A/N: This has been long overdue. I conceived this plotline right after watching 1x05 Never Let Me Go. I just really had to get this out of my system. I'm thinking of making this a three-shot.
I Love You, Good Night.
Chapter 1- Flushed
"Rachel, as you know, your body is still suffering from an induced addiction to oxytocin. The shots help but if this goes on for much longer I'm afraid you will pass the point of no return into full-blown addiction."
"So, are you saying that this is going to be permanent?" Rachel was suddenly stricken with fear. She didn't want to be dependent on drugs for the rest of her life.
"No. Not yet," Rosen reassured her. "I may have an idea as to how to gently wean you off the artificial oxytocin without triggering the withdrawal symptoms."
"I'm sorry, Doctor Rosen," Nina interrupted, raising a hand in the air. "But what exactly am I doing here?"
"All of us here in our group are the closest thing Rachel has to an actual family. You especially, Nina, since the two of you live together. You are uniquely qualified to help Rachel with this. Also, it would be unsuitable for any of the others to provide the kind of assistance we need to alleviate Rachel's condition." Nina raised an eyebrow. This was starting to sound like more babysitting duty for her. Really, wasn't her talents appreciated around here?
"And what kind of 'assistance' would designate me as 'uniquely' qualified?" Doctor Rosen shifted slightly figuring out a way to word this without freaking Nina out.
"Um, what Rachel needs is an increase natural human contact. Particularly with someone who she shares a connection with. Now, we will keep up the treatment for the addiction during the day, but we will start to lessen the dosage for the nighttime. This is when you would provide the alternative treatment of human contact, Nina. Since both of you will be in an inactive state anyway at night it would be easier to maintain contact if you were, say, both sleeping in the same bed."
"So what you're saying is that we have to share the same bed," Nina clarified, her face scrunching into a frown. "And I have to hold her all night?" Upon hearing this Rachel was suddenly overwhelmed with a rush of shyness and her eyes dropped down to the floor as she started fidgeting. Sharing a bed with Nina? Inconceivable. The woman was a goddess. She had a very active nightlife and doing this would seriously impede her... social proclivities. No way she would agree to such an arrangement.
"Okay." Rachel couldn't believe her ears. Was Nina really acquiescing to giving up her nights just so she could take care of her like she was some helpless child who couldn't handle sleeping alone?
"A-are you sure?" Rachel managed to squeak out, still staring at the floor trying to avoid making eye contact with anyone. Nina put a hand on Rachel's shoulder, rubbing it soothingly.
"Of course, Rachel. You're not just my coworker. You're my roommate, my friend. And if Doctor Rosen thinks this might help you, then I will do it." Rachel barely heard what Nina said. Her whole body was tingling from the sensation of Nina's hand on her. She had never admitted it to anyone before but she did have somewhat of a huge crush on Nina for quite a while now.
"All right, then." Doctor Rosen clasped his hands together. "How about we start tonight? Now Nina, I'm not sure how long you can keep your abilities active while asleep, but later tonight when you and Miss Theroux are keeping up physical contact, I want you to enhance your sense of touch and focus on the natural affection borne of the friendship between you and Nina. It may get intense, but since you and Nina are already friends I don't see any harm in deepening that bond."
Rachel almost groaned out loud. She could swear that Doctor Rosen was somehow trying to torture her. There was no way she could control herself around Nina while in that state. She was dreading this arrangement more and more every minute.
Later that night Rachel approached Nina as they were getting ready for bed.
"Listen," Rachel said. "I'm so sorry you have to be stuck for the next few weeks taking care of me. I know how much you like to go out at night." Nina beamed back a soft smile.
"You don't need to be sorry. I'm actually glad I could help out with your situation," Nina reassured her.
"Well, thank you. For doing this."
It was gradual but Rachel could feel the effects of her medication from earlier in the day start to wear off and she was feeling her face start to flush.
"Nina," she called. "I think it's starting." Nina immediately wrapped an arm around the shorter girl and led her to the bed. She let Rachel crawl in first under the covers before she followed suit, all the while maintaining any form of physical contact with Rachel. They ended up snuggled quite close together. Meanwhile, Rachel's body was on fire. Figuratively, of course. The contact was helping to ease the ill effects of the oxytocin addiction. Her natural desires however, were running rampant, pushing her to wrap as much of herself as she could around Nina.
Nina was starting to feel a tad bit claustrophobic. Rachel was wrapped tightly around her. And she was beginning to discover that Rachel wasn't the most dormant of sleepers. She didn't know if she was imagining it or not, but it almost seemed as if Rachel were dry humping her. She was stuck not exactly knowing how to handle the situation. She knew that if Rachel had her sense of touch amped up then the rest of the girl's senses would be unresponsive right now.
She suddenly felt kisses along her neck. Now she definitely knew that Rachel was dry humping her. Nina decided to maybe just wait it out. Besides it was starting to feel kind of good. Wait, what? Well, Nina couldn't deny that Rachel was an attractive woman. And though she had never been with a woman, she had always believed that her sexuality was kind of fluid. And then she heard it. So soft, barely a whisper, but she heard the words clearly enough that it sent a tingle running through her spine.
"I love you, Nina."
Before Nina could think of a response, she felt Rachel's breathing start to even out which soon developed into light snoring, which, to be honest, was actually kind of adorable coming from Rachel. Nina smiled and relaxed in Rachel's embrace as she focused on the love she felt for Rachel while she waited for sleep to claim her as well. Yes, she loved Rachel. It had been there all along. She didn't know how she loved the girl; whether as a friend or something more, but that question could wait until morning.