*A/N: As I'm sure you can infer based on the title for this one, this chapter has spicy content. Read at your own free will*

IX - False God (Red's POV)

Every time it seems like I get used to this timeline, something changes. My mother and I always have dinner with Cinderella and King Charming on the first Monday of every month, so tonight instead of staying in with Chloe, I'll be facing her parents with her mark on my neck—her mark that had actually gotten bigger. I haven't even thought of how I'll explain it to my mother. She'll never believe what I tell her. But at least she'll think it was from a boy and Chloe's parents won't hate me…yet.

The fear of what will happen when her parents find out engulfs me. Even though they only know my mother as kind and loving, the anxiety of being hated still claimed my thoughts. We weren't even together yet, there was nothing for me to be worried about, yet it still felt like everyone knew.

Chloe and I go about our morning routine exactly like we do every other day we have school. I appreciate the consistency, it makes me feel like I have some sort of control over my life. We don't have our first class period together, so Chloe drops me off before leaving to go to her own class.

"Bye, love," Chloe said, giving me a quick peck on the cheek. "I'll see you later." One of my classmates caught her kissing me, even though it was an action that lasted less than a second. I get myself situated for the teacher to start lecturing when my deskmate starts talking to me. I'm so consumed with my own thoughts I almost don't realize I'm in a conversation.

"What's going on with you two? You and Chloe I mean," she asks. Zoey is the daughter of Rapunzel, and she's nice enough, but I don't talk to her much outside of classes. Clearly, she's been paying attention to her surroundings at least, though I didn't give my peers much credit for having exceptional spatial awareness.

"What do you mean?" I ask, not wanting to out Chloe without her permission. I also didn't know if I was allowed to talk about what we were, if we were anything. I mean, we were something, I just didn't know what yet.

"She kisses you all the time, holds your hand. You do that with all your friends?" Zoey asked. Her tone wasn't judging or even like she was looking for the latest gossip. She seemed genuine in her concern.

I shrug, not knowing how to answer her question. "I…I don't know what we are." I said. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't really the full truth, either. I knew where we were heading, what we wanted to be. But how we were getting there? I didn't know what to call it.

"I think you do know, Red." Zoey said. "You're different when you're with her, happier." I started mindlessly doodling in my notebook while she talked, and when anyone brings up Chloe I smile, even just the mention of her makes me happy.

"Yeah, she makes me happy, really happy," I said, not even thinking about trying to hide anything anymore.

"Are you gonna date her?" Zoey asks. I'm confused though, we're going on dates right now but we aren't official yet. We aren't exclusive, all the words that people typically use to describe couples. She wasn't my girlfriend, and I wasn't hers.

"Well, I guess we are," I said. "I mean, we go on dates but we aren't like, girlfriends, or anything."

"I think you will be soon. I have a class with Chloe later in the day and when anyone talks about you she glows, like literally, it's painfully obvious that she likes you."

The teacher begins her lecture but I can't focus on her voice. All I can think about is dinner tonight with mine and Chloe's families. I don't want to think about what would happen if our parents knew about us. They can't know, not yet anyway. I pull out my phone and discreetly send Chloe a text.

I'm nervous about tonight, I send her. She replies almost instantly.

What? Why? What's wrong?

What if our parents find out?

They won't be mad

I don't tell her that that's not what I'm worried about. I know they won't be mad, I'm just not ready for that yet. I'm not ready for us to be public, for everyone to know about us. Part of me likes keeping this secret, it makes it feel more intimate and personal. Somehow it feels like I can be more real with her that way. Chloe knew more about me than anyone else ever could. She saw the scars, the tears, the hurt, and yet she still stayed. In the beginning part of me wondered if maybe she just wanted me because she thought I was broken and she could fix me, but now I realize we're past that point. If that were the case she would've seen that she can't fix me and would've given up by now.

I don't think she wants to fix me, I think she wants to show me the things I should've had in the first place. I think she wants to replace the bad memories with good ones. The fact that she was always so sweet, so understanding, when I was upset. My emotions were never a problem for her like they were for my mother. It turned out to be quite the opposite, I was raised to hide any negative emotion, anything but anger and rage. But Chloe? She wanted all my emotions. She wanted my joy and my sadness all at the same time. She wanted every piece of me, exactly as I was, to be hers. The marks on my neck proved it.

