Hey folks!

Thanks for your great reviews, I am thrilled to know I actually have an audience for this fic. It was especially nice to hear from some of you who've followed my stuff before, and are still on board for this somewhat lesser-known ship from a show that's no longer even on the air. Hooray! So rest assured, I will see this story through, now that I know I'm not just talking to myself here. Enjoy part 2!

—JW

…...

Playing Pretend

Part 2

By JewWitch

…...

"Ready to make an entrance?" Nina asked with a sultry smile, betraying none of the nervousness that was bubbling up inside her since arriving at the door of the elegant Iranian restaurant, where Rachel's entire extended family was waiting.

"No," Rachel whimpered, holding onto her little beaded purse so tight her knuckles turned white. They stood in awkward silence for a moment, just staring at the door. Nina wanted to comfort her anxious friend; but now that they were actually faced with the reality of walking into the party and acting like girlfriends in front of the entire extended Pirzad family, her own insecurities were welling up inside her and knotting in a hard lump somewhere in the center of her chest. She didn't want to talk Rachel into this anymore. She couldn't be the one to talk Rachel into this. She'd always had the upper hand in their friendship; she was older, more sophisticated, more worldly, more grown-up. She knew that sweet, sometimes timid Rachel looked up to her; she knew she didn't need to use her pushing power to talk Rachel into doing what she wanted (as if she ever would). But what if what she wanted was for Rachel to want to walk into this party with her? Not to have to be talked into it?

So, they stood there in silence. Another minute went by. "How about now?" Nina asked, a small half-smile playing across her ruby-red lips as she turned to look at her roommate. Rachel laughed nervously, but Nina could see the sparkle coming back into her dark eyes.

"Okay," the Iranian girl murmured, holding out her hand. Nina took it, lacing their fingers together in quiet affirmation. "Nina? Thanks for doing this."

"Hey, anything for my woman," Nina winked, her usual confident nature reasserting itself as Rachel smiled shyly and squeezed her hand, hard. "Let's go dazzle some Iranians." Rachel laughed again, a real laugh this time, and stood up on tiptoe to kiss Nina lightly on the cheek. The taller girl was still grinning stupidly as she was pulled inside the restaurant.

They passed the buzz of waiters and diners on the first floor, and climbed the stairs to the private event room, where a maitre'd was guarding the door. Rachel gave her name, and the tuxedoed man bowed and held the door open for them without a word. The banquet room was modest, but elegant; stained glass windows lined the western wall, lit up by the cool purple twilight outside, and the remaining walls were draped with richly embroidered tapestries in every color of the rainbow. A string quartet sat playing classical music on a small stage in the far corner, and the smells wafting from the buffet table were spicy and fragrant. Rachel's sister, Shireen, and her fiance stood in the very center of the dance floor, beaming as they greeted their guests and sipped champagne. Nina smiled as she gazed around the room, taking in the happiness, the celebration and joy in the air. Then she looked back at Rachel, and her smile wavered.

"Breathe, Rach," she murmured, squeezing the younger girl's hand in her own. Rachel sighed and looked down at her shoes, unable to meet Nina's gaze as her face flushed red. She'd extended her hearing as they walked in, unable to stop herself even though she knew she'd probably be happier not knowing what people were saying. Is that Rachel? With a girl? Her cousin Fatima whispered across the room. Her poor mother, tutted Fatima's sister Mina. On the other side of the dance floor, her cousin Ahmed chuckled maliciously as he said to his friends, Oh man, somebody get the videocamera. Shireen's head is gonna explode when she sees that her freak sister brought a lesbian date. At least she's smokin' hot.

"Everyone's talking about us," Rachel sighed miserably, swallowing hard against the sting of tears in the back of her eyes.

"Well duh. We're the two hottest girls here," Nina winked, rubbing her thumb lightly over the back of Rachel's hand. "They're all just jealous," she whispered. Then she picked Rachel's hand up, and kissed it, holding the shorter girl's gaze deliberately. Rachel gazed back, all other concerns suddenly forgotten as her heartbeat began to thud loudly in her ears.

"You're such a flirt," Rachel giggled a little breathlessly, shaking her head as Nina smirked and wiggled her eyebrows.

