex Roberts. There was a lot of noise and a lot of people. Some crying. Some screaming. And involuntarily she flashed back to the times she had been the one in one of those beds. Bruised. Battered. Bleeding. Broken. After a few moments she shook off that feeling she always got in hospitals and walked to the person closest to her. A young woman, probably mid twenties, wearing faded jeans, a blue tight fitting sweatshirt and a stethoscope around her neck. Her long black hair was tied in a ponytail. She was reading a chart with such concentration she didnt even notice Shane stepping next to her. While Shane waited for the woman to look up she noticed her face. The intensity in her eyes. The line of her jaw. The small scar on her neck. Suddenly she felt something stir in the pit of stomach and she closed her eyes. Before she could identify the feeling it was gone. When she opened her eyes the woman was staring straight into her eyes. That must have been some daydream, the woman said with a grin on her face. As much as I would love to know what it was about Im afraid youre going to have to go back to the relatives room. Its down there. She pointed to a spot behind Shane and then turned around. Wait, Shane yelled after her. She turned around with a curious look on her face. Yes?. There it was again. That feeling. She had felt it before. Once with Cherie, and once with Are you ok?, the woman said, now with a worried look on her face as she touched Shanes arm. Maybe you should sit down if youre not feeling well, she spoke softly and Shane just nodded. The woman placed her arm around Shane and led her through a door into a room with a table and four chairs, a couch and a bunch of lockers lined up against the walls on the left and the right. Gently she led Shane to the couch and they both sat down with one arm still around her and her free hand on her arm.

Shane looked up and saw the woman looking at her. Im sorry, she stammered, I just have this thing about hospitals. Theyre just so so soulless. The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted saying them out loud thinking she might have insulted the woman. The woman broke her gaze and looked away at the door across the room. Mmmm. I know what you mean. I dont think Ive ever gotten used to that, she spoke softly. Then she looked back at Shane with that grin and said, Of course being a doctor here beats being a patient, and Shane felt her fingers stroke the back of her neck and she felt something stir. Before she could say or do anything the woman stood up and leaned on the table facing Shane. Suddenly she felt cold without the womans arm wrapped around her shoulder. She wrapped her arms around herself and fell back into the couch hugging herself. When she looked up, the woman asked, So what can I help you with?. Shane suddenly didnt feel like talking anymore, because she knew that once this woman had directed her in the direction of this doctor Morris, she most probably wouldnt ever see her again and for some reason that bothered her. Feelings are bullshit, she chided herself and said, Im looking for doctor Alex Roberts. The woman suddenly had a guarded look on her face and said Why?. The hint of hostility surprised Shane. Maybe this Alex and the woman had history she mused to herself. Because the guy treated one of my friends and now shes missing. I want to know what happened to her, Shane said matter of fact like. The womans face softened instantly. Whats the name of this friend, the woman said gently as she sat back down next to Shane. Marina Ferrer. Shes tall, dark hair, exotic accent. She tried to commit suicide by taking a bunch of pills about two months ago, Shane replied feeling the warmth of this woman where their arms were touching. The woman was about to say something when a man in a nurses uniform bust through the door and exclaimed, The old geezers blood pressure is going through the roof. We need you! and he was gone again. *****. I have to go, the woman said getting up. Is there somewhere we can meet later?, she asked as she turned to Shane. Uhmm sure do you know the Planet in West Hollywood?. Ill find it. Tonight at seven?, she said walking to the door. Sure, Shane replied, but what about doctor Roberts? The woman turned around and smiled. Im doctor Roberts and then she walked out leaving Shane with an incredulous look on her face. She still didnt know anything about Marina, but maybe tonight that would change. Either way she was looking forward to her date.