Oh my God, the marks on my neck. I had completely forgotten about them. Zoey could see them since she sat on my left side. Oh my God, she must think I'm such a slut. It's not that I didn't like her marking me up, because I did. I liked the feeling of belonging to somebody, of being theirs and theirs only. It would be different if we were publicly out, but since we aren't it's open to interpretation to who gave me those marks.

When the bell rings for second period I dart out of the classroom, finding my locker and digging through it for my Algebra textbook. I look in the small mirror in my locker, and sure enough the marks are still there, red and blue blooms where her teeth sank into my neck, where she kissed me. As I stare at it, wondering how I could hide it for the rest of the day I feel a large body shove me into my open locker.

"Nice hickey, bitch," Henry laughs, towering over me. "Your dyke girlfriend give it to you? Guess now I know why the slut didn't wanna fuck me! She was fucking you instead!"

My face betrays me, a horrified expression plastered on it. I didn't know what to do or say. I was frozen. Suddenly I was a little girl again, my mother screaming at me for being too loud while playing in my room. I feel tears start to sting in my eyes, but I try and hold them in as long as possible.

Before I realized what was happening, a mess of blue curls appeared in my periphery, storming toward us. The girl takes Henry by the shirt collar, slamming him into the lockers on the other side of the hallway. She raises her fist and it collides with his jawbone. Blood begins to pool in Henry's mouth and he spits a tooth out onto the floor.

"Bitch, you knocked my tooth out!" he screams, cupping his jaw.

"Keep talking and I'll knock out more," the girl says, throwing him onto the floor with his tooth. He grunts when his heavy body collides with the tiles beneath us. "Leave my girl alone, or next time I'll do more than just bust up your pretty face." A crowd has gathered around us, some of Henry's friends are helping him up, others are laughing at him.

"You just got your ass beat by a girl!" one of the guys laughs out.

She turns to face me, and my fears are solidified. Chloe just beat Henry's ass. For me. No, because of me. I'm engulfed in a swirl of emotions. She just hurt someone because they were mean to me. She could get in trouble, a lot of trouble, actually. And then what consumes me even more, the fact that she called me her girl. She already thought of me as hers. She had already claimed me as hers in her mind, and that realization gave me butterflies in my stomach.

Chloe takes her left hand and cups my cheek in it, "Are you okay, love?" she asked.

I don't have the ability to talk yet, still stunned from the events that unfolded in front of me less than a minute ago. Instead I just nod my head yes.

"Well, that was quite the performance," a loud, powerful voice says as she walks down the hall. I recognize the voice instantly. It belonged to none other than our principal, Uma. "You know, it reminds me of something I would've done at your age." When she approaches the horde of students, she claps her hands together before she starts ordering us around like cattle.

"Get to class, all of you. Henry, go to the nurse's office immediately, you got blood all over my floor. You two," she motions at me and Chloe, "My office, now." She marches forward and we both follow behind her.

When we get to her office she closes the door, and she instructs us to sit down, but she doesn't. Instead she remains standing, walking slowly around the room, almost like we're boring her.

"So," she starts, "I've heard quite the chatter about you girls. Red, Rapunzel has told me that she's noticed a change in your work in her art class. And Chloe, Coach Jenkins has also noticed you acting differently. Would you care to tell me your side of the story? From the beginning please." I wonder which beginning she wants, the beginning of me and Chloe, or the beginning where my mother arranged a coup at open house this year.

Chloe clears her throat, taking the lead instead of me. "I'm sorry. I wasn't expecting to react like that. It won't happen again."

"That's not what I asked, Chloe. What is going on between you two?" Uma said.

"We're dating," I blurt out. Chloe glances over at me, her eyes wild like I'd betrayed her. Uma says nothing, only nodding her head, waiting for me to continue. I decide that now is the time I need to be vulnerable, I need to say things that I would normally never give power to.

"Chloe is the only person I've ever felt safe with," I start. "I can allow myself to let my guard down around her. I trust her more than I trust anyone else. We went to Castlecoming together," I pause, deciding if I really want to say this to the principal. "We kissed, and ever since then we've been trying to go on dates and make things work out between us. Maybe that helps explain why Chloe did what she did today." Chloe looks over at me, and there is nothing but love and adoration in her eyes. I feel a little bit better knowing that she isn't upset with me for saying any of this.

Uma says nothing, but glances over at Chloe, waiting for her to tell her side.

"It's true. I liked her first, and I made a move on her. It worked and we decided to try dating—we aren't official yet. I went out on a date with Henry before all this happened with Red and it didn't go over well. Now he has it out for the both of us. Today, when I saw him targeting her, I just saw red, I wanted him to get away from her. I care about her very much, and I wanted to protect her from him."

