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.
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.
