by Doc
The rainy sky made the early evening appear dull and cold. Taylor awoke with a start, her neck stiff from the way she had fallen asleep. She heard Kerry moan. Taylor guessed that's what woke her up. Kerry continued to make nightmarish noises. Suddenly she sat straight up and was sobbing uncontrollably. Taylor climbed up on to the couch, sore neck now forgotten, she held Kerry, her friend resisted, she was lost scared and tried to get away. Taylor wasn't sure if Kerry was fully awake or not but was determined not to let go. She was screaming now, yelling names, begging someone to stop, please stop. Taylor assumed Kerry was confused and was meaning her but that quickly changed when Kerry begged not to be touched 'there'. Taylor froze. She didn't know if she should let go but feared what Kerry might do. She fought hard to get away from Taylor but Taylor just pulled Kerry closer, held her and reassured her that she was safe.
Lightly she stroked Kerry's hair and softly as she had ever heard her own voice said, "Kerry, it's alright babe. I'm here for you. You're safe. It's me Taylor that's with you. You're safe," with more emphasis and emotion Taylor finished her sentence, "I promise I won't let anyone harm you." Taylor continually spoke, more or less saying the same reassuring words to Kerry. After several long minutes passed Kerry began to calm down, she stopped fighting but the sobs continued. Every now and then she would ask not to be harmed, sometimes pleading and begging. Taylor's heart broke with every cry, tear and sob that came from her friend and prayed this was just a bad dream, the worst kind of nightmare but suspected it was more, much more than a bad dream.
Finally the sobs subsided. Every now and again Kerry's breathing would catch and Taylor thought she was going to start crying again. Taylor didn't stop her gentle stroking of Kerry's hair and kept reassuring Kerry she was safe. After a half hour or so had passed Kerry turned fully and allowed Taylor to hold her close without any resistance now. Taylor lay back onto the couch with Kerry laying half on her side on the couch half lying on Taylor. Kerry's breathing became more regular, her breath would still catch every now and again, the way it does after you've been crying hard. Kerry became heavy in Taylors arms, she assumed her friend had fallen back asleep. Kerry moved slightly, she stiffened in Taylor's arms and whimpered. Taylor began to reassure Kerry again, after a short time Kerry took in a deep breath then almost in a contented whisper said "Taylor". Taylor held Kerry closer, praying to every God that has ever been worshiped that it was just a bad dream and Kerry's demons were nothing more than her imagination.
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Taylor like before drifted of to sleep. This time it was the rain hitting the window that woke her. For a second she didn't know where she was, apart from the one small lamp the room was almost in darkness, then she remembered. 'Fuck' was all she could think. The dream was just another thing to add to the list of what was up with her Kerry.
Slowly, Taylor removed herself from the couch. Kerry was still sound asleep, no sign of a bad dream or a hidden demon lurking in Kerry's mind. Taylor headed to the kitchen praising the person who invented electrical appliances with automatic switch off. If her coffee machine didn't have such a device Taylor was sure her apartment, and possibly the whole building would have burned down by now.
Taylor prepared a light meal for herself and Kerry. She decided to wake her friend up. It was getting late and Kerry had already spent most of the day and early evening sleeping. Taylor didn't think it would do Kerry any good sleeping for such a longtime.
Taylor took the two plates of food out to the sitting room, placing them on the table. She switched her two larger lamps on to brighten up the room. Taylor headed back to the kitchen for Kerry's coffee and a beer for herself. She placed them on the table next to the plates. Taking a deep breath she turned and faced the sleeping Kerry on the couch.
Taylor knelt down in front of the couch. Gently she says, "Kerry. Kerry, it's time to wake up." There was no response from Kerry. Taylor placed a hand on Kerry's shoulder and gently shook her. Kerry began to stir. As Kerry opened her eyes she looked around as if trying to figure out where she was. Slowly she looked at Taylor who had a smile on her face. "Hey, Ker. I made a bite to eat for us. I even made coffee."
Kerry was still half asleep trying to wake up, trying to go back to sleep. She finally woke up enough to take in the fact that Taylor made coffee.
"You made coffee?" Kerry was somewhat surprised.
"Yeah, I bought one of those machines that you have to by beans for and filter thingies and everything." Taylor moved to sit on the floor, her back leaning against the couch.
Kerry sat up. "You hate coffee, why would you want a coffee machine?" She still wasn't fully awake, she thought maybe that's why she found the current conversation funny.
In one breath Taylor replied, "I knew you were visiting and you prefer the complicated coffee instead of the easy out of a jar beans already ground up into tiny graduals just add water and hey presto there's the coffee that doesn't require you to buy filters and then get a headache trying to figure out where the hell everything goes and then get bored waiting for the stupid contraption to give you coffee," on the verge of passing out due to lack of oxygen Taylor finished, "coffee sucks!"
Kerry lightly slapped Taylor, "It does not. You didn't have to buy a machine just because I was coming, they're so expensive and you..."
Cutting in Taylor added "Anything to stop your bitchin' about my coffee." She laughed. Kerry grabbed a cushion from the couch and hit Taylor over the back of the head just as she was taking a drink of her beer. As a result Taylor's teeth hit the bottle and the beer that had been drunk ended up being spat out. This caused Kerry to fall into hysterics.
