(AN: Just a short update. Thank you for your responses and reviews.)
CHAPTER 10
The dust swirled and the thunderous noise rolled over her once again. The piercing beam of light broke through the haze and she heard a voice call her name. The familiar timbre of the voice melted the scene into one in which she was being held in strong arms. Sighing in her sleep, Rachel hugged one of the pillows on her bed and then as suddenly as the dream came upon her, it dissolved as the sound of the alarm broke through her slumber.
"Oh!" Rachel groaned as she reached for the alarm button. She lay there for a moment, looking out through the skylight at the pale blue sky that met her eyes. Her thoughts raced back to the dream she had just awakened with.
"What is this all about?" She thought. The recurring nightmare of noise and dust that had plagued her since her arrival at Mesa Verde puzzled Rachel. And how had it changed into a dream of being held by Quinn? "Well…that is one I won't mind repeating a bit!" Rachel thought remembering the feelings of being surrounded by those wonderful arms. She smiled and started to get out of bed.
"Time to get up for my lesson!" And with that Rachel headed for the shower. After her morning ministrations, she put on a pair of jeans, her boots and a pale blue cowboy shirt she had bought for the trip. She looked in the mirror, pleased with her outfit, and after putting her hair in a soft braid, picked up the hat Quinn had given her to top it off.
"I think I'm ready!" She murmured and headed for the door. She pulled it open and started to walk out but was stopped immediately by the sight that met her eyes. A beautiful Native American design clay pot was filled with a bouquet of the most beautiful wildflowers that Rachel had ever seen. A small card was fastened to the pot. Rachel picked it up looking at the intricate designs of the vase and the myriad flowers that it contained and walked back into her cabin. She put the vase on the table and pulled the card out to read it.
R.
"These flowers grow wild and free, a symbol of the Spirit within me. Though no one flower can match the beauty I see within you, may it be a token of a love that can be true."
Q.
Rachel sat down as an electric jolt coursed through her as she read those words. Her eyes moved between the vase and the note and she sighed deeply. She couldn't believe what she had read. Quinn really felt the way she did, and the thought of that made her smile. How could she let her know how much that meant to her? Rachel thought for a moment and then stood up and took one of the wildflowers from the vase and broke the stem so it would be shorter. She put the flower in the buttonhole of her breast pocket, knowing that it would have the desired effect.
She went through the door again, this time not stopping until she got to the Mess Hall. She opened the swinging doors, her eyes searching the crowd until she saw a hand wave at her from a table at the side. Smiling, she walked over to Quinn's table and sat down. As she had thought, Quinn's eyes drew to the flower on her pocket. She saw a slight flush in Quinn's face and a bashful grin take over.
Rachel reached over and took Quinn's hand and murmured. "I don't know what was more beautiful…..the flowers or your words. You have no idea what they meant to me. I…."
"No…..you don't have to say a word." Quinn answered. "Sometimes silence says more…and small acts like a flower in a buttonhole." And she squeezed Rachel's hand, aching for more contact then they could have in this setting.
"Let's get our breakfast." Rachel nodded in agreement and followed Quinn up to the buffet line. Heaping plates and steaming coffee was brought back to their table and they dug into their meal.
"So how was your sleep? I don't remember when I had a more peaceful night." Quinn sighed as she thought of the dreams that peppered her night.
"I slept well but….I've been having a recurring dream or nightmare since I've been here…..and I had it again. But, um….this time the ending of it seemed to merge into another dream that was much nicer." And Rachel blushed at the memory of Quinn's arms.
The blush was not lost on Quinn and she responded. "Tell me about it Rachel."
"Well…the recurring dream is one in which I hear a thunderous noise, that sounds to me like hoof beats of horses. So much dust is kicked up, that the light is blocked out. I feel lost at this point, until I see a beam of light piercing the darkness. I had heard a voice calling me in the past, but it was indistinct. Last night, I knew whose voice it was. It was yours. The next thing I knew, the scene changed and I was lying in your arms and you were holding me. Just like you did last night. It felt so safe and wonderful that I woke up hugging my pillow." Rachel's blush didn't fail her as she related the last part of the dream.
Quinn took a moment to reflect on what Rachel had said and then spoke. "What if your dream was a premonition? I mean…..what happened yesterday could have been a perfect match for it. The noise, the horses running, the dust.
"Yes…I see what you mean." And the light through the darkness. That kind of speaks of a rescue. And whose voice did I hear….but yours! My rescuer! Oh Quinn, I think maybe you HAVE figured it out." And Rachel's eyes were filled with joy and relief.
Quinn smiled and added. "But, we haven't figured out about that last part."
Rachel stopped short. "What do you mean?"
"Well…..the part about my holding you. Um, what do you think that means?" She remarked with a twinkle in her eye.
Blushing ever again, Rachel responded. "I think you know what that means." And she looked straight into Quinn's eyes. "It means that there is no place else that is safer and more wonderful. And I'd like to be there again, and learn more about the connection I feel to you."
"I'd like to be there again too…and we will learn a lot more about each other Rachel, I promise you." And Quinn punctuated that by standing up and putting her hand on Rachel's shoulder. That mere touch sent shockwaves down Rachel's body and had a similar effect coursing up Quinn's arm.
"I'll hold you to that promise." Rachel murmured in reply.
"So, are you ready to tackle the horses?" Quinn asked.
"Hmmm, tackle no….riding yes." Rachel laughed and got up to join Quinn.
The pair walked out together, not conscious of a pair of eyes watching their every move.
"It's not over yet ladies." Austin thought as he gulped down the remainder of his coffee. He got up and headed out to the barn, saddled up his horse, and headed to his hideaway.