Chapter 1

The Fire

Alternate dimension that takes place right after Rick leaves Earth. He is around 17 years of age and exploring the new galaxy. He has not invented his portal gun yet. This is his first stop as he meets a young singer who will change the course of his life. D-409

The house lights dim as the bass drum kicks in. A snare picks up the basic beat as rhythmic and bass guitars join with the swaying melody. Your heart is thumping in time as you slowly move to the mic stand. A soft, warm light shines on you as your voice starts its slow decent into a melody of words that soar through the indoor venue. As you sing on, you scan the patrons, amazed by the variety of species and couples. The melody starts to slow as the music turns more sensuous. You close your eyes and move to the beat, slowly twisting your hips and allowing your hands to move along the frame of your small body. When the lyrics return your eyes open to sing the next refrain and lock eyes with a young man in the audience. He looks so much like your race but you know that can't be true. You are the last of your kind, yet you can't help but continue to watch him. Your voice and movements become heavily influenced by his gaze, his thin lips with the tongue moistening them, his pale skin as he draws his long fingers through the blue tinged hair that sticks out from his head. His eyes follow your hands and the air becomes heavy with the heat of the lights, the audience and the crescendo of the song.

The house lights go out. The song is over. You stand for a second to collect your thoughts and slow your breathing. That young man… You can still feel his gaze on you as you turn to leave the stage with the band. Backstage is a hectic mess of bodies moving around stage props, instruments and fans. Still giddy from the music and that blue hair, you pass by everyone and retreat out the back door of the building to get some fresh air. You wish you could go back on stage. You can still feel his presence with you, almost as if those were his hands caressing and not your own. A crash nearby brings you back to reality as the staff were busy throwing away empty alcohol bottles. You laugh nervously to yourself and open the backdoor to walk back inside. As you turn towards the doorway, you run right into someone on their way out. Bottles hit the concrete and shatter followed by a soft curse.

"Fuck. Sorry. My bad. Thought you might want a beer."

"What?" You raise your eyes from the bits of broken green glass and see his face. Your breath catches as that slim hand raises yet again to try and tame that blue hair. His eyes nervously scan the area seeming to avoid meeting yours.

"I brought two beers. Brought. Sorry." he replies moving outside of the room as staff members move out the door to dispose more trash into the receptacles.

"Oh. Thanks for the thought. I don't drink if I'm going to be singing again though…" you smile softly and he raises his eyes to look directly at you. Those eyes. The intensity alone draws you in. So opposite of the nervous young man standing before you. You scan his face, his smile, his thin lips moving… and realize he's been talking to you. You try to pick up what he is saying but the nervous tone and mannerisms get drowned out by those eyes.

"My name is Rick, by the way. I'm new here. Well, new to all of here." his hands expand to the sky and downward. "Space travel and all. Didn't expect to run into a human though."

"Oh! I'm not human. Didn't even know there were humans around here." you reply fast not really knowing what species he was talking about.

"No. I'm probably the only one right now. It… it doesn't matter. I just… um… thought I could chat with you?" Again with the blue hair. You wonder how it feels to move your own hand through it.

"Come on." you grab his arm and pull him out of the doorway and into the street. "I really didn't feel like singing again."

Rick smiles sheepishly as he follows where you lead him. Past closed doors, trash on the streets, vehicles run down and the misty haze that fills the night air. Wordlessly you lead him into a building and to the stairway. Flights of stairs lead to another door and an open rooftop that you would often visit after performing. The air is crisp up here and lights from buildings shine through the dark from below. Above, the stars and ship lights twinkle. You are high enough that the sounds below become muted. Rick walks ahead of you to stop at the edge observing everything.

"Wow…" is his only reply.

"Yeah. I go here to cool off. Remind myself that my problems are small." Rick turns to face you after your thought.

"What problems does a beautiful girl like you have?"

"Ugh. That was cheesy. Bad pick up line man." you wink at him as you both start to laugh.

"Yeah. That… that was horrible. What I meant was, what kind of problems would someone like you have?" he gave you a lopsided grin and turned to stare out at the city.

"A lot actually. Anyway, this is the best view of the city and surrounding area. A lot of people from all over the galaxy come here for rest, relaxation and… other things. I've lived here for five years."

