Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel, That's So Productions, Brookwell-McNamara Entertainment, Warren-Rinsler Productions, NBC Universal Television and Tailwind Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories.


Continental Divide

Chapter 3

Hurt

As her cab wound through the streets of New York, Chelsea felt as small and insignificant as she ever had. She had just traveled from coast to coast to see her best friend and confess her undying love, only to find out she had another. In her mind it would have been easier if Raven had fallen in love with any man on the planet, even their best male friend Eddie. But Raven was dating a girl, a perky, sweet, attractive girl.

Chelsea was angry and hurt. She was angry at Raven for not trusting her to be there for her. She was angry with Claire for stealing her woman, even though Raven wasn't her woman and Claire had no idea that Chelsea wanted Raven. But mostly she was angry with herself. Angry that she didn't tell Raven three months ago that she wanted her. Then she would have found out that Raven was seeing Claire and she would have saved herself the heartache that she was feeling now.

It was so painful for her because she was not even close to letting go of Raven. She just had no idea what to do next.

Her cab pulled up in front of her hotel. She checked in and went up to her room. She quickly busied herself unpacking and settling in for the night. She took the room keycard out of her pocket and grabbed her wallet out of her purse. She opened the wallet and the picture of Raven that she showed Teri on the plane was sitting on top, out of the picture sleeve. She studied the picture. "Why couldn't you just tell me?" Chelsea said to herself as she ran her thumb over the picture. "You could have talked to me. You could have talked to me."

Chelsea put the picture back in its sleeve and opened the main part of the wallet to see how much cash she had. What caught her eye was a folded piece of paper. She unfolded it. It was Teri's number.

(Chelsea's POV)

I can't. She is a total stranger. I sat next to her on the plane. She doesn't give a crap about my problems. She did say that I could talk to her though. The one person I could talk to is the one person I don't want to talk to right now. What the hell. Worst thing she could say is she was just being polite on the plane and to piss off.

Chelsea picked up her cell phone and dialed.

"Hello, Chelsea?"

"Yeah. How did you know it was me?"

"San Francisco area code on the caller ID. The only people I know in San Francisco are you and my landlord. And that prick wouldn't call me if my apartment was on fire. So what's up?"

"I must have caught you at a bad time, it's not… important. I'll talk to…" Chelsea was about to hang up.

"You didn't dial my number for nothing. What happened?"

"Look, you and Chris are probably in the middle of…"

"Chris is going to be at the library for half the night doing research. Now quit stalling and tell me what's going on." Teri was on her way to becoming one of only four people that could pull information out of Chelsea. Raven, Eddie and Chelsea's mother were the others.

"Is there someplace we can go talk? I hate talking on the phone like this." Chelsea had a thing about talking about sensitive issues on the phone. She was a face-to-face type of woman.

"Where are you? I'll come to you."

Chelsea thought about it for a second. She didn't want a stranger in her hotel room. "No. I'm not going to incon…"

"I know this city like the back of my hand. Where are you?" Teri insisted.

Chelsea caved. "Washington Square Hotel on Waverly Place."

"I'll meet you in the lobby in half and hour. Bye." Teri said and then quickly hung up the phone, not giving Chelsea a chance to respond.

"I hope this isn't a mistake. I just can't keep this inside." Chelsea said to herself as she looked around the room. "Damnit, Raven! I did not want to be here tonight."

Raven lay on her bed. Her eyes were swollen from crying. She was temporarily cried out. Her best friend was gone. Chelsea left in a huff after discovering that Raven was in a relationship and didn't tell her. Raven stared up at the ceiling, hands behind her head. She was numb from the crying, from the pain, from the heartache.

She loved Claire. There were so many things that she loved about her. From the occasionally fiery temper to the emergence of her Texas drawl when she was sleepy to the matter-of-fact approach she has to life. And she was just plain hot for her "Texas Firecracker".

She ran into Claire outside the NYU administration building, literally. Neither one of them were watching where they were going and they knocked each other down. As they were scrambling to get up, Claire looked at Raven and told her how beautiful she though her eyes were. She said it with the conviction of someone who had just seen a precious jewel for the first time. Raven felt like all the wind had been sucked out of her. She fell for her on the spot. Claire made her feel like anything was possible. She just had to take the bull by the horns and do it. Claire had a zest for life that lit Raven's soul up when she was around her.

These have been six incredible months for her. She was firmly entrenched in the Claire Bennet camp for the foreseeable future. That was until the day she invited Chelsea to spend a weekend. Feelings that she had buried deep inside her a year earlier, when she first thought her love for Chelsea might be more than platonic, came rushing to the surface. She had almost called Chelsea back several times to ask her to postpone her trip, but she didn't have the heart to. Part of her needed to see Chelsea again.

