Author's Notes: Out of deference to (or fear of) FFN's
censorship policy, I had to, sadly, edit out a mildly NC-17 rated scene
from this chapter. For all of you people who want to read the full
version of the chapter, it can be found at
Promises Made, Promises Kept
Chapter Two -
After spending the day with Cassie, Rachel ate dinner with her family. Her whole family. One of the first things Rachel did after returning to Earth was track down her father. He'd been oblivious to the war entirely; the Yeerks hadn't expanded out far enough to find him and capture him. He was being kept with the Animorphs and their families as a security measure. That night, dinner was in the suite Naomi, Sara and Jordan were sharing, and joining them were Rachel, her father, Jake and his parents. The one noticeable absence was that of Tom. He had not escaped the final battle, a casualty that weighed heavily on the entire family. It was a somber dinner, but a sign of the normalcy that was beginning to return to their lives.
Because the Animorphs were on a separate floor from their families, when Jake and Rachel left together no one in their family questioned it. And when the cousins reached their floor, no one was in sight to notice when Jake pulled Rachel into his room.
"God, I thought I was going to go crazy during dinner," Jake said. "I couldn't get away from my parents today and I was dying to know what happened. You seemed depressed. Still do, actually."
"I talked to Tobias immediately after you left. He...kinda guessed why I needed to talk to him. I don't think he took it very well."
"Shit," Jake muttered.
"But I don't regret it," Rachel assured Jake. "I mean, I wish there had been some way to break up with him without hurting him but...it needed to be done. And Cassie agreed with me."
Jake looked up sharply. "You talked to Cassie?"
"Only vaguely. About the breakup exclusively, none of the underlying reasons."
Jake sighed with relief. "So." He gently grabbed one of Rachel's hands. "I guess that means we're both free now."
Rachel smiled. "Yeah. It does."
Jake kissed her gently. "You want to stay here?" he whispered in her ear.
Rachel laughed softly. "I thought you'd never ask."
The pair's first time together, the night before, had been slow and passionate, though slightly awkward as they experimented with the new sensations of being with another person. Those inhibitions were lost this time. It was hard and fast, with little concern for the other person's pleasure. It was selfish. If there truly was a line between 'making love' and 'fucking,' the previous night had been love making, and this night was fucking.
Jake and Rachel were breathing heavily and coated with sweat when they were finished and Jake practically collapsed on top of Rachel. Rachel laughed and pushed him off of her with what little strength she had left.
Rachel kissed Jake again. "Still want me to stay?"
Jake returned Rachel's kiss. "Of course." The couple kissed a few more times before falling asleep in each other's arms.
***
The following week the Animorphs saw very little of each other. They and their families were still traveling together, but upon reaching their destination each of the Animorphs had different people within the government or the military to meet with. Even in the evenings, with hotel rooms and suites right next to each other, the Animorphs were too tired to see much of each other or their families.
After the second straight week of traveling, the Animorphs' families were tired. Sara and Jordan actually wanted to return to school, though they'd been warned dozens of times it would be completely different now. And Steve and Jean wanted the opportunity to properly mourn the loss of Tom.
So the Animorphs begged for a short reprieve from the grueling schedule to return to their homes for a few days before moving on. Most of their time was spent with their families, Ax was living in his old scoop, though he frequently visited Tobias and Loren in their new home. Marco was going to be the first of the group to leave again, with Hollywood already beckoning. The afternoon before he left, the group gathered, for old time's sake, in Cassie's barn, just to talk, for perhaps the last time as a group.
"So tomorrow I fly to LA, first class, and I'm gonna be met by some studio execs and we're gonna do lunch." Marco laughed. "I can't believe that I get to seriously say that."
"I'm waiting to wake up and find out that you're going on to a job that's just as boring as the rest of us have," Rachel said.
"I don't know. I kind of like mine."
"You were going to be a vet anyway, that's not much of a change," Rachel pointed out. "The rest of us are kind of being forced into positions." She began ticking off on her fingers. "Ax with his military, Jake and I with our military, and Tobias out doing save the trees work with you, Cassie. Only you and Marco are going places you'd have chosen anyway."
Marco rolled his eyes. "And like you're really crying over your job, Xena."
Rachel shrugged. "I might not mind it, but I don't think it'd be my first choice."
"You could have said no," Tobias pointed out.
"And done what? Finish up high school? Please."
"Then what's your problem?" Marco demanded.
Rachel sighed. "I don't know." She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, she said, "It's just weird. We've been together non-stop for three years and now we're splitting up."
In more ways than one, Rachel overheard Tobias mutter in thought speak. She looked at him sharply, but he didn't look like he even realized he'd said anything. None of the others were reacting either. Tobias was either a better actor than Rachel had given him credit for, or he'd included her in his unconscious private thought speak out of habit.
