The Unicorn's Forest

Alex climbed into the SUV and Charlie opened the door directly behind where Alex was sitting and climbed in as well.

Charlie looked to see Alex's grandmother and was a little surprised to see that she looked rather youthful. Charlie knew that her age was around early mid-fifties to early sixties; she couldn't remember her exact age. However, she probably could pass off as somewhere in her forties. Charlie's knowledge of her age was from Alex having told her when they were dancing. Although, she couldn't remember how the topic had come up.

Alex's grandmother's hair was a brown that was so dark it was almost black, which was put up in a bun, she had piercing green eyes that looked like they could see through any intentions Charlie might have for anything, and Charlie estimated that she probably stood around five foot six. Although, it was difficult to determine, given she was sitting down right then.

"Hi, I'm Charlie," Charlie greeted, not sure what to expect.

The response, however was a wheezing voice that was a little difficult to hear because of how quiet it was. "It's nice to meet you, Charlie. I'm Mary Samuels. I'm glad that Alex has found a nice girl to date. I just hope you don't turn out like her last girlfriend," Alex's grandmother said.

"I'll try," Charlie replied, not sure how else to reply to that statement.

Charlie glanced at Alex, though couldn't see her expression. She could only hope this didn't mean anything really bad.

While there wasn't much conversation during the trip, the quiet was filled with the radio. Alex had the radio station on one that the display read as 'Adult Hits' which Charlie wasn't sure what it meant, but the music playing was some that sounded rather close to what Alex had said that she preferred.

The music wasn't bad, nor did it bother her, so she didn't feel the need to say anything, and just watched the scenery go by as they drove down the road.

However, after a couple songs, one came on that Alex started singing with. Alex seemed to have her timing of the words down to the point that Charlie couldn't help but smile in amusement.

The whole trip probably took around half an hour, which surprised Charlie. She hadn't expected Alex to live so far away from the school by car, but close by in terms of where her house was located. Charlie could see the road that went by Beth's house from where Alex's house was, but the road connecting to Alex's house didn't look like it connected to it.

As they got out of the car, Charlie couldn't contain her curiosity. "What was that song you were signing with?" she asked.

"Oh, if I remember correctly, it's called 'Hands,'" Alex replied. "I think Jewel sings it."

"It is a lovely song," Mary remarked, although, Charlie had to almost strain her hearing in order to make out what she was saying.

"Come with me Charlie, I'll show you my room," Alex said, taking Charlie's hand in hers. Charlie couldn't help but blush as Alex intertwined her fingers with Charlie's as Alex's grandmother watched, smiling.

Alex almost ran through her house on her way to her room, which was on the second floor, with a window that overlooked the roof of the back porch.

"Why does your grandma sound like that?" Charlie couldn't help but ask as they slowed down when they approached Alex's door.

"She had throat cancer when I was little. The surgery they performed to remove it went wrong and her vocal chords were damaged and she now always sounds like that," Alex said, sounding almost like she though it was somehow her fault, as they entered her room.

Pushing that aside, since she really didn't want to deal with that, at least right now, if she ever felt it was needed, Charlie asked Alex about her timing of mentioning the movie 'Beaches.'

"Alex, why did you mention the movie 'Beaches' last night?" Charlie asked, as she looked around Alex's room. It was spacious, although, it didn't have much that indicated anything about the person living in it.

The bed had a light brown comforter on it, the pillows were a plain white, and even the curtains were white. There weren't any pictures around, no clutter of any sort, or even a clothing hamper. There was a TV, blue-ray player and remotes, but nothing that really made them give the room any personality. It almost looked like no one even lived in the room. Like maybe it was a guest room or something.

"Well, I wanted to mention it to you, but I almost forgot, so I said it when I did because that's when I was thinking about it again," Alex said, tapping the tip of her foot on the carpet, looking rather nervous.

Charlie chuckled. "I understand. It was just the timing that felt weird," Charlie replied, looking around Alex's room a little.

"W-would you like to watch a movie?" Alex asked. "We could lay on my bed while we watch it."