"I made you relax, didn't I?" Nina grinned triumphantly. "And I made sure everybody saw that you're all mine tonight. That's why I'm here, after all."

"No, you're here because you're the only person in the world who really has my back. Thanks again for being so awesome, I don't know how I'll ever make this up to you," Rachel sighed earnestly; and Nina's smile seemed to falter slightly.

"You don't have to make it up to me, Rach," the taller girl shook her head. "That's what friends are for, right?" Friends help each other out, Nina. That's all you are to her, all you ever will be. Don't screw it up, for God's sake.

"Yes, I know, but still. You're really going above and beyond, here. I'm just trying to say I appreciate you, Nina." Rachel smiled again, a real, infectious Rachel smile; and Nina couldn't help but smile back, even if it was a little wistful. "C'mon, let's go say hello to my parents and get it out of the way. Then we can get some food."

"Okay," Nina nodded, slipping her hand into Rachel's again and allowing herself to be lead across the room to where Mr. and Mrs. Pirzad were stationed beside the gift table, formally greeting all their guests. Nina had never met the Pirzads before, but she'd heard enough stories from Rachel to know that they were good people; just a little controlling and overbearing. They had spent so many years trying to protect Rachel from the world, they'd ended up unconsciously teaching her that they didn't believe in her, didn't think she could handle things on her own. That was probably why they had such a hard time getting along now that Rachel had moved out of their house, and was actively living her own life. It wasn't right, but it was understandable...at least they loved her, even if they couldn't express it all that well. Nina hadn't spoken to her own family in years.

"Hi, Madar, Papa," Rachel's smile was tentative but genuine as they approached the older Pirzads, still hand-in-hand. "How are you? The party looks beautiful." She kissed each of them on the cheek, then drew back with a shy smile. "This is Nina Theroux, my...my girlfriend."

"Rachel, this is your sister's engagement party," Mrs. Pirzard tutted; she seemed annoyed, but not outright angry. Maybe Nina had misjudged them—maybe they were cooler than she realized. "You're supposed to bring a date, not a girlfriend. I could have set you up with one of the groom's friends if I'd known you couldn't find a date on your own." Nina felt Rachel's hand tremble in her own, and she squeezed it in silent affirmation.

"Mom, Nina is my date. I didn't mean girlfriend, like a girl who is my friend...I meant, girlfriend, girlfriend." The Pirzads stared at their daughter, and then at Nina, in silent horror as the dawning comprehension crossed their faces.

"Hi," Nina finally said, breaking the awkward silence. "Congratulations on the wedding. It is a beautiful party. Rachel's told me so much about you both." She offered her hand, but neither of them made a move to shake it. Instead, they both seemed to be staring at Nina's other hand, which had moved protectively to the small of Rachel's back when she felt the younger girl tremble with nerves.

"Rachel, have you lost your mind?" Her father hissed in a loud whisper, bending closer like he didn't want anyone else to hear. "Are you trying to bring shame down on the family? At your sister's engagement party, of all places!"

"Papa, no! I'm—I'm not trying to do anything to you," Rachel shook her head, eyes wide and imploring as she gazed into her father's disapproving face. "I'm just here to celebrate Shireen's happiness, just like everyone else. And Nina isn't here to embarrass you. She—she really cares about me."

"Enough," Mr. Pirzad fumed, grabbing Rachel roughly by the wrist and pulling her bodily away from Nina, as if trying to herd her into a corner, literally. "You will stop this nonsense right now! No daughter of mine..."

"Hey!" Nina yelped, grabbing Mr. Pirzad's larger hand and trying to wrench it off Rachel's arm. "Just take it easy, okay?" Even though she was usually the calm one, she felt her own heart rate begin to quicken as she looked at Rachel's face, full of fear and embarrassment and disappointment.

"No one is speaking to you, young lady," Mr. Pirzad growled at Nina, the first words he'd deigned to say to her. "You will not see my daughter again, do you understand? Rachel, you're coming home with me right now..." He pulled harder on Rachel's thin arm, and Nina heard her make a soft whimpering sound—either from pain or humiliation—in the back of her throat. Suddenly, the taller girl saw red as the rest of the party fell away, and her alpha ability rose up inside her, burning her eyes and the back of her throat.

