Series: What Dreams May Come

Title: Reunions

Chapter: One/One

Rating: R

Pairing: KW/KL, KW/WP, KW/KL/WP

Spoilers: Do you really need to ask? This is me we're

talking about, of course there are.

For season seven and eight.

Beta Reader: Scotty ' The Bod ' Welles



Summary: Kerry ends up with an imp who has a knack

for causing trouble.



Disclaimer: They don't belong to me, except for Winter

Peace, who is my own creation.

Note: This is in response to the challenge issued the

other night for a happy fic. Well this is my attempt

to answer that challenge. Remember I said attempt.

I'm just no good at happy stuff.











The nubile body wrapped itself tighter around her,

mumbling under her breath before falling into a deep

sleep. Her heart melted under three weeks of

memories. She ran her hands lightly over the luscious

curves of the darkly tanned bronze skin of her lover,

brushing the thick, midnight-black hair from her face.

Even in the gradually increasing sunrise, filling the

room with low orange, blues, and pinks, allowed her to

see the thinly-creased lines on Winter's face.

Precious, feather-light hands smoothed the woman's

lines until the childish peace settled across her

dreaming face.



Three weeks of wandering her childhood home of Africa,

learning about the 'woman' she was now responsible

for. A promise to the shaman she'd known as a child

had driven her there after what had happened at

County. A promise made the night she'd left to come

to America. Solemn, yet strangely silly, but no less

important to both of them. She could still hear his

raspy voice echoing in her ears, making her blood

promise that the day she found herself she'd come home

to see him.



She had grown up around the mystic powers of the

ancient tribe buried away from the technological

society she now lived in. Experiencing the very

things that people now scoffed at, that the scientist

in her insisted was just a figment of her imagination

because it couldn't be possible.



Yet, the day she outed herself to Romano, she'd known.

She'd found herself and it was time to go back, to

fulfill her promise. The day she'd arrived, her old

friend, the shaman's only 'daughter', adopted years

before, had told her that he was dying. Leaving

little room for doubt that he'd known that night so

many

years ago.



When she'd entered the small hut, the image of her

beloved mentor burned into her mind, staggering her.

The man that had been so full of life was now lying

helpless, holding on by a thread. The rich laughter

and smile he wore was of the man she'd long admired.

Also looking for the good.



That night he'd explained everything, and made her

swear on his deathbed that she'd undergo the necessary

ritual to become Winter's mistress. His greatest fear

being that his adopted daughter might end up in the

hands of someone he would never trust with her life.



The tattoo that he sported around his navel faded

away, appearing on hers. His last jagged breath

causing her a cascade of tears, barely registering the

beautiful Imp that was now her responsibility...



(** Nice touch. Eerily reminiscent of the symbiont

transfer Dax went through on DS9... **)



The alarm softly clicked on, the radio gently

reminding her that she had to go back to work today.

The 'woman' in her arms groaned, half-awake, and

buried her face into her chest. Three thousand years

and she still wasn't a morning person.



"I need to get up." She tried to sit up, but Winter

held her to the mattress, unwilling to give up her

pillow yet. "Winter, I have to go."



"No..."



"That almost sounded human." She tried to pry the

woman's arms from her, but was once again reminded of

how strong she was. She cursed under her breath, not

wanting to pull rank on the playful woman. "Winter, I

need to get up. Now."



Winter cracked her left eye open and mock-glared at

her before rolling over to the other side of the bed.

"Spoilsport..."



She laughed as she heard the snuffing that indicated

that Winter was asleep again. She'd learned the hard

way over the weeks that the three-thousand-year-old

imp could sleep through a World War without stirring.





Tucking the covers around her lover, she began to

process of getting ready.



Behind her, Winter dozed softly, her dreams reflecting

Kerry's innermost desires, working magically to make

them a reality...











The tall blonde, lovingly nicknamed Dr. Legs, strode

down the ever-busy hall. Blue eyes scanned the

familiar ER for the one person that had caused her to

be increasingly nervous over the last month. Her

heart, her job, her very soul belonged to the short

redhead that had unwittingly claimed her. Now, she

had a second chance, and this time she was going to do

it right.



Kerry popped into view from the hall, only to

disappear again into the lounge. She'd timed it so

that she'd catch Kerry as she was going on lunch

break. She headed inside the lounge, stopping to

stare at the beautiful woman she'd missed so much.