"Family?"

"No. Just me. Can't get close to anyone. I mean I have trouble getting close to people." you nervously stammer out. You want to tell him everything. You want him to understand how rare this is for you. That you have never wanted to be alone with anyone before. That the heat inside you is pulling you closer and you fear the warnings. Don't get close. Never touch.

"You seem open enough to me." he looks over to you as you stare at the stars above. You are thinking of other things as your mind turns bleak. A sigh escapes as you realize that the two of you need to return, the fire withering.

"We… should… go." you say slowly. Rick places his hands in his pockets as he looks towards you with his eyes half closed. Everything about this guy pulls you towards him. His actions and how he seems to be hiding something or convincing himself of something. You realize that you are gazing into those eyes. You remember why you wanted him up here. To feel the fire you saw in those eyes during your performance, to feel what his hands would do if given the chance. The fire expands as you walk up closer to him, stopping merely an inch away but still not touching. You have never been this close to someone. Your head is spinning.

Rick looks back at you and makes sure not to move his body closer. He seems to be waiting for something, maybe you. A wind blows from the east, trailing strands of your hair across your face as you close your eyes and face the wind. Rick's slim fingers brush against your cheek to pull the strands back behind your ear. His finger trails down your jaw as your breath quickens. A trail of fire follows his touch as you close your eyes. You feel Rick start to move in closer and you take a step back still breathless from just a touch.

"I'm Tess." you say quietly. Somehow this makes things feel better. Less rushed. More real.

"Heya Tess." Rick chuckles as his smile finally reaches his eyes. Again he steps in closer as you lower your eyes to prepare for the fire. Your bodies touch and the heat from his chest surrounds you. You decide to stop listening to your brain.

Rick cradles your face and pulls you into a kiss. Soft warm lips slightly brush against yours as you lift up onto your toes to press harder. Rick walks backward with you still in his arms until your back rests against the stairwell wall. With his body pressed along the length of yours, his mouth parts allowing a quick flick of his tongue to test your lips. Feeling the rush of heat spreading, you grab the back of his neck and open your mouth to a whole new level of exploration. A deep moan escapes from Rick as his hands move to your waist and slowly starts to raise up your shirt.

Rick leaves your lips to kiss down your neck, sucking at the skin while his warm hands move to enclose around your rib cage. You take this moment to run your hands through his impossible blue hair and smile knowing it felt as soft as you imagined. A slight pinch at the neck brings you back as Rick chuckles, playfully biting. He meets your eyes as his body slowly lowers before you. Your heart starts to pound and you catch your breath at the sight before you. Wild, dangerous eyes meet yours as strong hands lift up your shirt. You help by fully removing the top and send it flying. The wind pricks at your skin causing goose flesh to spread. Rick caresses your stomach laying gentle kisses along several spots. Each kiss creates more fire, each fingertip spreading it like paint. You want more… need more.

Those wild eyes meet yours again as his teeth sink into the leather belt of your pants, tugging. You bite your lip and nod. A wild smile spreads on Rick's face as he uses teeth, tongue and lips to undo the leather, unbutton the pants and unzip. Hands trail up and slid under your bra, lifting the material over your breasts. You quickly send it flying as the crisp air tightens your nipples. His fingers run across the sensitive mounds as a gasp escapes your lips.

Rick abandons his post in front of you to rise up along your body, running his tongue in a slick line to finally rest the whole of his mouth on top of one breast then the other. Your head swims with these new sensations as his hand slides down your stomach to play along the outside of your underwear. You inhale sharply and Rick brings his lips back to yours exploring more. A leg raises to wrap around his thin frame encouraging more. Rick groans and lifts your other leg up and around him until he is supporting your weight against the wall. You can feel the length of him press hard against you. You start to moves your hips as he kisses you, swaying to the beat you remembered from moments ago.