"Hey, at least you all are going to be near people you know," Marco pointed out. "Ax with his people, Tobias with Cassie, and you with Jake, Rachel. I'm all alone."
"And you're going to love every minute of it," Cassie said with an easy smile.
Marco grinned. "Damn right I am."
The casual meeting concluded shortly afterwards. Unlike other meetings, where Jake and Cassie or Tobias and Rachel may have lingered, Tobias and Cassie were two of the first to leave. Tobias and Ax were going back to Tobias' house to have a traditional dinner with Loren before they had to de-morph and feed their natural bodies, and Cassie also had dinner plans with her parents. Marco had some last minute packing to do, so he left soon after saying goodbye to his friends. Which left Rachel and Jake alone in the barn.
"You know," Jake said, attempting to sound casual, "out in Washington, we're not going to have anybody looking over us, trying to keep track of what we're doing."
"Oh yes we will. They just won't be our parents," Rachel assured Jake. "How'd we manage to have this meeting in private, anyway?"
"I think your mom threatened the press with the mother of all lawsuits if the press came within so many feet of any of our property. And since Cassie's property extends for a long ways, they can't get very close." Jake sighed. "But you're right. We're not going to have that kind of protection away from here."
"We'll just have to be careful," Rachel said firmly. "I'm not about to let this opportunity pass us by."
"Definitely not." He took Rachel's hand in his. "You leave before me, right?"
"By a day," Rachel confirmed.
"Well, if I were you, I'd find a chance to visit a doctor on that day. See what you can do about getting on the pill or whatever." Jake winked. "Because, like you said, our parents aren't going to be there to keep track of us."
Rachel laughed. "You're horrible, Jake." She kissed his cheek. "Besides, I went to the doctor last week for just that reason. I'm not taking any chances, trust me."
Jake glanced at his watch. "My parents are expecting me home soon."
"I think my mom is, too," Rachel sighed. She glanced around the barn quickly. "I'll talk to you soon, though." And once she was sure there was no one in sight, She briefly, but passionately, kissed Jake, and he returned in kind.
Both of them were in such a hurry to morph and return home they didn't notice the man sitting in the trees, at the very edge of Cassie's property, holding a very large camera.
Reviewer's Corner
Look at me following the crowd and adding one of these. Yay for conformity!
Alan Wilkinson: Aw, no beating Ruby! She's evil, but ultimately helpful.
Ruby: Yes, we do indeed blame you. We blame you a lot. ~sollemn nod~
Promises Made, Promises Kept
Chapter Two -
After spending the day with Cassie, Rachel ate dinner with her family. Her whole family. One of the first things Rachel did after returning to Earth was track down her father. He'd been oblivious to the war entirely; the Yeerks hadn't expanded out far enough to find him and capture him. He was being kept with the Animorphs and their families as a security measure. That night, dinner was in the suite Naomi, Sara and Jordan were sharing, and joining them were Rachel, her father, Jake and his parents. The one noticeable absence was that of Tom. He had not escaped the final battle, a casualty that weighed heavily on the entire family. It was a somber dinner, but a sign of the normalcy that was beginning to return to their lives.
Because the Animorphs were on a separate floor from their families, when Jake and Rachel left together no one in their family questioned it. And when the cousins reached their floor, no one was in sight to notice when Jake pulled Rachel into his room.
"God, I thought I was going to go crazy during dinner," Jake said. "I couldn't get away from my parents today and I was dying to know what happened. You seemed depressed. Still do, actually."
"I talked to Tobias immediately after you left. He...kinda guessed why I needed to talk to him. I don't think he took it very well."
"Shit," Jake muttered.
"But I don't regret it," Rachel assured Jake. "I mean, I wish there had been some way to break up with him without hurting him but...it needed to be done. And Cassie agreed with me."
Jake looked up sharply. "You talked to Cassie?"
"Only vaguely. About the breakup exclusively, none of the underlying reasons."
Jake sighed with relief. "So." He gently grabbed one of Rachel's hands. "I guess that means we're both free now."
Rachel smiled. "Yeah. It does."
Jake kissed her gently. "You want to stay here?" he whispered in her ear.
Rachel laughed softly. "I thought you'd never ask."
The pair's first time together, the night before, had been slow and passionate, though slightly awkward as they experimented with the new sensations of being with another person. Those inhibitions were lost this time. It was hard and fast, with little concern for the other person's pleasure. It was selfish. If there truly was a line between 'making love' and 'fucking,' the previous night had been love making, and this night was fucking.
Jake and Rachel were breathing heavily and coated with sweat when they were finished and Jake practically collapsed on top of Rachel. Rachel laughed and pushed him off of her with what little strength she had left.
Rachel kissed Jake again. "Still want me to stay?"