She was in love with Chelsea. Or was she? Did it just feel like that because she couldn't see her on a daily basis? Were the remembrances of Chelsea just the warm and fuzzy feelings of a lifelong friendship or was she longing for a wanted love? A year earlier, the hugs, the touches, the glances seemed a bit strange. She got the same feeling in the airport earlier in the evening. It was like she wanted to melt into Chelsea's body when they embraced. She actually felt a pang of jealousy when she saw the chumminess between Chelsea and Teri.

The pizza guy had come and gone. No TV or radio was playing. Complete silence. Raven didn't realize how much time had passed until she heard Claire's key hit the lock.

"Rae!" Claire called out. No response. "Chels?" No response. Claire looked around the apartment. The pizza box was on the table. She opened it. It was untouched. She walked down the hall. Her room was empty. She started toward Raven's room. The room door was cracked. She saw Raven's feet at the end of the bed. She walked to the door and knocked. "Rae?" She was about to ask Rae if she heard her calling. She stopped when she saw Raven lying there.

"She left. Didn't she?" Claire asked, already knowing the answer. Raven didn't respond. "You let her leave? She's your best friend."

Raven kept staring at the ceiling. "She said I didn't trust her in not telling her about us. She said I shut her out. That she was just a long-distance friend now." Raven said with a monotone lifelessness in her voice.

"Did she disapprove of us?" Claire asked, still standing in the doorway.

"She said she wishes the best for us." The monotone lifelessness was still in Raven's voice. Her eyes started to well up. "I hurt her."

Claire walked over to the bed and climbed on top of Raven, straddling her, sitting on Raven's thighs. She took Raven's hands off her stomach and held them in her own.

"Do you know where she went?" Raven shook her head acknowledging that she didn't.

"She is your best friend. You can work it out. I don't think she's going home. She came all this way to see you. Let her chill tonight, then call her tomorrow. Okay?" Claire looked into Raven's eyes for a glimmer of understanding and hope.

Raven looked at Claire. She saw someone that at that moment was taking care of her by just being there. Raven sat up and cupped Claire's face. She drew her in for a deep, thank you kiss.

"What was that for?" Claire asked.

"Just being you." Raven replied.

"C'mon. You haven't eaten. Let's warm up some pizza for you." Claire shifted and was about to climb off of Raven, when Raven grabbed her arm.

"Don't leave."

Raven cupped Claire's face again and brought her down for another, more passionate kiss. After several moments, Claire pulled back.

"I don't want to take advantage of you. You're emotional right now." Claire said. She didn't want to have sex with Raven out of pity.

"I need you. Please." Raven pulled Claire down again and continued to kiss her.

The kissing became more passionate by the minute. There was a base need, an ache inside Raven that required release. She feverishly removed Claire's t-shirt. She then sat straight up as they both reached for the bottom of Raven's t-shirt, pulling it quickly over her head, tossing it to the side. The passionate kissing continued as the two lovers hands grasped for any skin they could find.

Raven found herself on her back once again, Claire now kissing Raven's neck. Gasps, kissing sounds and heavy breathing were the only sounds piercing the air. Raven reached around and cupped Claire's backside and squeezed it, eliciting a moan from Claire in between kisses on Raven's neck. Raven's hands were now shaking from a surge of adrenaline as she grabbed, then made quick work of the button fly of Claire's jeans. Claire hopped off Raven long enough to wriggle out of her jeans, then assumed her previous position astride Raven.

Claire reached around and removed her bra, then lowered herself on to Raven and continued kissing her. Raven whimpered several times attempting to sit up again, signaling to Claire that she wanted to take her bra off as well. Claire sat up and then quickly pulled Raven up and reached around to oblige her non-verbal request. Claire pushed Raven back down with her body and positioned herself off-center on top of Raven.

Raven ran her fingers through Claire's hair, almost clutching for dear life. Claire slid down Raven's body and took one of Raven's nipples into her mouth, causing Raven to arch her back and let out a loud moan. Moments later, Claire moved to the other nipple, causing a louder moan. She continued her trip south kissing Raven's stomach. She took her fingers and slid them underneath Raven's waistband and began pulling off her panties. She then kissed Raven's stomach again with intentions of moving down further.

"CeCe…" Raven's breathing was shallow and quick. "Turn it."