"Take your hands off her. Now," Nina said quietly but clearly, her voice vibrating slightly the way it always did when she used her ability to "push" people into obeying her commands. Mr. Pirzad's eyes went suddenly blank, and his grip went slack as he released Rachel's arm, and she staggered back a step, panting slightly.

"Nina! You didn't have to push him," Rachel whispered indignantly, rubbing the red mark around her wrist. "He's my father."

"Navid? What's the matter?" Mrs. Pirzad asked quizzically, staring at her husband's blank face as he stood motionless, staring into space. Then she turned to Nina; and her expression was ten times more venomous than when she'd thought the girl was merely a dirty lesbian preying on her innocent daughter. "What did you do to him?"

"Mom, it's fine," Rachel sighed dismissively, laying a reassuring hand on her mother's arm. "He'll snap out of it in a minute or two."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," Nina shook her head apologetically as she looked back and forth between the two Pirzad women. "Sometimes it just happens...he was hurting you..."

"He was not hurting her, he was protecting her from you," Mrs. Pirzad whispered furiously. Out of the corner of her eye, Nina noticed several of the party guests openly staring at their little altercation now; and she knew Rachel must be even more keenly aware of whatever was being said about them all around the room. "Please leave the party immediately, Miss Thoreaux. You are not welcome at our family's celebration." Despite the bravado she'd displayed before, Nina felt her eyes well up with hot tears. Rachel was going to hate her now.

"Fine, we're leaving," Rachel said quietly, her voice calm and composed, if not a little shaky. "Tell Shireen I said congratulations."

"Rachel, asalam. I wasn't speaking to you," Mrs. Pirzad shook her head, though her furious expression barely softened when she shifted her disapproving gaze back to her daughter. "You must stay and pay your respects to your sister, it's only proper. We'll discuss this...problem...later, in private."

"Nina isn't a problem, Madar," Rachel shook her head angrily, her dark eyes shining with unshed tears. "And if she goes, I go. So, goodnight." Without another word, Rachel took Nina's hand and marched her out the door, without bothering to look at her directly. They walked down the stairs and out of the restaurant in silence; but once they were back out on the street, Nina finally found her voice again.

"Rach, I'm sorry..."

"You were supposed to make this easier for me, Nina! That was what you said. That was what you promised," Rachel choked out, her eyes blazing with a fury the taller girl had rarely seen from her before. "Why did I ever let you talk me into this? They think I'm even more of a freak now than they did before! We just made everything worse, not better!"

"I said I'm sorry," Nina shot back defensively, her own anger rising up hot and molten in her stomach as she stared back into Rachel's furious dark eyes. "And I didn't talk you into anything, okay? We're both adults, you make your own goddam choices, Rachel. That's not on me."

"You pushed my dad!" Rachel yelled, her voice cracking with emotion. "Were you trying to make them both hate me, is that it? Your own family wants nothing to do with you, so you want the same thing for me? So we could be pathetic orphans together?" The minute the words were out of Rachel's mouth, she seemed to realize she'd gone too far; but it was too late to take them back. They stared at each other in silence for a minute, both of them with tears glittering in their dark eyes.

"That was an accident, Rachel. I told you. He was hurting you...it was just instinct. I didn't mean to do it, okay? I'm sorry I screwed up! What else do you want me to say?" Nina sniffed and hastily wiped the tears from her face, angry at herself now for crying in public, for making a scene, for losing control. Nina was the one who didn't lose control; that was something everyone just knew.

"Okay...it's okay," Rachel sighed, her anger deflating suddenly as she watched the older girl wipe away her tears. "I'm sorry, Nina...I shouldn't have yelled at you, I didn't mean it. I know you were only trying to help." They gave each other a tentative, teary smile; then a jeering male voice broke the silence between them with a low, lecherous wolf-whistle.

