Closer

Title: Closer

Pairing: Ivy/Rachel. Ivy/Skimmer. Skimmer/Rachel?

Rating: R (To Be Safe)

Spoilers: Up to Outlaw Demon Wails (To Be Safe). Set during the period when Skimmer and Ivy were dating, notice how Rachel was excessively grumpy. Well my take on a what could have been scenario.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, just messing around with them until Kim Harrison gives us what we want!


Rachel Morgan hadn't been having the best of days.

To start with she got up on the wrong side of the bed and had been twitchy all day so far. A twitchy witch she laughed at the thought. Then she had received a phone call telling her she had a run, not wanting to wake Ivy as she had gotten in pretty late last night and was a outstandingly grumpy some mornings, she decided to leave her a note and take the run herself.

It was supposed to have been straight forward according to the caller. Unfortunately for Rachel it was slightly more complicated than what she first anticipated.

Her leathers were perhaps not the best attire with the benefit of hindsight Rachel pondered.

After chasing the pixies around the caller's garden for a good ten minutes to no avail she decided to corner them and deal with it that way. This was her downfall. She hadn't noticed the mud puddle a few meters away and the pixies had obviously decided to have a little fun with her. Rachel hadn't noticed the clothes line either so after the loud thud and her realization that she had been tricked and trapped she pulled a bra off of her head, untangled herself from the clothes line and looked down at her now mud covered leathers. Damn the stupid rain last night Rachel cursed.

"Just Great!" Rachel huffed. She decided this job would be easier...more suitable, for Jenks. She then phoned him and filled him in with the details to which he laughed for a few minutes down the phone until Rachel spat out the address and made her way back to the Church.


By the time she had got home it was 3pm and so Rachel suspected Ivy would be up.

As she walked into the Church she heard music playing fairly loudly from the living room.
"Cleaning no doubt..." Rachel joked about Ivy.

Ivy always like to listen to music as she cleaned. Although it was quite early Rachel thought for Ivy to be up and tidying the house.
"Hey, not complaining" Rachel whispered and smirked as she flung her boots off in the hall and hung her jacket up.

Rachel headed straight for the bathroom and turned on the shower. She was getting all this muck off as soon as possible. The bus journey back was entertaining, not for Rachel, but for the children at the back of the bus who laughed whole heatedly as soon as Rachel had stepped on, she had of course scowled at them and noted their parents response telling them to behave. When had that ever worked, telling kids to behave Rachel skeptically mused?

Rachel had rounded up the necessities, some shower gel, towels and clothes that she lay on her bed for when she was done.

"Ivy I'm going in for a shower, won't be long. When I'm done, I'll let you know how the run went. I'm sure you will laugh your ass off as much as Jenks did..." Rachel shouted loud enough that Ivy would be able to hear. Hell, Ivy would have been able to hear it if she had just said it at normal volume no doubt but Rachel felt it was a curtsy or something.

Things had been good recently. Well better than good. Rachel and Ivy were getting on better than ever, only rarely pushing each others buttons but no major incidents had occurred in a while so they both regarded it as progress.

Rachel quickly showered and threw a towel around her as she stepped out. Glad to be rid of all the dirt and twigs and leaves that had surrounded her she walked out into the hall and down towards the living room.

She had heard the Nine Inch Nails CD Ivy had been listening to end after the last song Closer finished so she assumed Ivy was finished with all the cleaning. But then Rachel heard something smash. Ivy had vampiric senses, she would never have let anything fall unless she otherwise had her hands full. Rachel was startled and suddenly realized that if Ivy had her hands full it probably meant she was fighting.

"Fantastic, Ivy get's into a fight when I happened to be dressed in a towel. Just Great!" Rachel echoed her earlier statement. She picked up her pace and rushed into the living room blurting in through the closed door.

"Back off..." Rachel began angrily in full fighting mode but ceased all movement and thought processes as she saw Ivy moan but then abruptly turn around and stare at her with a burning blush, something she had never seen Ivy do before. There was a tingle in Rachel's stomach at Ivy's moan.

Rachel stood there staring at Ivy, who was laying underneath Skimmer in the middle of the living room in quite a compromising position.