Jake returned Rachel's kiss. "Of course." The couple kissed a few more times before falling asleep in each other's arms.
***
The following week the Animorphs saw very little of each other. They and their families were still traveling together, but upon reaching their destination each of the Animorphs had different people within the government or the military to meet with. Even in the evenings, with hotel rooms and suites right next to each other, the Animorphs were too tired to see much of each other or their families.
After the second straight week of traveling, the Animorphs' families were tired. Sara and Jordan actually wanted to return to school, though they'd been warned dozens of times it would be completely different now. And Steve and Jean wanted the opportunity to properly mourn the loss of Tom.
So the Animorphs begged for a short reprieve from the grueling schedule to return to their homes for a few days before moving on. Most of their time was spent with their families, Ax was living in his old scoop, though he frequently visited Tobias and Loren in their new home. Marco was going to be the first of the group to leave again, with Hollywood already beckoning. The afternoon before he left, the group gathered, for old time's sake, in Cassie's barn, just to talk, for perhaps the last time as a group.
"So tomorrow I fly to LA, first class, and I'm gonna be met by some studio execs and we're gonna do lunch." Marco laughed. "I can't believe that I get to seriously say that."
"I'm waiting to wake up and find out that you're going on to a job that's just as boring as the rest of us have," Rachel said.
"I don't know. I kind of like mine."
"You were going to be a vet anyway, that's not much of a change," Rachel pointed out. "The rest of us are kind of being forced into positions." She began ticking off on her fingers. "Ax with his military, Jake and I with our military, and Tobias out doing save the trees work with you, Cassie. Only you and Marco are going places you'd have chosen anyway."
Marco rolled his eyes. "And like you're really crying over your job, Xena."
Rachel shrugged. "I might not mind it, but I don't think it'd be my first choice."
"You could have said no," Tobias pointed out.
"And done what? Finish up high school? Please."
"Then what's your problem?" Marco demanded.
Rachel sighed. "I don't know." She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, she said, "It's just weird. We've been together non-stop for three years and now we're splitting up."
In more ways than one, Rachel overheard Tobias mutter in thought speak. She looked at him sharply, but he didn't look like he even realized he'd said anything. None of the others were reacting either. Tobias was either a better actor than Rachel had given him credit for, or he'd included her in his unconscious private thought speak out of habit.
"Hey, at least you all are going to be near people you know," Marco pointed out. "Ax with his people, Tobias with Cassie, and you with Jake, Rachel. I'm all alone."
"And you're going to love every minute of it," Cassie said with an easy smile.
Marco grinned. "Damn right I am."
The casual meeting concluded shortly afterwards. Unlike other meetings, where Jake and Cassie or Tobias and Rachel may have lingered, Tobias and Cassie were two of the first to leave. Tobias and Ax were going back to Tobias' house to have a traditional dinner with Loren before they had to de-morph and feed their natural bodies, and Cassie also had dinner plans with her parents. Marco had some last minute packing to do, so he left soon after saying goodbye to his friends. Which left Rachel and Jake alone in the barn.
"You know," Jake said, attempting to sound casual, "out in Washington, we're not going to have anybody looking over us, trying to keep track of what we're doing."
"Oh yes we will. They just won't be our parents," Rachel assured Jake. "How'd we manage to have this meeting in private, anyway?"
"I think your mom threatened the press with the mother of all lawsuits if the press came within so many feet of any of our property. And since Cassie's property extends for a long ways, they can't get very close." Jake sighed. "But you're right. We're not going to have that kind of protection away from here."
"We'll just have to be careful," Rachel said firmly. "I'm not about to let this opportunity pass us by."
"Definitely not." He took Rachel's hand in his. "You leave before me, right?"
"By a day," Rachel confirmed.
"Well, if I were you, I'd find a chance to visit a doctor on that day. See what you can do about getting on the pill or whatever." Jake winked. "Because, like you said, our parents aren't going to be there to keep track of us."
Rachel laughed. "You're horrible, Jake." She kissed his cheek. "Besides, I went to the doctor last week for just that reason. I'm not taking any chances, trust me."
Jake glanced at his watch. "My parents are expecting me home soon."
"I think my mom is, too," Rachel sighed. She glanced around the barn quickly. "I'll talk to you soon, though." And once she was sure there was no one in sight, She briefly, but passionately, kissed Jake, and he returned in kind.
Both of them were in such a hurry to morph and return home they didn't notice the man sitting in the trees, at the very edge of Cassie's property, holding a very large camera.
Reviewer's Corner
Look at me following the crowd and adding one of these. Yay for conformity!
Alan Wilkinson: Aw, no beating Ruby! She's evil, but ultimately helpful.
Ruby: Yes, we do indeed blame you. We blame you a lot. ~sollemn nod~