Disclaimer: I do not own these characters... they're just really fun to write about. ;D


As the day came to an end with the setting of the sun, Kahlan sighed gently and pulled her knees to her as she sat on a grassy hill. It had been a rather long and strenuous day compared to most due to the fact that it was just Cara and her traveling. Richard thought it was a good idea to let them "bond" alone.

She sighed in exasperation at the memory of him suggesting it in the first place and rested her forehead on her knees. She heard the grass next to her rustle followed by a small thump and silence. She bit back a groan of frustration.

Ever since Richard and Zedd had left, Cara had barely spoken a word to her and it was really starting to unsettle her. She lifted her head and looked over at Cara sideways, raising an eyebrow slightly. Cara returned the look and tilted her chin up slightly.

"Are you going to say anything to me at all?" Kahlan snapped, her brows furrowing in annoyance. "Or should I follow your lead and pretend you don't exist?"

"If I was pretending you didn't exist," Cara's gaze was unwavering as she responded slowly, "would I be sitting here?" Kahlan narrowed her eyes and mentally cursed her for being logical. Instead of answering, Kahlan just rested her head back on her knees.

"Are you going to bathe tonight?" Cara asked nonchalantly, staring over at where the sun had set minutes before. At this, Kahlan raised her head again, furrowing her brows together in confusion.

"It's hard for one to wash their own back," she added, knowing full well how Kahlan was looking at her without having to spare her a glance. Kahlan smiled slightly and looked in Cara's direction.

"I suppose a little help from a friend wouldn't hurt," Kahlan said, starting to get up, only to look up and see Cara's hand in front or her. She raised an eyebrow slightly, but took her hand anyway, allowing Cara to help her up.

They walked side by side in silent contentment towards the nearby lake, Kahlan wondering what had caused Cara to offer her help the whole time. Sure, she knew that Cara was trying to be more considerate and courteous, but she also hadn't talked at all – besides a few statements or questions here and there – for the whole day. In fact, she had barely said anything since before Richard and Zedd had left that day. Maybe she had known that they were planning on leaving, but didn't tell her. Kahlan crossed her arms at the thought.

"You'd tell me something even if you knew, or thought, it would hurt me, right?" she asked, trying to sound nonchalant, but instead sounding meek and distant. Cara looked over at her and raised an eyebrow.

"Why wouldn't I?" she replied, her voice steady. Kahlan studied her face. When she saw no trace of deception, she merely shrugged in response.

Arriving at the lake, Kahlan begun to undress, only to feel eyes upon her. She looked around, but didn't see anyone other than Cara, who had her eyes on her own leathers. She shook the thoughts from her head and began slipping her jacket off, revealing the brown and green corset. It also revealed the owner of the eyes, for she happened to look up right as Cara averted her eyes. Kahlan had to bite her lip to hold back a smile.

"Cara?" she asked, pretending she hadn't caught her. Cara looked over at her, an eyebrow raised and her gloves in one hand.

"Do you think you could help me out of this?"

Cara stared at Kahlan with a blank expression several moments before slowly walking over and behind her. She took the string that tied Kahlan's corset together and slowly began to untangle it from the leather it was held in. About halfway down, Cara's movements appeared to be slower, almost distracted, and Kahlan barely resisted the urge to tease the Mord'Sith.

As Cara untied the last part of string from the leather corset, Kahlan smiled to herself in amusement. The last half of the strings seemed to take longer than the first half and the walk over here combined, but it was probably her mind just slowing things down to enjoy the moment.

She narrowed her eyes. Enjoy the moment? Had she enjoyed the moment? From the small smile she'd had plastered to her face the entire time to the slight shiver that ran through her body every time Cara's ungloved hands made contact with her skin made her think so. She hadn't noticed that Cara had moved until she was standing in front of her.

"What? Do you need help removing your dress too?" Cara asked simply, looking at Kahlan plainly as the woman removed the corset and covered her chest with one arm. Kahlan looked down at her dress and then back up at Cara, wiping away the mischievous grin that had formed on her face.

"You know," she started, trying to judge Cara's expression while keeping a small smile on her face. "That would be really nice of you."

Kahlan bit her cheek in attempt not to laugh when Cara stared at her incredulously, her mouth agape. Cara narrowed her eyes, closed her mouth, and then smirked mischievously. Kahlan's smile vanished and she inched back as Cara advanced upon her deliberately slowly, smirk still in place. Kahlan's bare back hit a tree and Cara stopped centimeters away, her leather-clad body almost touching Kahlan's arm. Cara slid her hands to Kahlan's waist and pulled the string on one side, making the skirt slacken slightly.

Kahlan visibly swallowed and opened her mouth to say something – anything that would get her out of this situation; that she was kidding and didn't want Cara to continue – but she couldn't, or rather, she wouldn't. She didn't know what made her want to continue, she just knew that she really didn't want it to end. This moment almost seemed too good to be true, except for the fact that Cara was still wearing clothes. She worried her bottom lip between her teeth and placed the hand that wasn't covering herself on Cara's shoulder and ran her hand across the leather.

Tracing the leather's neckline, she let her finger dip onto her clavicle and the valley between Cara's breasts, watching her finger move across the incredibly soft skin. She looked up at Cara before pulling the leather lapel, along with Cara, towards her. Her eyes wandered over Cara's face, searching her green eyes for consent before leaning in and connecting their lips.

Kahlan let out a small sound of relief when Cara kissed her back with as much passion. She grabbed the Mord'Sith's other lapel and pulled her fully against her, arching away from the tree and more into Cara's body. Cara's hands snaked around the Mother Confessor's waist and started pushing the skirt down, only to have one of Kahlan's hands to stop her. Pulling back, Kahlan smiled reassuringly.

"I just... don't want to be the only one undressed," she whispered sheepishly, biting her lip at the hungry look Cara was giving her.

Cara simply nodded and went to pulling the zipper in the middle of her suit down, only to be stopped by Kahlan's hand replacing her own.

"You did me a favor, now I get to do one for you," she whispered in Cara's ear.


Aaaaaaaaand... COMMERCIAL BREAK! Don't worry though, the next chapter will be up sooner than you know. ;D

(By the way, thanks to my friend for being a 'neurotic beta' xDD Besides, I wouldn't have written this if she hadn't told me to... so, yeah)