Rachel laid on her bed, face tucked into her pillows.

She didn't think about the things her friend told her. The words that should have been floating above her head were hidden in the many drawers she had in her mind.

She breathed in the smell laced on the pillow. Roy's smell was all over it, locked into each fiber.

The door creaked but Rachel made no move.

"Hey." the bed moved under the weight of the body.

Rachel didn't answer. Why should she?

"I'm sorry if what we told you upset you but you need to know what we think is happening to you." Richard whispered.

"Do you honestly believe that my attempt to end my Father's rule on my life, my body, my existence, was a waste of time? That it didn't even matter?" Rachel asked facing the other wall.

"I'm not saying that. I do believe that you ended his rule on you existence. You're powers are the very proof of that. I'm just saying, that maybe he's not completely gone. Not yet." Richard said.

"How? How am I suppose to make him disappear? I'll never be rid of him. I'll never stop having his rage and his blood running through me." Rachel whispered.

"Rachel, I believe in you. You are strong, stronger than you let on most of the time."

Richard's hand found it's way between Rachel's shoulder blades.

"I'm weak. Weaker than him. Weaker than Blackfire, and Slade. I'm weaker than my emotions. I have no strength left." Rachel whispered. "I can't fight him again. I won't make it."

"You have to think positively." Rachel turned to him.

"Where I lived there was no positive. Only darkness." Richard glanced at her sadly.

"Shouldn't you be out there with your girlfriend?" she asked.

"She's out with the whole gang celebrating." Richard said stagnantly.

"And you're not celebrating?"

he shrugged.

"Someone had to stay back and watch after you. I'd rather not risk it. You being vulnerable."

Rachel didn't know whether to be happy, that he cared enough, or angry, that he thought she couldn't take care of herself. So she decided to be indifferent.

"You shouldn't have stayed behind. I'm sure you would have wanted to celebrate. If you leave now, you could make it before they leave." she said.

"I wanted to stay behind, to make sure you were okay." Richard said softly.

Rachel looked at his sincere blue eyes. Had a guy ever looked at her that way? So sincere, so unhidden, so true?

"How can you look at me like that?" Rachel asked him.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"How can you look at me so sincerely?" she asked.

"Because you're my friend Rae. Because you're always honest with me." Richard said.

The way he said those word made Goosebumps appear all over Rachel's body. She shivered in response.

"Are you cold?" Richard asked.

She sat up and shrugged running her hands all over he arms. Richard grabbed another blanket and threw it around her shoulders.

Was she always honest to him? She honestly didn't know. She wanted to be very honest with him.

But right now her head was foggy. And her hands clammy. And her voice shaky.

His fingers lingered on her arm.

"You always seem to push us away. But every once in a while, you let us in. And everytime that happens I learn something new. You're full of surprises. You just never let them show." he whispered.

"I'd rather be full of surprises than easily read."

"That's true, when it comes to the people we protect this town from. But it isn't true when it comes to us."

The word 'us' made Rachel's body shake a bit. The word made the air a bit thicker, heavy with innuendo.

"I feel like I can't help it. I feel like I always need to hide. It makes me feel better hiding myself from everyone. That way I know I won't hurt anyone." Rachel whispered.

The words sat on the air. Richard placed his hand on her shoulder.

"You don't need to protect us all the time Rachel," he whispered as his hand slipped off her shoulder dragging the strap of her cami and bra down, leaving her shoulder exposed.

"Let us protect you sometimes, let us be there for you, let us help you." he added, his voice so soft.

Rachel looked at her shoulder, naked and vulnerable, then looked at Richard. She slipped off the straps on the other shoulder, finger tips barely brushing the skin. Richard's eyes watched patiently.

"Rachel. I want to know you better. I want to know you inside and out. I want to be closer to you." He whispered.

She understood what he was saying. Dick felt a tug on his shirt and soon it was gone. Rachel leaned into him, whispering in his ear.

"Lay down."

His shirtless torso, rippled with muscles relaxed as Rachel squatted over him, resting her palms on either side of his head.

She leaned down and pressed her body into his, the door to the room closing and locking in the distance.

His hands found there way under her skirt, as she kissed the skin right under his clenched jaw. Her cami followed by his pants, her skirt, his boxers, her bra and panties hit the floor, in a pile.

His eyes glanced at her undressed body as they made their way under the sheets. Her hands pushed his chest as his hands grabbed her hips, their bodies mixing and entangling.

His hand were all over her as she clasped his shoulders, both were panting each others name.

The water outside could be heard hitting the rocks as Rachel's feelings exploded. The room was thick with humidity as waves rose outside.

The two feel asleep in each other's arms as the others made their way back in to the tower.