Don't lean on me

Tobias felt his hands slipping around her neck, pulling her closer. It was as though they were the only ones there. Rachel wasn't entirely sure what was happening at first. She went with it, wrapping her arms around his neck. She even smiled as their lips parted and he started to trail kisses along her neck. She couldn't deny he knew how to turn a girl on.

"Whoah…what are you two doing?" Jake asked abruptly.

"Dude…isn't it obvious? They've both been bitten by the love bug," Marco teased.

"What…is a love bug?" Ax questioned innocently.

"Uh…never mind. It's sort of complicated," Marco mumbled, not in the mood to explain human slang to his alien companion.

"Hey, seriously guys. Snap out of it. We don't want to watch this," Jake shot, snapping his fingers in front of his friends' faces. They seemed to ignore him. Finally Cassie stepped in, letting out a loud, piercing whistle. That snapped Rachel back to reality. She pulled away and looked at Tobias, a guilty look in her gaze.

"What's wrong?" Tobias whispered, trying to pull her close again.

"We can't…you need to stop," Rachel said, distancing herself.

"Rachel…" he trailed off.

"I said no, Tobias," she repeated firmly. Tobias took a couple steps towards her but Jake instantly barred his path.

"Back off," Jack snapped. Tobias just shoved Jake out of the way. Before he got much farther he felt Rachel's hand come slamming down across his face. He stood there in shock for a minute. He wasn't sure what happened. He looked around and then down at himself.

"When did I morph?" he asked sheepishly.

"You try and get in Rachel's pant and then you act like you don't know what is going on? What the hell is wrong with you?" Jake demanded.

"Whoah…I didn't…." he trailed off and looked at Rachel.

"Shit," he cursed, starting to dimorph back into his hawk form.

"No, I don't think so. You're going to explain what that little porn preview was all about," Jake said, his words like venom.

"I don't have to explain anything to you," Tobias responded, morphing and flying out the open door. The rest of the gang turned to look at Rachel.

"You ok?" Cassie asked, placing a hand on Rachel's shoulder, examining the red marks on her neck.

"Yeah. I'm fine," she answered, shrugging Cassie's hand away. She turned on her cousin.

"Jake, you didn't have to freak out like that," she said calmly.

"Excuse me…he just tried to do God knows what to you," Jake tried to rebut.

"No. You can't just presuppose that you know what's going on. He's going through things right now that none of us can really understand,' Rachel spat.

"Yeah? Like what…psychosis?" Marco quipped.

"No…it's mating season, ok. And he can't exactly control what he does all the time," she muttered.

"Wait…are you serious? Like….he's going to find some lady hawk and…" Marco trailed off.

"No….I don't know. Just cut him a break. He's gone through a lot more than the rest of us have," she sighed and started to walk away. The rest of the Animorphs still didn't know about Elfangor.

"Prince Jake, I am confused," Ax voiced.

"You're not the only one," Jake muttered.

They grew silent and started to head out. Ax wandered off in the direction of he woods, most likely to replenish himself in his Andalite form. Jake left as well, leaving only Cassie and Marco.

"He left some huge marks didn't he," Marco mused.

"Don't tell Jake this but….that was kind of…hot," Cassie admitted, blushing profusely at the admission.

"He was all up on her. It was…intense. Who knew bird-boy had it in him?" Marco snickered.

"Somehow I have a feeling that's not all he has in him," Cassie giggled.

"You don't think he'd….with…Rachel?" Marco gasped.

"I don't know. I mean…it's kind of obvious he likes her," Cassie said with a shrug.

Out in the forest Rachel was frantically searching the trees for Tobias. She wanted to apologize for smacking him. She felt really guilty for doing it.

"Tobias!" she called out as loudly as she could but got no answer. She came around a bend and nearly collided with Ax.

"I am sorry Rachel, I did not see you," Ax apologized.

"It's ok. Ax, have you seen Tobias since he flew off?" Rachel asked.

"No. What were you—" he began to ask.

"Thanks, anyways. See you later," Rachel called as she took off again. She finally spotted Tobias in a tree. She had to catch her breath, her hands on her knees.

"Tobias, can we talk?" she yelled up the tree.

Leave me alone, he told her, taking flight. Rachel rolled her eyes, morphing into a hawk as well and pursuing him.

Tobias, wait! Rachel called out but she got no response. She flapped her wings harder as she finally caught up to him again.

I want to apologize, she began but he still didn't seem interested.

Damn it Tobias just stop already. You're acting like a two year old, she spat. That seemed to stop him in his tracks he did a nose dive and landed on a low branch of a nearby tree. Rachel followed suit. He didn't morph into his human self, his hawk eyes just watching her change back.

Trying to apologize, huh? Insulting me doesn't exactly sound like an apology, he remarked.

"I'm sorry I slapped you. I was just kind of surprised that's all. And you weren't backing off. I was scared," she explained.

You had every right to smack me. I was being a complete jerk, he sighed.

"I get that this is hard for you," she began but he cut off mid sentence.

I'm sorry I can't control myself around you. I think…maybe until this whole thing is over…we shouldn't…., he thought softly to her.

"No don't finish that thought, Tobias. We can make it work. We just have to try, that's all," Rachel begged.

I can't take any more chances. I'll just distract you from kicking Yeerk ass and I don't want you to get hurt because of me, he responded firmly.

Rachel pouted up at him, knowing full well he could see her. She smiled up at him, innocently at first. It quickly turned seductive as she slowly began to unbutton her shirt.

Rachel, stop. Please, Tobias begged, letting out a squawk. She just continued to undo the buttons, enticing him to come down. He tried to fight it but finally gave in. He morphed and jumped down, pushing her up against a nearby tree.

"How am I supposed to get over this if you keep teasing me?" he whispered against her cheek.

"Maybe I have an idea that might make it all go away," she told him.

"Shh. Don't talk," he murmured, shrugging off his jacket. He slowly tried to slide her shirt from her shoulders while letting his lips start to make their way down her neck and towards the valley between her breasts. Tobias had to close his eyes for a moment, trying to fight the erection he could feel rising. His lips flew to her ear.

"Do you want my penis in your vagina?" he breathed.

"What?" Rachel croaked out.

"Do you? Because right now all I want is you," he hissed, making it quite clear that he was very turned on.

"I…I don't know," she answered truthfully, trying to worm her way out between him and the tree. She got a few paces when he grabbed her wrist and pushed her back against the tree.

"No, you can't just walk away…not when you keep doing this to me," he snapped, trying to keep his cool.

"I…I'm not ready for this," Rachel rasped, the pressure on her arm starting to bother her.

Tobias took several deep breathes but finally stepped away from her. She rubbed her wrist, eyeing how red it was from being wedged between his hand and the tree.

"Just leave. Because I don't know if I can stop myself next time," he said coldly.

"Tobias…" she started.

"No. No more, Rachel. Just go," he ordered. He morphed and took off. She watched him go as tears started to slip down her cheeks. She buttoned her shirt and slowly started to head back to town.