Title: Beginnings
Author: selenay_x
Feedback address: seleney_x@yahoo.co.uk
Pairing: Alex/Rachel
Rating: PG13
Summary: Rachel's reactions to Alex's ministrations in the pilot
Spoilers: Pilot episode

Disclaimer: Poltergeist: the Legacy and its characters are the property of Showtime and the Sci-fi Channel.

Note: Thanks to froggy for being a brilliant beta.

Challenge: Written for the Dead of Winter ficathon.

Beginnings
By Selenay_x

Rachel wanted the world just to stop. It was safe in here, warm and cosy with no one to hurt her, to remind her of what she had lost, to remind her of her lost husband and child or the pain that snuck up on her when she least expected it. Admittedly there was nothing else here either, just a grey comforting cocoon that wrapped her in its embrace.

"You're safe now Rachel."

Now if she could just stop the voice from interrupting her rest, she could find that peace.

And added to the voice, gentle, soothing, compelling was a touch. It was a caress, one that sent a little, electrical shudder through her at every contract.

"Come back to us now. Kat is worried."

That really wasn't playing fair. Reminding her of the only valuable thing she had left. And she couldn't leave Kat with the thing, whatever it was, that had hurt her. So reluctantly she pulled herself from her safe, isolated cocoon.

Rachel lay in the bed pretending unconsciousness, wishing she stayed safe in her mind. It seemed every part of her ached; in fact, some parts were downright painful.

And deep inside she felt something move and that scared her more than anything else she had been through.

She wanted to trust the woman with the caring voice and the very soothing hands, but she'd already been fooled once. If it were just her things might be different, but she had Katherine to worry about.

"How is she?"

"She's sleeping soundly." Rachel's voice held a mixture of bewilderment and pride. Children were amazing, confronting demons one minute, sleeping as if nothing untoward had happened the next. Miraculous when you thought of it. She'd accepted staying at the Legacy house to recover easily. Possibly a little too easily. Due in the main part to the bond forming between her daughter and Derek. The older man was taking to his role as self appointed guardian while Rachel was recovering almost like a duck to water. It was nice to have a male influence in her daughter's life again. Rachel didn't put much store in intuition, but hers was making sure that she knew this house; these people would be in her life from now on.

In some ways, as clichéd as it sounded the whole experience was an epiphany for her. She'd spent the last year existing, not living and this was a reminder that it was time to move on. She wanted to be part of the Legacy; part of something greater than herself. And more importantly she wanted to love again.

Alex looked at the older woman wanting to touch her again. She'd lost count of the times she had gently touched her, trying to chase the nightmares away. Telling herself she was doing it out of kindness. Telling herself she didn't feel an attraction to the blonde, didn't feel a connection that flowed every time she touched her. And now the woman was awake and the crisis had past, she couldn't pretend complacency.

Alex had long ago given up on pretending ignorance in fate, in the feeling that some things were part of a greater plan and she believed that Rachel's arrival was part of both the destiny of the Legacy and more importantly, for herself. Nick, she knew would tease her for over justifying her feelings, but at the moment she didn't care. She and Rachel were alone and she recognised the look of longing in the older woman's eyes.

First things first though, "Coffee?"

"Please." Rachel sat down by the coffee table letting the warmth of the fire seep through her. Hoping that it would release the coldness that seemed so deep within her she could never be the same again.

Their fingers met as Rachel accepted the mug from Alex and that small contact signalled the spark of attraction she felt.

The psychologist in her was calmly pointing out that this was a reaction to the traumatic events she had been through. After all, how many sane people could say they made love to a demon that inhabited a man who morphed into the image of her dead husband? At least that was her understanding of the issue. Closely followed by the fact she gave birth to a demon that resembled her dead son. It seemed fairly reasonable that, given those parameters, she would seek out comfort. Her logical side was screaming that she was in no position to make any kind of rational decision.

The woman in her though was pointing out that she needed comfort, needed the touch of another person; her instincts practically begged her to connect with Alex, that the younger woman was somehow already important to her. Or was that just her justifying the deep seated need to release her tension, preferably in Alex's arms. And didn't that make her sound selfish.

But unless she was totally misreading the expression on Alex's face, which she didn't believe she was, the attraction was mutual.

Which only left the question, did she want to give in to the desire; and that really wasn't a question at all given the butterfly sensation that made itself known deep inside of her

She held her hand out toward Alex hoping that she wouldn't actually have to say the words. Unusual really, given her occupation, but she didn't want to talk, didn't want to analyse, she just wanted to feel. Preferably skin on skin.

Alex took the hint and pulled her into a gentle kiss. Rachel, for her part parted her lips to allow the younger woman access. Her subconscious recognising the rightness of this caress; her conscious mind still telling her it was too soon, not to mention that she wasn't normally attracted to women, at least since her wilder college days. Fortunately for her sanity and Alex's, the 'I want to play' was winning and her subconscious was unceremoniously told to shut up once and for all.

And this certainly wasn't Alex's first time. The very distracting nuzzling on her neck neatly diverting attention from the hand that was reaching under her blouse. Finding and tracing the line of her bra in gentle circles before heading southwards. Tracking a direct line down to the line of her panties, the fingers stopped briefly at the lacy line before finding their way lower still. Alex smiled as she heard the slight gasp Rachel gave.

There were only a few brief seconds to enjoy the sensations before she heard footsteps and the distinctive voices of Derek and Nick. Followed rapidly by Alex's muttered curse.

"Can we get to your room without them seeing us?" Rachel figured the time for subtlety was past. She was rewarded with a wide grin of appreciation intermingled with arousal. Things were definitely looking up.

The first time they made love, it wasn't exactly the gentle, slow seduction Alex had planned; it was more of a frantic joining of mutual need, hard and fast, verging on the violent, all instigated by Rachel. But at the same time it was paradoxically tender and caring.

The second time that night, she got her wish, permission to undertake a slow, sensual exploration of Rachel's body as Alex learned some of the incredibly erotic responses Rachel was capable of. Then, in reciprocity, Alex found herself the subject of some tantalising teasing that had her praying to every deity she knew that Rachel would stay with the Legacy.

And sometimes, just sometimes you receive not what you deserve, but what you wish for.

5 Years Later

"Mom." The tone had a distinctive whine. "Do you two have to keep making out?"

Rachel blinked in confusion as the voice penetrated the sensual haze she was in. She looked up from the fireside chair she and Alex were curled up on, biting her lip as a wave of pleasure surged through her, thanks to some very pleasurable movements that Alex's very, very talented fingers were making under her skirt.

"Yes Kat." Alex replied, knowing Rachel was a little too preoccupied to be very coherent quite at the moment. "I'm afraid we do."

Kat rolled her eyes. "Adults!" she muttered in a voice laden with sarcasm, "Can't I, just once, walk into a room without the two of you acting like hormonal teenagers?" With that parting shot she flounced out, hiding the wide grin on her face.

The End