She licked her dry lips, moving her eyes down the body

she knew intimately. The previously fair-skinned

woman was now tanned, her overly thin body now firm

and muscular. Weeks in Africa had done her health a

great deal of good. Kim's stomach clenched as her

mind began to imagine different scenarios.



"Was there something you wanted?" Kerry asked her

without turning.



'Yes, you.' Kim swallowed the automatic response

back, still amazed at how Kerry could always tell who

and when someone was in the room, no matter the

circumstances. "I wanted to thank you for what you

did."



She relaxed when Kerry turned to her smiling slightly,

with no sign of hostility. "I simply did what I had

to."



Kim sighed at the stubborn woman that she loved. Even

now, she wouldn't take any credit for a feat that

would've sent most people running the opposite

direction. "Nevertheless, thank you."



"You're welcome."



(** I'd reconsider the kiss before Winter comes in.

It makes the kiss Kim lays on her after Winter's

mind-zap seem a little anticlimactic. Maybe just a

hint that a kiss is in store, just enough to make

Kerry feel guilty when Winter catches them, like

this... **)



Kim pulled the shorter woman into an unexpected hug,

and Kerry returned it, happy to put their argument

behind them at last. Perhaps they would never again

be the lovers they once were, but if they could at

least be friends, as Kim once predicted they would...



They pulled back to look each other in the face,

exchanging smiles. But there was something else in

Kim's eyes, something Kerry hadn't expected to see

again.



Kim kept her arms around Kerry's waist, her hands

itching to touch her elsewhere. Body wound to the

point that all she wanted was to be in her arms.

"I've missed you."



Kerry softened visibly with her words, their bodies a

hairsbreadth from each other. A wave of confused

desire swept through her; she'd been so certain that

her relationship with Kim was over and done, and yet

the way she felt now, the way Kim was acting...



Her eyes dropped to Kim's lips, recalling how sweet

they tasted. A low moan working its way between their

bodies, on fire from the simple hint of caress. So

craved that they yearned to arch against each other in

momentary pleasure.



The opening door caught her eye. "Wha...?"



"This must be Kim, right?"



Kerry broke away to look at the gorgeous woman that

had just entered the room. "Winter..."











She walked over to her lover, embracing her

reassuringly. "This isn't what it looks like," she

assured Winter, all the while aware that it was

EXACTLY what it looked like. Jealousy combined with

an imp's magical powers could be a frightening

combination.



The mischievous imp relaxed minutely, but the

dangerous glint in her eyes, focused on Kim, was still

there. She needed to get Winter out of there, away

from Kim, fast. She knew from the tribe's legends,

and the shaman's stories about imps, that they had a

habit of teaching people 'lessons' whenever they

believed that person had committed a moral, emotional,

or physical crime. Accidental or not.



And Winter knew exactly what the story with Kim and

her was. She was just grateful that Winter was now

bound to serve her, so that she couldn't teach Kerry

one of her famous lessons. Kim, on the other hand,

was another story. If Winter was upset with Kim for

breaking Kerry's heart, there was no telling what kind

of 'lesson' she might inflict on the blonde...



"Ahh, I've got it," the imp said, breaking into a

sudden smile.



Got what? What had that creature's imagination,

combining centuries of wisdom and experience with a

perpetually youthful simplicity, come up with?



"Kerry, who is this wo...?" Kim's words broke off

sharply as Winter traced a small design in the air

with her fingers. The blonde suddenly smiled

radiantly, as though forgetting that Winter was in the

room, and turned the full force of her adoring gaze on

Kerry.



Winter smiled, all traces of disapproval gone. "Have

I pleased you?" she said to Kerry, stepping aside to

let Kim embrace her.



Kerry paled. 'Oh no.' "Tell me you didn't...umprh."

Kim's mouth cut off her words.



She responded to the intense kiss that Kim was giving

her, trying to remind herself that, while this was

Kim, she was not in control of herself. Her actions

were dictated by a force other than her own will. It

felt so good, but it just wasn't right.



With effort, she managed to push the love-lorn woman

from her. "Winter, undo it," she ordered. "Now."



"Wasn't this what you wanted? Your dreams are full

of..." The imp pouted, making her full lips almost

irresistible.