Claire knew that was a Raven code word. She slid her own panties off and followed Raven's instructions. Facing away from Raven, she swung her leg over Raven's body and settled herself. Raven's request was "turn it". The rest of the world knows this as the "69" position. Claire and Raven began kissing each other with everything they had inside them. Raven was desperately seeking closeness and release, trying to forget the pain she was feeling inside. Claire was desperately trying to make Raven's pain disappear in a haze of sensual bliss.

After several minutes, Claire pulled up and wheeled around. She assumed her previous position off-center on top of Raven. The two resumed kissing hungrily. The taste of the other on their lips was fueling them to new heights of passion. Claire reached between Raven's legs and began to touch Raven. Claire's first touch was electric. Raven threw her head back and arched her lower back. Claire then slid a finger inside Raven causing her to cry out. Raven tilted her head forward and looked into Claire's crystal blue eyes and saw a fire blazing. Raven slid her hand in between their bodies and found Claire's most sensitive area. Raven began stroking with Claire in rhythm. Their eyes remained locked on each other as they continued to bring each other closer to climax. Raven placed two fingers inside Claire. The blonde beauty cried out as she momentarily dropped her head onto Raven's shoulder.

Sensing that she was nearing orgasm, Claire increased her intensity as she placed a second finger inside Raven and furiously pumped them. Raven's breathing became more rapid signaling she was closer. Raven matched Claire's increase in tempo and she felt Claire begin to tremble. Claire began to whisper, "Yes. Yes. Yes." Her volume started to increase with each subsequent "yes". "Yes! Yes! YES! YES!" Raven's body reacted and began to release in unison with Claire. At the height of their orgasms, Raven arched her back once more and close her eyes tightly. Raven opened her mouth to scream. No sound would come. Claire lifted her body slightly and dropped her head, her body tensing and then releasing.

Claire shifted herself off Raven and lay on her stomach beside Raven and looked over at her. Raven's eyes were closed and she was biting her bottom lip. She rapidly blinked her eyes open and looked at Claire who was still studying her. Raven welled up and began sobbing. Claire rolled over onto her back and took Raven's head and settled it on her shoulder. She held Raven as she cried.

"I'm sorry." Raven choked out in between sobs. "I needed..."

"Shhh." Claire stroked Raven's hair. Tears began to roll down Claire's cheeks. "S'okay. Just let it out."

Claire continued to hold Raven as she cried herself to sleep. It was Claire's turn to stare at the ceiling, tears streaming down her face. Raven was broken. She knew it was because Raven loved her best friend and didn't want to lose her. But as she stared at the ceiling disheartening thought popped into her head. Raven loves Chelsea. But could she be IN love with her?

Chelsea waited nervously in the lobby of her hotel waiting for Teri to arrive. You have got to be crazy. Opening up to a virtual stranger. What do you really know about Teri? Somebody you met on the plane less than 10 hours ago. Now you're gonna spill your guts to her? What can she do for you except give you another lame-ass pep talk? Chelsea got up from her seat to head back upstairs. She was going to call Teri and tell her thanks but no thanks on the talk. She took four steps toward the elevator.

"Chelsea!"

Shit, Chels! Now you're stuck. Chelsea said to herself.

Teri walked over to her. "Am I late?" Teri said looking at her watch.

"No. I just don't feel like talking now." Chelsea dropped her head.

Teri took a step toward Chelsea and was now dangerously close to invading her personal space. "So... we won't talk." She took a long hard look at Chelsea's face. Chelsea felt a lump begin to form in her throat. Teri took Chelsea by the hand. What the hell is going on here? Chelsea thought. "Come on. I'm starving! There's a great burger joint around the corner. We don't have to talk, just eat."

"I'm a vegetarian. Besides, I'm not hungry." Chelsea as she politely removed her hand from Teri's.

Teri, however was determined. "You will be! They've got the best veggie burgers in this city. Come on!" Teri took Chelsea by the hand again and began practically dragging her across the lobby toward the door.

"Are you always this persistent?" Chelsea asked as she was practically skipping to keep up with Teri.

"Yeah. My friends call me 'The Sunshine Nazi'. Now pick up the pace!" Teri looked back and smiled. "I don't want to have to carry you!"

Chelsea caught up as they walked out into the surprisingly mild November night. She looked at her newly-minted friend. I can't believe I met somebody more upbeat than me! I didn't know that was possible! I hope she doesn't get on my nerves. I've been on the recieving end of "Shut up, Chels!" more than once... The "Shut Up, Chels" remark reminded her that most of the time it was Raven who would say that to her. She felt a mild turn of her stomach that usually preceeds tears. She took a deep breath and thought to herself, This is going to be a long night.


A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. - Confucius. Walk with me. PLEASE REVIEW