A:N/ Hey guys. First of all, I want to thank AnihyrMoonstar for giving me the idea for this story with their story, Ineluctable. It's a good read, but it's rated M. This is the first chapter of my story with more to come. This isn't really my normal type of story but I just couldn't resist! The dotted lines are the switch between Cassie's thoughts and Rachel's. Please click the little green button and let me know how I did.

Cassie closed her eyes and leaned her head on her pillow, breathing as calmly as she could. Loneliness was tearing her apart with Jake's rejection and she feared that if she ever loved again, she couldn't survive any more heartbreak. She ran her fingers through her short black hair and sighed. What she would have given for someone else in the room that minute that she could confess her feelings too. She felt the warmth of the moonbeams coming in through her window and she breathed a little easier. A cool breeze came in and a few leaves scattered around her head. Something wasn't right. Cassie could feel it. Finally, the fluttering of the curtains jerked her awake.

Why is my window open? Cassie wondered. I know I closed it. I locked it too. AND I pulled the curtains across. Cassie heard a rustle in the far side of her room and she yanked her blankets up to her chin for decency's sake. "Who's there?" She called softly, not wanting to wake up her parents, who were set to leave on a business trip in the morning. "What do you want?"

Rachel stepped out of the gloom, smoothing down the small camisole and shorts that she wore for pajamas. Her sapphire blue eyes glittered with her normal bravado and her long blonde hair sparkled in the moonlight like a train of gold. Cassie almost shivered with an unnatural pleasure of seeing her best friend when a more disturbing thought came into her mind. "Rach, how long have you been standing there?"

"Tonight?" Rachel asked, tapping her chin to think. For a few seconds, Rachel thought about lying, but then decided to remain truthful to her friend. "Ten minutes. Normally, I just stay for several hours. Cassie, I know this sounds creepy, but…I like watching you sleep. It's actually quite calming."

Cassie smiled, letting a thin sliver of white teeth shine from her lips. "That's understandable. We do go through a lot of stress on a daily basis." A memory of the Yeerk Pool flashed through her mind and Cassie shivered again, pulling down her blankets so they pooled around her lap, showing the large sports T-shirt that was her pajamas. Rachel twitched for a second, causing a slight worry in Cassie, and asked, "You seem stressed. Is there something you want to talk about, now that we are both awake?"

"Well," Cassie felt reluctant to share her deepest personal thoughts with Rachel. Rachel sat down on her bed and patted Cassie's shoulder comfortingly. Finally, Cassie got the strength to speak. "I guess I'm still sore about Jake dumping me. You know how close we were. It's just that; I thought he really did want me to stay with him forever and always, just like he said he would for me. I loved that boy with my heart and soul, and now I feel as if my heart is lying in tatters and my soul is dying inside. "

Rachel pursed her lips as she began to think of ways to kill her favourite cousin. Cassie recognized the look and let out a soft laugh. Rachel spoke her mind, grinning like a madwoman. "How do you want me to get rid of him? An 'accidental' push into the Gardens' crocodile pit?"

"He's our leader. We need him alive." Cassie chuckled, feeling much happier now than when she had gone to bed. Cassie was quiet for a second, studying Rachel's expression. There was a longing in her eyes that only matched Jake's when he used to look at Cassie. "Rach, do you need to talk about something?"

Rachel tensed. Cassie saw a struggle behind her eyes and repaid the gesture by patting Rachel's shoulder. Rachel finally gave up. "I've been saving this for a special time, but…ah, whatthehell!" Rachel's words were rushed as a rush of emotion took her over. She grabbed Cassie by the shoulders, pulled her close, and kissed her full on the lips. Nothing could have prepared Cassie for that. For a few seconds, she tried pushing Rachel away, amazed at her actions. Then, Cassie realized that she actually liked having Rachel kiss her. She relaxed and wound her fingers into Rachel's hair, letting pleasure take her. There was no tongue yet, only open lips on open lips. Then, in a feeling of courage, Cassie shook life into her tongue and ran it along the right side of Rachel's cheek, feeling Rachel's tongue respond within seconds to her touch. Cassie let strands of Rachel's gold hair run through her fingers, marvelling at the contrast of Rachel's light hair and skin to her own black hair and skin. She let one hand let go of Rachel's head and ran it down Rachel's back, massaging the muscles and nerves she knew would tingle. Sure enough, a longing shiver tore through Rachel's body and the kiss became more passionate. Rachel took in small gasps of air as she took a lot of effort to say one sentence. There was a kiss in between each word. "I…wanted…you…so…much…I…don't…want…this…to…oh, Cassie!"