The heat builds as images flood your mind; color details and endless possibilities. You break away from his mouth and start pulling his tank upwards. You growl noticing that your body is keeping it in place. Rick smiles and loosens his grip on your bottom to help yank the top off. Skin on skin contact send your head into a spin as the fire threatens to engulf you. Your hand grips his face, feeling the slight stubble forming as you bring back those lips and tongue. Rick continues the kiss as he lifts you up and away from the wall to gently lower you to the rooftop. The coldness bites back against the warmth of him as he crouches in front of you. No longer waiting for permission, Rick pulls off your pants staring at your underwear clad form on his knees. Those slender fingers make quick work of his own dark pants, tearing away at the belt and discarding them, standing fully naked. Your eyes trace his lanky frame; the hints of muscle around his navel and the light blue hair that leads downward.

"Tell me you're sure Tess." came a breathless voice. He was watching your eyes, the rise and fall of your chest, but kept his distance.

"Gods yes Rick" was all you could get out before he lowered on top of you, hands fully exploring your body, lips sucking and biting at your flesh as he whispered how good you tasted.

Curiosity overcame you as a hand trailed down the chest to follow the line of blue and encompass his member. Rick moaned out a curse, exhaling as he started to move his hips, thrusting towards you. He felt amazingly hot in your grasp and you knew you had to have him. You let go and open up your legs to wrap around him again. Rick focuses down below and rubs against you, causing both to remember that last piece of clothing. Rick slides down between your legs grabbing your ass from under the cloth and drags the grey fabric downward. One leg lowers over his shoulder to pull free. Once your foot clears the elastic, Rick shoves your leg to the side lowering his head to kiss the inside of your leg leading downward. His hands move to spread you further as his tongue darts against the top sending a shock of pleasure coursing through you. Breathless moans escape in time to his unique rhythm as you close your eyes to focus on the sensations. You can hear his own moans echo yours before he breaks the beat and climbs up to slowly rub against the tender flesh with his own heat.

Gently Rick pushes against you, your arousal helping to create a slick entrance. It's so tight that you worry about possible pain when he finally pushes in. Your eyes squint as you try not to focus on it when Rick sees your face.

"Shit." Rick pants, "Have… have you done this before? Please… let me know. Fast, slow, I… I… I'm here babe." His eyes turn soft as he slowly kisses you, allowing his tongue to explore. Rick eases up on pushing in and allows for more time to rub along the outside walls.

"Never… before… wanted…" you let out in gasps as he rubs faster, his hands playing with your breasts. "Please… you… I want… you!" You say at last as you dig nails into his back upon the first thrust inside. Once within, you both let out a breath as he slowly pushes in to his entirety. The warmth spreads inside with his slow thrusting. He's being careful but another side of you wants nothing to do with that. You want the build, the rhythm strong, the heat to spread, the colors to swirl. You know he feels it too. You can feel his need like a tangible creature inside your own head; swirling, wanting out.

"Harder…" you gasp into the night air. A low growl is the only verbal as Rick pulls his length out to the tip and then slams back in. Stars explode as the faint tingles move through your legs and out to your toes. Your hands grip tighter pulling him against you, encouraging the increase in tempo. Your bodies rock in time, breath quickening, beads of sweat starting to form. You keep your hands at the back of his neck, running fingers through the back of his hair. Rick, panting, looks up to you again.

"Let… let me know… when you're close babe…" he speeds up his tempo pushing harder as you feel your core tightening. His hand grabs one breast pulling it to his lips as he sucks hard. Teeth apply pressure and you start to moan begging for more. You want more of everything. Every sensation, every ounce of heat that is spreading between two bodies becoming one. That heat swells as the music reaches its own crescendo and you scream out in pleasure as the tingle spreads into a crashing torrent swirling around to exit out along fingertips and toes. Rick notices the pulsating below and speeds up his thrusting yelling as he slams into you a couple more times before shoving his entire length within you. Small convulsions rock against you, each one slowing in pace. His body goes limp on top of yours, both hearts pounding. You pull back blue strands stuck to the side of his face with sweat and trace along his jawline.

"Fuck." Rick sighs as his body fully relaxes.

"Yeah… fuck." you reply back. Rick chuckles as he rolls onto his back, pulling you against him. You lay your head on his chest not really sure what should happen next. You close your eyes and feel at peace for once. Emotions swirl around you, one distinctively male while the other is yours. Peace, contentment, and familiarity twist back and forth between both and the fire in your chest is echoed within his. Laying still, staring up at the stars, you wonder why you were never allowed physical contact. So much for that, you chuckle to yourself.