"Rachel!?" Ivy whispered.

"Rachel...?" Skimmer questioned Ivy not looking at the door and looking angry.

"Ohh, Rachel..." Skimmer suddenly acknowledged.

"Oh..." Was all Rachel could salvage.

Yeah Ivy has her hands full alright...Rachel noted, just not quite the way I first anticipated.

The three women all remained motionless. Neither of them knowing what to say or do.


About ten seconds had passed. Ten seconds of complete silence and motionlessness.

Okay Rachel quickly began to think. All her thoughts hitting her at once. This was all too much to take in right now.

Trust me to walk in on Ivy when, she and Skimmer were....well. Yeah. Trust her. Rachel's erratic thought pattern was even mocking at how silly she would have sounded.

Skimmer cleared her throat and decided she would break the silence.

"So...are you gonna join us then? Or just stare at us all day. Either way is good for Ivy I'm sure" Skimmer added with a seductive grin.

At Skimmers comment Rachel joined Ivy in the blush brigade.

Ivy rolled her eyes and began to push Skimmer off of her when she realized it would be less awkward if she regained her composure first. As Ivy tried to sit up she noted Skimmer was near enough sitting on her lap and applying a fair amount of pressure so Ivy remained still.

Skimmer stared down at Ivy and then glanced at Rachel.
"What? I was only joking honey" Skimmer said with questionably sincerity.

Ivy buttoned her shirt up and touched her neck checking.

"Skimmer your shirt" Ivy all but whispered her eyes wandering all around the room but not meeting Rachel or Skimmers eyes too embarrassed at the situation.

Rachel tried not to stare at the fact that Ivy was regaining her composure, still panting and buttoning up her shirt with Skimmer sitting seductively in her lap.

Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Rachel kept repeating in her head over and over. But she couldn't help but look. God this was going to be difficult.

Ivy at this point was clearly getting annoyed at how slowly Skimmer was adjusting herself. Button by button. While continuing to vary her glances between Rachel and her. The final test of her patience when Skimmer pushed herself forward to get up from Ivy's lap and practically pushed her near visible cleavage in Ivy's face while glaring at Rachel.

"Okay, come on Skimmer. Get off. Now." Ivy quickly stated looking her in the eyes for the first time since Rachel ahd walked into the room and caught them.

"What, with Rachel watching?" Skimmer mockingly pretended to be shocked.

"Word choice dear" Skimmer smirked and sensually got off of Ivy. Her hand tracing Ivy's stomach for a split second and Ivy's pupils going black for a moment. Skimmer leaned down with vampiric speed and whispered into Ivy's ears something that Rachel couldn't hear. And wasn't sure why she wanted to.

Skimmer smirked and both Ivy and her looked towards Rachel intensely.

Rachel at this point was very aware that she was standing nude with all but a small towel as cover.

She audibly gulped. A bead of water ran down from her wet, pinned back fiery hair, trailing down her neck and under her towel.

Rachel saw Ivy's eyes were completely black now.

Rachel stared back at Ivy as Ivy resumed to stare at her and Skimmer shifted slightly staring at Ivy.

"What a dilemma we have here? I want Ivy, Ivy wants you and you want...well I won't give the game away but I think we all have a rough idea. So, what are we going to do about it?" Skimmer asked to the room.

Rachel and Ivy glanced at each other...


"I'm straight, Skimmer!" Rachel said weakly, cursing herself for how dumb it sounded.

Ivy smiled at me. Almost shyly.

"Interesting that was your first response Rachel, oh and by the way not what I asked. Ivy was straight at one point too you know. Funny how things change." Skimmer mocked.

With that Ivy slid from underneath Skimmer deciding Skimmer was having too much fun at the expense of Rachel and her own embarrassment.

"Yeah, well..." Rachel started determined to prove Skimmer wrong.

"It's really none of your business anyway but Ivy and I have an workable arrangement here" Rachel stated firmly.

Ivy arched her eyebrow as she straightened out her top.

"I mean...we are fine. Good. Great even. Things are great. Aren't they Ivy?" Rachel inquired.

Ivy nodded and Rachel smiled with satisfaction.

