Description: Rachel is a new meta with an interesting ability. She's dating dr. Harrison Wells and befriending the team, not long after starting to have visions about a certain speedster.

Song for this story: (listen here:) Andrew's Song, IMAscore

Meet Rachel

It was all still so new to Barry. To discover that he had not only spent the entirety of nine months in a coma, but also come out of it as a meta, a speedster… was mind-blowing.

Ever since he'd woken up, everything had changed, starting from the things that were the closest to home like his adoptive father, Joe, losing his partner; like Iris, his daughter and Barry's adoptive sister, actually dating his new one in secret. Then S.T.A.R. Labs closed down and was now in ruins after the particle accelerator explosion that had also caused Barry's idol, dr. Harrison Wells AKA the newest pariah of the city; to land up in a wheelchair. He and the small team of scientists who remained by his side – Caitlin and Cisco – had actually saved Barry and it was thanks to their research and providing him a bed directly at the Labs, that he knew what was happening to him. Caitlin had also tragically lost her fiancé who was the main engineer on the project.

They all seemed to be thrown into this together, somehow ending up needing one another in order to begin to heal and – in Barry's case – to understand his speeding powers and what he could actually do with them. All the metas they'd encountered so far turned out to be evil and using their powers in the worst ways possible. However, Barry was determined to do the opposite, in the miracle of his speed only seeing a chance to help as many people as he could. It was truly all he'd ever wanted to do and that was also why he'd become a CSI in the first place.

Today Caitlin and Cisco were giving him a definitive tour of the facility, showing him where everything was while taking advantage of the probably small window of no crisis in the city and no new meta on the loose.

They were right in the middle of it when they heard a distant elevator tone indicating it just stopped on the current floor, the door sliding open.

"Oh, hey, that's dr. Wells and his girlfriend!" Cisco happily provided the information. "She's young. And hot," he then added when sending Barry's way a suggestive smile. "Let's go! We can introduce you!"

"I… I got a few tests to run," Caitlin said and turned around in haste, putting more and more distance between dr. Wells, the mysterious woman in question and herself.

"Anddd… there we go again! For some reason Caitlin always avoids her," Cisco pointed out, looking after his friend suspiciously. "Wait a moment…" he then gasped on the sudden realization. "Caitlin, have you ever even met Rachel?"

"What? Me? Of course I have!" Cait threw their way a little too fast and just continued walking.

"Nah! Nah ah! Stoooop! Stop it right there!" Cisco warned her.

She listened, albeit reluctantly and sighed heavily before slowly turning around to face her friends again.

"Maybe, but you keep avoiding her. I dunno why. She's always so nice! Her hair is also so cool," Cisco added after a moment of thought. "I wonder if it's real…"

"It's not," Caitlin answered automatically and covered her mouth with her hand immediately after, her face turning all red. After that, to both of the men's astonishments, she ran away.

"The heck was that?" Cisco asked in confusion and they followed her into her lab where he encouraged, "Spill the beans, girl! I smell a history somewhere in there and I'm dying to find out what it is… Oh, come on!" he added when Caitlin shot him a look. "It can't be that bad! What has she ever done to you that you hate her so much?"

"I never said I hated her."

"Then what is it? Why else would you always run away from her?"

"Fine! I met her in college and we were practically becoming best friends when… well… We had something, ok?! Happy?!" Caitlin burst and then folded her arms across her chest in a protective gesture, looking everywhere but at them.

There was sudden silence as equally stunned Barry and Cisco were processing those words and what it all meant.

"She actually met dr. Wells through me… after he recruited me. The rest is history. Oh, and by the way, her natural hair color is brown. She started dyeing it dark red after college. And yes, it's her color. Anything else that you would like to know?"

"Wow," was all Cisco was capable of uttering, looking at his best friend as though he saw her for the first time. "Really? You, guys…? Was there bad blood between you two? Were you heartbroken and that's why you don't want to see her now?"

"No! I mean… I was more embarrassed than heartbroken, ok?"

"So that's why you're avoiding her now? Well… for all it's worth, I don't think she's the kind of a person that wouldn't like to see you again."

"You're probably right, but… it's just awkward. And now she's in a relationship with dr. Wells, with the man I work for."