Kerry pushed those thoughts away for later, turning

her patented Weaver Glare on her. "I mean it. Take

it off."



Winter's eyes dropped to the green silk shirt she was

wearing. "You read my mind," she said with a smile.



"Not that! Whatever you did to Kim!"



Winter shuffled her feet, and gazed lovingly at her

through lowered lids. "I was only trying to help."



"I know, but you can't do that. You can't treat

people like puppets and force them to love someone.

It isn't right."



"Why?"



"It's a matter of free will."



Winter brightened. "Oh, the 'free will' idea. I

remember discussing that with Jeremy Bentham and John

Stuart Mill. But they both agreed that..."



"WINTER!!" Kerry's eyes flashed furiously. She was

more than aware of Winter's skills of distraction.

"This is not a philosophy debate. Take off the love

spell, or whatever you did to her, or I'll never

forgive you."



Perfectly formed shoulders slumped resignedly.

"Fine." Winter waved her hand in the general

direction of Kim.



The tall blonde blinked a few times, her mouth gaping

slightly as she remembered everything. "How...?

Wh...bu..." Her eyes widened in horror and amazement

as they fell on Winter. "How did you DO that?" she

gasped. "You made me feel..."



"Can you do something about her memory?" Kerry asked.



Winter stared sheepishly at her feet. "Uh, not

exactly. See when we teach someone a lesson, it's

designed for them to remember it."



"What...what are you?"



Kerry winced slightly at the tone in Kim's voice.

She'd been on the receiving end of it on a few

occasions, and knew to stay far away when she was in

one of these moods.



"She's an imp," she supplied, hoping to spare Winter

from Kim's wrath. Seeing the blank look on Kim's face

she said even softer. "More commonly known as a

genie."



"You had her...?"



"No! I did it on my own." Winter sniffed lightly. "I

wanted to help. She's so miserable without you. I

only wanted to get you two back together." Her face

crumpled, like a scolded child, and tears began to

fill her eyes.



Kerry pulled Winter back into her arms, holding onto

her tightly. She whispered into her ear, letting her

know how much she cared about her. The softly spoken

words made the mischievous woman sigh happily.



She looked up to apologize to Kim, but she was already

gone.











"Are you mad at me?"



Kerry stroked the soft black hair sprawled across her

chest. Winter was so incredibly playful and smart,

but she also had that underlying need for acceptance

and approval. "No, I'm not mad," she said. "Just

promise me that next time you'll talk to me first."



Winter smiled happily at her. "I promise. I do love

you, you know."



"Yes, but..."



"And not just because I belong to you. I may be bound

by the rules of magic, but I have my own free will,

too."



Kerry knew. Growing up with Winter as a playmate,

closer than a sister, it was impossible to think of

her as property. Even if they'd been strangers,

Kerry's underlying respect for other people would

compel her to treat Winter as a person, albeit one for

whom she was responsible.



But not all her masters had been so generous or kind

as Kerry and her shaman mentor. As potentially

powerful as she was, Winter was bound by covenant and

by nature to respect and obey whoever owned her, and

to submit to their treatment of her. The scars that

previous owners had given Winter, both emotional and

physical, were apparent in the immortal woman's every

action. At times like these, Kerry wanted nothing

more than to kill the bastards responsible for doing

this to her.



Their shared grief over the shaman's loss, combined

with Kerry's losing Kim, had attracted the imp to her

on a more intimate level than Kerry expected. Gender

and sexual orientation meant nothing to a being like

Winter, and she'd had no reservations about becoming

Kerry's lover. Kerry was more reluctant, afraid of

abusing her power over Winter, as several of her

former owners had, but she yielded to the lovely

woman's affection in the end. It hadn't taken long,

to be truthful...



The musical doorbell cut through their comfortable

silence, making Winter groan and bury her head under a

pillow, and leaving Kerry to get the door. She

grabbed her robe on the way to the door, tying the

belt around her waist just before the door opened.



"Kim."



The tall blonde smiled shyly. "Can I come in?"



She moved to allow her to pass, her stomach fluttering

as their shoulders brushed. "If this is about what

Winter did..."



"It's not," Kim interrupted softly. "I was, um,

surprised at first, but...it's like she told me things

without words. Like when she took that...spell off

me, she left some thoughts. Nothing controlling or

harmful, just explaining things."