Uma sits down at her desk now, pondering what Chloe said. "I understand how you feel. I was very protective of my crewmates when I was your age." She lets out a sigh before continuing, "Now, just know that I don't disagree with what you did today, Chloe, but I have to punish you. Given your clean record, I think a week of detention starting tomorrow will suffice, considering the usual punishment for this behaviour would be a two week suspension."

"Yes, ma'am," Chloe said, accepting her punishment. Uma turns to me now, and I can't hold her gaze.

"Red, I understand you had a rough childhood?" Uma asked. I try to figure out what she means, because I don't know if she knows that Chloe and I went back in time.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"I know the Queen of Hearts that you grew up with is different from the one you have now. I know that used to be a tyrant, before you girls time traveled and changed the outcome. I also know that you two have only known each other for six months, that you haven't grown up together like everyone else believes. And because I know that, I understand why you trust her so much, why you feel safe with her. I hope you don't take offense to this, but I think you need a professional to help you. We have a school therapist, and I'm not making you go, but I am offering it to you. You don't have to decide anything right now, but when you've come up with a decision, let me know. You girls are dismissed to go back to your classes."

The rest of the day went by as uneventful as it could. People would glance at me and Chloe before quickly averting their eyes. They were scared of her and what could happen if they upset me. I was in my dorm, waiting for Chloe to get back after Swords and Shields practice so we could leave together for Wonderland later tonight. I sat at the desk in our room, mindlessly doodling when Chloe walked through the door. She set her stuff down and walked over to where I sat, hugging me from behind, kissing my cheek. I lean into her, allowing myself to enjoy this, to enjoy her.

"How was practice?" I asked.

"Good," she answered. "I won all my matches today, even the one against Henry," I pull away enough to look at her face and I see her smugly smiling. I can't help but notice the bruises on her right hand from where she clocked Henry's jaw earlier. I roll my eyes and kiss her. She takes the chair I'm sitting in and turns it away from the window above the desk before she sits on my lap. She deepens the kiss, sliding her hands under my shirt. Her lips leave mine and her eyes are heavy with desire, scanning my face for permission. I nod, letting her take off my shirt. She unclasped my bra, tossing it to the side.

Her bruised hand trails softly up my side, cupping my breast. This is the first time she's felt my body naked, no shirt or bra as a barrier. She's gentle, almost like she's worried she'll break me. Her eyes flick back up to me, scanning again to see if there's any trepidation in my facial expression. When she sees there isn't any she takes her other hand and places it on my throat, tilting my head back, giving her easy access to place kisses all over my neck and throat.

The irony isn't lost on me that when she kisses my neck I feel good. I no longer am afraid of people losing their heads around my mother anymore, and now instead of fear and pain around my neck there's pleasure. Her kisses move down to my chest, the tops of my breasts. She holds them in her hands, and I can't deny how good it feels.

"Is this okay?" she asks before going any further.

I swallow and nod, "Yes, it's all okay." I pause, thinking about what I'm about to say, "I'm ready for this."

"You're sure?" she asked. I should've known she would want me to really be ready, not just a yes that was from the heat of the moment.

"Yeah, I'm sure." I said.

"Okay," she said, standing up and closing the blinds on the window, locking the door to our room. Chloe moves to go sit on her bed, and she motions to her lap, "Come here."

I obey her command, sitting on her lap. Her hands fall onto my hips, pulling me in closer to her. She plants a tender kiss on my lips.

"If you start to feel uncomfortable, tell me and I'll stop."

"I know," I smile, kissing her again. "I want this." Her lips are on mine, and her hands roam my body, first massaging my ass through my black jeans, then she rubs my sides, and lastly she cups my breasts in her hands again. This time we don't stop, I've let go of all my inhibitions. I want this, I truly do. Chloe has proven that she wants me, all of me, and I want to be hers, I want to give myself to her wholly.

My body craves her touch, even with her hands all over me. She takes one of my breasts in her mouth, licking and sucking my nipple and my need for her grows tenfold. I close my eyes, my head lolling back as a moan releases itself from my throat. Her mouth moves to the other breast as she gives it the same attention.

The spot between my legs is wet, aching, throbbing. She's the only one I've ever felt this sensation with. Chloe slides her hand painfully slow down from my breasts to the waistband of my jeans, sliding the tips of her fingers underneath the fabric.