"But isn't postponing this, what seems to be an inevitable meeting, just making things that much worse?" Barry hinted.

"Yeah… Well… I guess so," Caitlin quietly agreed, biting on her lower lip and just staring at the floor now.

"Hey, girl, we're not judging. They won't either," Cisco backed Barry up. "But wait… then you met Ronnie and you wanted to marry him."

"Yes and I loved him with all of my heart. Your point being?"

"So, you… swing both ways?"

At this point, it all became way too awkward for Barry and he scratched his head, wondering whether he could just leave unnoticed. Probably not since they were on this tour for him…

"It was just one woman, ok? So I don't really know… Do we really need to continue this conversation?" Caitlin then asked in what seemed to be both exasperation and embarrassment.

"No, but this whole situation is becoming ridiculous. You need to face her and get this over with! And Barry needs to be introduced to her anyway, right Barry?" Cisco suddenly turned to his friend.

"Um…"

"Perfect! Let's go!"

Eventually, Caitlin did let herself be convinced because her best friend was actually right. It was ridiculous to hide every time Rachel was around. They were adults for god's sake!

Cisco led both Barry and Caitlin to the cortex where they found dr. Wells in the company of a very attractive red head. She wasn't very tall, her body slim and nicely shaped; hair – as Cisco had already pointed out – a dark auburn red falling in a delicate wavy cascade down her back. When she looked up at the newcomers, Barry also noticed that her eyes had a very interesting and peculiar color of radiant green.

"Hi, Rachel!" Cisco spoke first. "This is Barry Allen. I thought I'd introduce you, guys since he's gonna be hanging around here a lot from now on. He's the…" he almost slipped and revealed Barry's secret. Luckily, he stopped himself just in time and corrected quickly, "the man who got struck by lightning!"

"You are the one who was in a coma for nine months!" Rachel immediately picked up on that when turning to him. "I'm so sorry about that, Barry. I heard all about it from Harrison. I'm glad you've finally woken up. My name is Rachel." She reached her hand to him in greeting.

The moment he shook it, something weird happened. She got struck with a very strong headache and in the same time saw a flash of something strange in her mind, but it faded away way too fast for her to actually be able to identify it.

"Are you ok?" Caitlin and Barry both asked, seeing the woman letting go of Barry's hand immediately and pressing her own to her forehead.

"Yeah… yeah… was just hit with a very weird headache."

Dr. Wells was only watching her in silence.

"I've actually been getting them a lot recently," Rachel admitted after a moment.

"It's probably nothing, but I can check you up if…" Caitlin started and then stopped, wearing a mortified expression. "It's just because… I'm a doctor… and my first impulse is always to help," she added quickly, feeling awkward all over again.

"That's ok. Thanks for the offer, but I'm fine for now." Rachel waved it off, absolutely not phased. "How have you been, by the way? I never see you around when I come over and I've been meaning to check up on you. I hope you're feeling better, considering…" her voice trailed off as though she didn't want to say it aloud. Caitlin losing her fiancé in such tragic circumstances was hard enough without any reminders.

"I've… been better, yes, thank you," Caitlin responded and that seemed to be it. Also, Cisco seemed to be very proud of himself.

"Anyways, I have to go, but it was nice seeing you, guys and meeting you, Barry," Rachel said her goodbyes.

It did not miss Barry's attention that she didn't kiss dr. Wells, but the man didn't seem like the type for public displays of affection.

Flashbacks

Rachel hated this week, hated the day before, hated the current day, hated everything and even more - she hated men.

It'd taken her some time to finally show up at Caitlin's door, granted they hadn't known each other for that long, but somehow hit it off pretty well as best friends material in college. Both couldn't exactly fit in, Rachel with her head constantly in the clouds, studying English Literature and dreaming of becoming a published writer, always scribbling in her notebooks and Caitlin with her nose buried deep in science books, determined to study hard to become a biochemistry doctor. Yes, they were an unlikely pair, but their loneliness and alienation brought them together.

Right now Rachel was almost crying again, not sure how to even deal with the horrible experience she'd made this passing week and not knowing how to go on. Eventually, she showed up at Cait's door because there was truly no one else she could talk to.

"I had sex," she finally confessed as Caitlin situated herself on the other end of the sofa, having just brought wine. "And it was awful."