"Oh, Rachel…I…love…you…somuch…I…don't…want…this…to…end…either…" Cassie's words had longer gaps in between them, due to the girls' rising erotic feelings. The girls fell onto Cassie's bed, continuing to kiss dramatically. They had both kissed boys and the girls could agree that this was nothing like that. Cassie pulled back and studied her best friend. Rachel's rosebud lips were swelling from the kissed and her pale cheeks were flushed. Cassie ran a dark finger along Rachel's jaw line, tracing the contours of her neck, ear, nose, eyes and finally, her lips. A butterfly kiss sealed the unspoken passion that had taken place in Cassie's small bed.

Rachel was amazed at how willing Cassie had been to make out with her. When Rachel had first entered the room that night, she had seen Cassie's lithe body move under the sheets and her whole body had wanted to thrust forward, leaping into Cassie's dark arms and letting all her feelings run away. Maybe it had been Rachel's long-existing feelings of love greater than a normal friendship that had driven her to jump out of her window in the middle of the night, fly to Cassie's house, climb the drain pipe and jimmy the lock on Cassie's window so she could get in. whatever it was, Rachel was glad she had listened. Rachel stretched very catlike and started to take off her camisole, ready to get in deeper. Rachel could almost imagine what Cassie looked like when she was naked. Cassie's rough hand stopped her. "Not now, Rashe." She breathed, using a nickname that sent even more shivers down Rachel's spine. "My parents are still home. They are leaving on a business trip tomorrow. I promise you a night you will never forget if you wait until tomorrow. Will you wait, Rashe?"

Rachel reached out and used a thin finger to trace the contours of Cassie's wide lips. Cassie had always said Rachel was the beautiful one, but Cassie didn't understand the raw beauty that drew Rachel to her like a lodestone. "Alright, ma chérie." She lightly kissed Cassie and wrapped her in a hug, moving closer to Cassie's warm body. "Tomorrow night it is." Cassie rubbed her cheek against Rachel's shoulder and Rachel whispered, her voice gentle as the softest wool, "Cassie, you always say I am the beautiful one. You don't know how beautiful you actually are."

Rachel ran a fingernail along the base of Cassie's neck, eager for the next day. Her body, understandably, sighed in pleasure when Cassie murmured, "I am not beautiful. You are the Aphrodite of the Animorphs."

Rachel took Cassie's face in both hands and made direct eye contact. "Cassie, you have no idea how many girls I know who would give for a day in your shoes. Not for the lifestyle, but for how many guys you attract. I know that I am tall and willowy and am the supermodel type; but you! You have the natural beauty that so many girls want!" Rachel's voice became dreamy as she described Cassie's appearance. Cassie, of course, realized that this description was how Rachel saw her and her heart skipped a beat. "Your chocolate eyes. They are so kind and loving and you could get lost in them. Your long black hair. It crinkled under the touch and it smells so damn good. Your skin. I would kill for your skin. You never get zits and it's so soft…"

Of all things Cassie could have done that moment of time, she moaned. Rachel's heart gave a leap and she licked her lips. Cassie tilted her head back onto the pillow and the kiss began again. It was damp, as Rachel had licked her lips before hand. There was absolutely no way that Rachel could deny that she was in love with Cassie in the deepest way possible. Finally, Rachel pulled away, stroking Cassie's hair, and got up. She smoothed down her hair and shivered with lust. She stared into Cassie's wide chocolate eyes, which were a mixture of her natural kindness, hurt and lust. "I guess tomorrow has come. See you later, Cassandra."

Cassie got up too, looking at her clock, which flashed 4:30 in bright digital numbers. She stepped forward and hugged Rachel, moving way closer than customary. Rachel moaned at Cassie's warm touch and Cassie shivered at the new nickname. "I will see you later, Rashe."

With that quiet parting note, Rachel leapt out of the window and began the long run back to her house. Cassie watched her and silently kissed her hand that Rachel had smothered. Rachel saw that gesture and felt her heart race. While running, she touched her jaw line, where Cassie had stroked it, and whispered, "I can't want until then."