Ohhh boy... "What kind of things?"



"I understood that she wasn't jealous. I guess either

she's above that kind of thing or she's not capable of

feeling it. Not sure which. But she wanted me to

know how much I hurt you."



Kerry crossed her arms. "I'm glad that's all, but she

still had no right to control your mind like that. If

you don't want me, then no one should force you to..."



"She didn't do anything like that, Kerry," Kim

protested. "She just showed me some things, that's

all."



"But then...why did you kiss me?"



Kim's smile lit up the room. "I wasn't prepared to

experience all that so quickly, and I lost control.

Like I was drunk or something. But she didn't make me

do anything I didn't really want to do. Deep down."



Kerry stared at her, desperately hoping, but unwilling

to ask.



The smile softened, the eyes growing moist. "I still

love you."



The whispered words were impossibly loud to her ears,

her mind protesting this, telling her it was another

trick. Her heart refused to believe it was real, not

after Winter had promised her to leave Kim's mind

alone. "I love you, too."



The tension flowed from the blonde's body, her long

legs closing the distance between them, their lips

melding together perfectly.



She carefully pushed Kim back, trying to find her

voice in the sudden lust that filled her body.

Regretfully, she started to tell the story that would

probably send the woman she loved running. "Kim,

about Winter..."



(** This resolution, particularly, is one that only

works if this is a one-part story. Subject, as

always, to your approval. **)



"You don't have to explain, Kerry."



"I think I do." Her relationship with the magical

being known as Winter Peace wasn't something she

regretted, but it could have drastic effect on how Kim

thought of her. Kim deserved to know the truth, in

any case.



"You're lovers. I know. It's okay."



"It...it is?"



"Uh-huh. Winter's spell left us with a kind

of...understanding."



Kerry looked suspiciously at her. "What kind of

'understanding' exactly?"



"About you," said Winter, behind her. Kerry turned

her head to see the dark woman leaning in the doorway,

wearing only Kerry's nightshirt and a pair of her wool

socks, bunched at the ankles. Winter preferred to

sleep in Kerry's clothes...or none at all. "I told

you, I love you, and I want you to be happy. If Kim

makes you happy, then you should be with her."



"Yeah, and it's hard for me to resent someone who

cares about you that way," Kim said.



"You two belong together," Winter said. "I can sleep

on the couch from now on, or...go back in the tattoo

if you prefer." The last was added with obvious

reluctance.



"Absolutely not," Kerry stated. "I know you hate

being confined in there, and you don't need to use the

couch." The basement apartment had been vacant since

Carter moved out, but she didn't feel entirely right

exiling Winter down there, either.



"Um, what's this about a tattoo?" Kim's brow

crinkled.



"It's the equivalent of a genie's bottle," Kerry told

her, patting her navel. "It appeared on me when I

took...responsibility for Winter." The word

'ownership' was one she'd sworn never to use in

conjunction with the woman.



The brow uncrinkled, then raised. "Really? Can I see

it?"



"Kim..." Kerry felt the faintest of blushes.



"You two should be alone," Winter said softly,

crossing to kiss Kerry's forehead, then gently pulling

Kim's down for a similar kiss. There was a slight air

of sadness as she turned and walked out again.



Kerry watched her go with a feeling of guilt, then

turned to catch Kim also staring after her. "Were you

admiring her legs?" she muttered.



"Hmm?" Kim abruptly returned her attention to Kerry.

"I'm sorry, what?"



Kerry stared at her suspiciously. "You're thinking

something. What is it?"



"Ohhh, nothing..."



Taking hold of two fistfuls of blonde curls, Kerry

pulled Kim's face down to hers, noses touching.

"Spill," she demanded softly.



Kim's hands slid around her waist, molding their

bodies together in that delicious, familiar way.

"Well...it seems unfair to kick Winter out of your bed

in the middle of the night like this..."



"But you don't intend to wait until tomorrow night, do

you?" There was no denying that Kim would be sharing

that same bed with her before sleep came for either of

them.



Instead of answering, Kim looked thoughtful, a trace

of wickedness in her eye. "Would you say," she said

at last, "that your bed was big enough for three

people?"



Kerry feared she might faint.