"Lover's quarrel, ladies?" It was Ahmed, Rachel's least favorite cousin, leaning lazily against the doorway to the restaurant and staring at them, as he apparently had been for the last several minutes. "C'mon Rach, that's no way to treat such a bangin' hot piece of ass, y'know. Don't you wanna kiss her and make up?" His dark eyebrow raised in a gleeful, greedy expression of undisguised lust.

"Drop dead, Ahmed. This is a private conversation," Rachel snarled, taking a step closer to Nina and putting her hand on her friend's back protectively.

"Hmm, nope...I think I have a better idea," the leering boy sniggered, closing the space between them and wrapping his large hand tightly around Rachel's upper arm. What is it with the men in this family, treating their women like cattle to be herded? Nina thought angrily; but this time she kept her cool, breathing hard and gritting her teeth to keep herself from lashing out. "I think the three of us should go somewhere and have a nice little private party of our own."

"Let go of me, jerkface," Rachel hissed, struggling to wrench her arm back. But unlike her father, Ahmed fought back, tightening his grip on her arm and shaking her, hard, as he laughed out loud at her attempts to free herself. "Ow! Stop it, Ahmed!" Rachel yelped, a note of real panic entering her voice now.

"Oh, you gonna make me, little cousin?" He jeered, yanking her arm tighter. "Go ahead and fight, I like it rough. You and your girlfriend will too, when I'm done with you."

"Stop," Nina said simply, her voice once again imbued with the deep, resonant vibration it took on when she drew on her alpha power. Instantly, Ahmed froze, staring motionless into her eyes with his hand limp on Rachel's arm. Hastily, Rachel pulled herself from his grip, staggering back a few steps until she was half-hiding behind Nina's taller frame. "Rachel, are you all right?" She asked, quietly, without breaking eye contact with their would-be rapist.

"Yes. I'm okay," Rachel panted, shaking slightly as she pressed herself against Nina's side. "Thank you."

"Good," Nina nodded slightly, before directing her full attention back at the blank-eyed boy in front of her. "Now, I want you to turn around..."

"Nina," Rachel murmured gently in her ear, a warm hand suddenly tracing light circles over her lower back. With a sigh, Nina reluctantly changed gears as she delivered her final command.

"...Turn around and go back into the party, Ahmed. Never hurt Rachel again. In fact, the next time you think about physically taking a woman against her will, you'll vomit all over yourself. Got it?" The young man nodded robotically, turned, and walked back inside the restaurant without another word.

"Thanks," Rachel said quietly after a moment of silence. "That...that was actually a little scary."

"Yeah, well he got off easy compared to what I would've liked to do to him," Nina fumed, her cheeks flushed pink as she slowly calmed down, and pushed her alpha ability to the back of her mind once more.

"I have no doubt," Rachel grinned softly; and for the first time since they'd entered the party, a little bit of the playful glint returned to her dark eyes. "What were you gonna tell him to do before I stopped you?"

"I was gonna have him jump in the Hudson River and swim to New Jersey," Nina admitted, slowly returning Rachel's playful grin. "But at least this way I know I'm not getting you in any more trouble with your family...I really am sorry, Rach."

"No, I'm sorry," Rachel shook her head. "I should have known this was a bad idea from the start. I just...I wanted it not to be true, so I talked myself into it. It wasn't your fault, Nina." They smiled shyly at each other for a moment.

"Okay, well...I don't know about you, but I think I've had enough excitement for one night. Wanna go home and order a pizza?"

"God, yes. That is exactly what I want," Rachel nodded, slipping her arm into Nina's and resting her head against the taller girl's shoulder.

"Good," Nina smiled, rubbing her nose affectionately in Rachel's dark hair. "C'mon, let's get out of here." They climbed into a cab, both relieved to be done with the awkward evening; yet both, though they'd never admit it to each other, a little wistful that the let's-pretend-we're-girlfriends portion of the evening was over so quickly.

At least you didn't just lose your best friend, Nina told herself as they drove in silence back to their SoHo loft. That's the only thing that really matters. That's the best thing in your life, the only thing worth protecting...even if you have to protect her from yourself, stupid. She may have forgiven you, but this whole moronic thing was your idea, all because you wanted to dress up and play pretend with her. Stop being such a goddam idiot. No more flirting, and that's that.