For a moment, there was silence as Cait was processing this information and trying to feel the situation out. Eventually, she asked, "Did you want to have it? Or did he take advantage of you?"

"I wanted it… but… it ended up being horrible and I just… I don't know. I feel horrible." At the very thought of her date she felt nauseated. The guy was handsome and hot and she wanted to finally fit in, to have a boyfriend, to have all the experiences she needed and wanted to have. Only the moment it started…

"Rachel, you can tell me," Caitlin encouraged, handing her over a glass full of wine.

Her friend accepted it and then began, "It didn't feel right. The kissing felt… I don't even know. Off. Unpleasant. My body kind of felt like it wanted it and I finally wanted to do it, but…" she came to a stop, biting her lip. "The worst happened when we got both naked. He was just suddenly spreading my legs and not being able to stop for a second or be gentle and… it ended up being horrible… it hurt… and it felt like a panting disgusting man was on top of me, just pumping…" Tears flew from Rachel's face, but she felt like she needed to get it all out, she couldn't hold it in any longer. "I felt like a whore."

"I'm sorry you had to live through that," Caitlin said after a while. "And if it makes you feel any better, my first time was horrible as well. It was my senior year in high school and I wanted to know how it was… well… it was an awkward fuck in a car and then I tried it again my first week of college, but… it was a mistake as well. Maybe people like us are not made for casual sex. Maybe we need love."

"Women usually do, don't they?"

"Not entirely, not all of us, but I guess." Caitlin shrugged hopelessly.

Rachel's glass was empty by now.

"I just wanted to know what the fuss was all about. My body feels like it needs it. Sometimes it wants it bad… but the actual thing…"

Caitlin nodded as though in perfect understanding.

They drunk some more wine and after a while, Rachel felt a bit better. She really needed to get it all out and now it was like a weight had just been lifted from her shoulders.

"And my body still needs it, which is the worst," she confessed and Cait nodded again and then Rachel caught her staring. "What is it?"

"I mean…" Caitlin started and then bit her lip as though not sure whether she should say it and suddenly, Rachel understood.

"You mean you'd like to try…"

"Yes. It's like you said, the body needs it, but all those college guys… they don't qualify. We might wait for actual love, but we might as well try and entertain ourselves while we do. What do you say?"

Suddenly, Rachel got very nervous, but also very excited. Her body felt excited.

"I… I'd be willing to try as long as it doesn't interfere with our friendship," she eventually said.

Caitlin didn't need further invitation, moving closer, yet hesitating when her face hovered briefly right next to Rachel's. The other woman could feel her breath on her cheek and then Cait kissed her in the lightest of kisses.

"How did it feel?" she asked nearly in a whisper, her heart pounding as she moved only inches away.

"It felt… good. Very good." This time Rachel was the one who closed the distance between them and the kiss deepened, their tongues eventually meeting.

She almost jerked upright when Caitlin's hand found its way up and to her breasts and rested there before fondling it gently through the thin fabric of her shirt, immediately feeling the nipple poking.

"Would you like to continue?" Caitlin asked.

"Yes, please," Rachel agreed, actually very turned on.

Caitlin reached to Rachel's shirt and pulled it off over her head, then undid the bra, freeing her breasts. Her hands soon flung up to touch them, the fingertips grazing over the nipples and Rachel gasped, pleasure reflected on her face and that only turned Caitlin on more.

"Damn," she said. "Fuck." And then her lips were closing over the nipple and her tongue flicking before she sucked on it, being rewarded with a moan coming from Rachel.

"Get off your pants," Caitlin soon instructed when moving back a bit and while Rachel complied, getting rid of her underwear as well, Caitlin abandoned her own shirt and stood in front of her friend bare-chested, her small breasts poking.

Rachel reached out and touched them, a weird sensation to be doing this with a woman, yet so tantalizing she didn't want to stop.

Yet, Caitlin pushed her to the couch and soon was hovering over her, her breasts at the level of Rachel's as she reached to her core and slid her finger along Rachel's clit, earning herself yet another deep and delicious moan. She stroked and stroked and then dipped the finger in, thinking she might want to try it with her mouth as well, but Rachel was too far gone, her mouth opening widely in deepest of pleasures as she came around her fingers.

"Fuck…"