Taylor stood, wiping the beer from her chin, ego bruised she had to get revenge. Kerry saw the look in Taylor's eye's and knew what was coming. Kerry screamed no, half laughing half dreading what was coming. Kerry tried to make her escape but it was futile, in the blink of an eye Taylor was on the couch tickling Kerry mercilessly. When Kerry finally gave in Taylor let up. Both of them had tears streaming down there faces from laughing so much.
Breathlessly Kerry spoke first, "That wasn't fair, hitting you with a cushion wasn't as bad as all the tickling, that was brutal." She wiped away tears that were still flowing.
"That is so not true. My teeth hit the bottle. It hurt." This only caused Kerry to start laughing again. "Oh, that's it Weaver, you're goin' down." And with that Taylor dived on Kerry again. This time Kerry fought back hitting Taylor with a cushion.
After a short time of play fighting, tickling they both decided on a truce. Taylor scooted to the other end of the couch and lent back. Both woman were laughing, Taylor threw her head back, still a little out of breath. Kerry saw her opportunity and pounced. Taylor was taken completely by surprised and Kerry wasn't taking any prisoners when she attacked. Taylor laughed hysterically as Kerry tickled her. It was pure pleasure and pure torture all at the same time.
Letting out a scream Taylor begged for mercy. "YOU WIN, KERRY, YOU WIN." She repeated this several times when she could catch her breath long enough to say it.
Kerry sat straddling Taylor's stomach, she had Taylor's wrists pinned above her head. As out of breath as Taylor Kerry began, "I win." Taylor could only nod. She was on the verge of laughing again. "You give in." Again all Taylor managed was a nod. She thought if she started to laugh it would only start Kerry of again. In her supreme, chief of the ER voice, full of arrogance and bordering on a sneer Kerry continued, "I win. You lose. I am the superior. You are weak. I am the stronger. You are nothing. I am all powerful," all of that said and without of trace of embarrassment. Kerry's face was solemn as she said her piece, Taylor just lay there, trying hard to keep herself together and she managed right up until Kerry added, " I am woman, hear me roar" and with that she roared, bent over and gently attacked Taylor's neck. This only set Taylor off into hysterics again. For a while longer they play fought and tickled each other to near exhaustion. All they could do was lay on the couch, practically on top of one another. Just as they came close to regaining there composure one would start laughing which only served to start the other off again.
After a while and several attempt to get up without another bout of laughing at absolutely nothing, they did manage to get up into a sitting position. The final tears were wiped away they just sat for a moment. Taylor was the first to speak. I'll have to make us something else to eat," pointing to the food she continued, "our original meal is now covered in beer." Both started to laugh and blame each other. Things didn't get out of hand this time and they both decided to make something else together.
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Making the meal was fun. They'd just had to look at each other and dissolve into laughter again. Taylor originally decided to talk to Kerry over their meal. She figured that it would probably still be best to keep to that. The mood was light and Taylor figured it could only help as far as Kerry opening up. Or at least that's what she was trying to convince herself of. They both were having fun in the kitchen but the meal was ready and that brought a certain amount of fear to Taylor's heart. She knew she was going to talk to Kerry about everything but ultimately didn't know what was going to happen. Sandy Lopez, Kim Legaspi and the dream. Are they connected somehow? Are there more people involved? And again she pleaded for that dream to be just that, a dream. Thinking about it she wasn't sure she should mention the dream. Maybe it would be to much for one night. She wasn't sure if Kerry even remembered having a nightmare. Taylor decided to play it by ear and see how the rest of the evening went.
Kerry snapped a towel at Taylor, hitting her on the butt. Taylor was immediately pulled from her thoughts' "Hey, that hurt." She playfully pouted.
"What were you thinking about? You were so far gone I thought I might have to send a search party to find you." Kerry laughed, lifting a plate of food and handing it to Taylor.
"Nothing much." Taylor lied. "C'mon, don't know about you but I'm starved after getting the better off you out here," she said over her shoulder.
Kerry threw the towel at Taylor saying, "You wish." Both of them laughed.
Taylor came back into the kitchen grabbing Kerry another cup of coffee and herself a beer. "You coming, Ker?" Taylor asked as she headed back into the sitting room.
"Yeah, I'll be right out." Now it was Kerry's turn to get lost in thought. Thinking of the fun she and Taylor had shared that evening made her smile but she knew what was to come. Taylor was going to ask her what was going on. Why didn't she want to go back to her hotel and Kerry knew she was going to have to openly talk about herself. She was apprehensive but also a little relieved that she was finally going to share with Taylor what had been happening in her life. She knew it wasn't going to be easy but hoped Taylor would be patient with her.
Being hit by a towel brought Kerry out of her thoughts. She looked at Taylor who was standing in the doorway, "what's keeping ya Ker? I'm hungry, c'mon."
Kerry smiled. "I'm coming. And you say you're hungry like it's something new. You're always hungry." Taylor was going to deny it and fake being hurt but returned Kerry's smile, it was almost true after all. Taylor headed once again for the sitting room, Kerry took a moment. Picked up her plate and headed for the sitting room also. Taylor was sitting on the couch, Kerry took a deep breath, and headed in and sat next to her. Neither spoke. Now all they both could do was wait and see who was going to approached the subject first.
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