"Do you want this?" she asked. She wasn't asking if this was okay, she'd already done that and gotten my permission. She was asking so she could hear for herself that I wanted her, what it was that I wanted her to do to me.

"Yes," I breathe out. "Please," I beg, needing to feel her between my legs.

Chloe leans in closer to me before whispering, "Good girl, tell me how much you want me."

I can hardly think with the haze of lust clouding my brain. "Need," I pant out, "I need you."

"Good," she said, unbuttoning my pants, sliding her hand between my legs. The pleasure is so much all at once that I nearly jump away from her. Her fingers find the center of my pleasure and she slides her fingers up and down my clit. The simple motion leaves me panting and I rest my head on her shoulder, whimpering from how good it feels.

"Ah ah, look at me, or I stop," she said, placing her other hand under my chin and lifting my face up to where she can see it.

"Don't stop," I breathe out, and a smile crawls on her face.
"I'm only just starting," she teases. My stomach does somersaults when she says it, because I know how much she's wanted this, how long she's wanted this. It's not that she just wants to fuck me, she wants to be the one to show me how good love feels, in all ways one could feel love.

Chloe moves her fingers from my clit and teases them around my entrance. She slowly but steadily pushes two fingers inside me, and when they can't go any deeper she starts to curl them inside me, and moves her fingers in and out with it while her thumb remains on my clit, rubbing circles around it.

The moans don't stop coming from my throat as her fingers move inside me, curling and moving up and down. It was the best feeling I'd ever had. It was like pure ecstasy. I close my eyes, and I can't keep my head up. She's slid in a third finger, and I don't even realize that I'm riding her fingers, trying to feel more pleasure. I feel my body clench around her, and the feeling intensifies.

"Not yet," she said. "I'm not done with you yet." Chloe moves me off her lap and underneath her in one swift movement. The lack of sensation from where her fingers used to be is like a cold shower. It takes me a second to realize what she's doing—she's sliding my pants from my body.

"Chloe, what are you doing?" I asked.

She cups her hand between my legs, whispering in my ear, "Open your legs for me, baby." My arousal flares again and I do as she says. I watch as she settles between my legs, and plants a kiss on my clit before licking and sucking it the same way she did my nipples. Tiny sparks of electricity shoot through my abdomen with pleasure. Her fingers are inside me again, working as they did before. My moans are getting louder now as the pleasure intensifies.

"Fuck, Chloe," I moan, my eyes closed and head thrown back. I can hardly take the sensations anymore. My hands are buried in her blue curls, keeping her mouth pinned to my clit as her fingers pumped inside me. I clench around her fingers again and this time she doesn't stop.

"Fuck!" I moan, my pussy spasms and my release washes over me in waves. Even as I tighten around her fingers, she never stops. It's only when I sink into the bed, relief crashing over me, letting go of her hair, that she withdraws her mouth and fingers from my body.

My head is spinning, and I'm in a blind haze of post-orgasm fog. I can't catch my breath, and I'm breathing heavily, my heart still pounding in my chest. Chloe comes up to my face, kissing me, I can taste myself on her lips. "That's my girl," she praises when she pulls away, and I take her face in my hands. "How was your first time?" she asked.

"Oh my God," I breathe out. "That was…" I struggle to come up with a word for it. Chloe giggles, moving so she can whisper in my ear, "I fucked you so good you can't think straight?"

I feel my face flush. "Maybe," I said.

"What the fuck?" A third voice booms. I was so caught up that I hadn't even heard the key in the lock, and by the look on Chloe's face, neither did she. Chloe's brother Chad was standing in our doorway, mouth agape at what he saw: his little sister between her naked best-friend-almost-girlfriend's legs. My face burned bright red. Lucky for us, he quickly closed the door to our dorm, so no one else could see. I was waiting for him to be angry, but instead he just laughed.

"You are so lucky I came to pick you guys up instead of Mom and Dad," Chad laughed. I'd forgotten that Chloe gave her parents a key to our dorm, and they must've given it to Chad so he could take us to Wonderland tonight.

"Hurry up and get ready, we have to leave in five if we don't want to be late, and if we're late there will be lots of questions," Chad said.

I try to get up but Chloe pushes me back down. "Turn around," she orders her brother. "The only one who gets to see her naked is me." I flush again and playfully smack her as Chad turns around, putting himself in a corner.

"Let me know when you guys are ready," he said, muffled by the wall.

Five minutes later we had both regained our composure and we were ready to leave. No one said a word the entire walk to Chad's car, or while he drove to Wonderland.