"Oh well yes that settles it then" Skimmer mocked. Ivy walked over to Skimmer and pulled her leather coat closer together so she was satisfactorily covered up, noting Rachel's blush was still evident.

"Could you focus for a second Ivy?" Skimmer smirked.

Ivy opened her mouth to say something then closed it again with a smile.

"Look, Rachel. I told you. I don't like the fact that you live with my girlfriend. I don't like the fact that every single night I go to bed wondering what's going on between you both over here. I don't like the fact that my girlfriend quite clearly likes you and I don't like the fact that you like you girlfriend. And stop trying to deny it, we both know that when you walked into this room and saw Ivy like that it got you all hot and bothered. In fact..." Skimmer stepped towards Rachel.

"It still has..." Skimmer breathed seductively into Rachel's ear which as a result played on her scar.

Rachel was embarrassed at her evident arousal and hoped Ivy wouldn't bring it up later. Rachel took step closer to Skimmer, obviously taking the bait and showing she was up to the challenge.

Instead of doing the obvious and denying her attraction Rachel Morgan decided to do something unthinkable. Something that she knew would give her the upper hand and something she knew she would more than likely regret.

"You really want to do this, fine. I don't deny my attraction to Ivy"
Skimmers eyes widened in shock and Ivy's jaw almost dropped at Rachel finally admitting the attraction.

"...Look at her, who wouldn't? She is beautiful, smart, funny, sensual and sexy as hell when kicking ass let's face it..."

Ivy smirked.

"...I don't like the fact that my best friend is with you, someone who clearly isn't good for her. I don't like the fact that instead of spending time with me she is out doing God knows what with you. I don't like the fact that when I walk into my living room, I find you with my best friend, in my chair, in a rather compromising position. And I don't like the fact that you are getting on my nerves, by playing on my stupid vamp scar."

Ivy laughed then coughed in an attempt to hide it, considering the look she was thrown by Skimmer.

Skimmer gritted her teeth and smirked mischievously at Rachel.

Ivy walked over to Skimmer and stood in between the two women who she cared for.

There was a showdown sort of glare going on between Rachel and Skimmer which was noted by all three women.

"Alright, put them away ladies. And do me a favor, stop talking like I am not in the room... please." Ivy stated calmly and slowly.

Skimmer and Rachel both turned to look at Ivy.

"Sorry..." Both Rachel and Ivy said in unison.

Ivy laughed this time making no attempt to cover it up.

The tension in the room eased a little at this and Skimmer and Rachel joined in, it was as close to a handshake between the two that was ever going to happen. And so they accepted it for what it was.

Ivy looked between the two.
"Friends...?" She said softly.

Rachel rolled her eyes and smiled at Ivy at the suggestion.

Skimmer jokingly added.
"As good as ever, fancy a bite...?"

Eliciting a smile from both women in the room.

Skimmers seductive smile returned.
"I was of course referring to lunch ladies?

Rachel glanced to Ivy with her 'Uh-Huh' expression.
"Yeah that would be great...thanks" Rachel forced the last part out.

"Sounds like a plan" Ivy nodded.

As Skimmer, Ivy and Rachel made their way towards the kitchen Ivy spun around with vampiric speed to face Rachel.
Rachel looked nervous and stared into her eyes intently.

"Anything wrong?" Rachel inquired.

Ivy nodded with an unusual slowness about her and leaned down towards Rachel's neck.
Rachel took a sharp breath and subconsciously licked her lips.

Ivy gently moved a strand of hair that had fell down from Rachel's ear and whispered into it almost seductively. Clearly Ivy wasn't going to forget Rachel's earlier announcement of being attracted to her. Ivy got closer. Which Rachel didn't think was possible at their current position.
"Clothes Rache."

Rachel blushed and Ivy provocatively walked away swaying her hips just a little Rachel could have swore.

"Clothes, oh right. Good idea." Rachel concluded.

Better hurry, don't want to walk in on another compromising position between those two Rachel thought.
Lunch would be...interesting no doubt Rachel deducted and rushed off to get dressed wondering why it was annoying her so much to have Skimmer and Ivy in a room alone together again.

To Be Continued...