"Sure," Charlie said, wondering what kinds of movies Alex might like. Though, she was pretty sure it wasn't going to be like the horror and slasher movies that Ralph typically selected.

"Have you ever seen 'The Great Santini?'" Alex asked.

Charlie laughed as she shook her head. What kind of movie was that? "Can't say that I have," Charlie replied.

"Great!" Alex cheered. "It was my dad's favorite movie."

"What happened to your dad?" Charlie asked.'

A shadow fell over Alex's face as she replied, "He and my mom died in an accident when they were out of town on business a little over a year ago."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Charlie said, putting a comforting hand on Alex's shoulder.

The shadow quickly left Alex's face. "It's okay," Alex assured Charlie. "I've gotten past it. Though, sometimes I do wish they were still here. But if I hadn't moved in with my grandma, then I wouldn't have met you."

"Not sure if that's a good thing or not," Charlie said, unsure if she would consider it a good thing or not.

Alex shook her head. "It's not that. I try to look at things as what's benefitting me now rather than what things might have been like if my parents hadn't died," Alex said. "I mean, Allison told me that it was possible that if my parents hadn't died, that I might have led myself on a path of self-destruction because of people I had in my life then."

Charlie pulled Alex into a hug impulsively, wanting to comfort Alex a little. "I don't care about that," Charlie said. "What matters to me is how it makes you feel. I don't know what I'd do if my parents died, even if things worked out for me like they have for you."

"Thanks," Alex replied, returning the hug. "Sometimes I'm just not sure about myself, I guess."

Charlie smiled as she looked at her girlfriend, wondering what Alex's grandmother meant by her hoping that Charlie wouldn't be like her last girlfriend.

After a minute of being in Alex's embrace, Charlie was starting to wonder if Alex was going to stay that way for a while. While she liked feeling Alex's body against her, it was starting to get a little weird for her. Especially since she didn't have any experience with handling this kind of situation.

When Alex pulled a little away from Charlie, but still keeping her arms around her, Alex smiled at Charlie and Charlie couldn't help but return the smile.

Then it almost felt like their mouths were being magnetically drawn together as they kissed. At first Charlie thought it was going to be a small peck, like they'd shared before, but when she felt Alex's tongue on her lips, she realized it wasn't going to be that quick of a kiss.

Charlie felt Alex walking them over to the bed, and Charlie found that she was losing herself in the moment. Thoughts of her having wanted to talk with Alex about the night before slipping from her mind as her body felt like it was being electrified with sensations flowing through it.

When they fell on the bed, she was hardly aware of it. Though, when she felt Alex begin to grope her chest, she couldn't help but moan into Alex's mouth as their tongues danced together.

Charlie wasn't sure what to expect and offered no resistance as Alex removed one of Charlie's hands from around her and slid it up under her own shirt and then under her bra where her hand was placed over her breast.

Charlie felt like she was almost in another world, watching herself from a distance, not able to act of her own accord, but still experiencing everything herself. Charlie was partly aware of her hand caressing and squeezing Alex's breast as her body started to scream for more.

Through a fog in her mind, she felt Alex's other hand sliding up and down her thigh, pushing her skirt up more and more, as they made out, with them occasionally breaking so they could get a gasp of air. Charlie's other hand rested on Alex's lower back until Alex let go of Charlie's leg and pushed it under her jeans, pushing her own panties down as Charlie could feel her bare bottom against her other hand.

"Right there," Alex gasped as her hand returned to Charlie's thigh. Then as Charlie felt herself squeezing Alex's bottom, she felt like cold water had been thrown over her as she felt Alex's hand slide under her skirt to rub her between her legs over her own underwear.

"W-wait, Alex," Charlie stuttered, breaking from their kissing, before letting out a moan as the sensations continued to course through her body. Her own body responding to Alex's touch of her forbidden fruit. "We need to st-stop."

"Oh, Charlie, you feel so good," Alex moaned, as her mouth tried capturing Charlie's again.

However, Charlie needed Alex to stop, so she took her hands out of Alex's pants and pushed her off of her. Which seemed to catch Alex by surprise.

Looking at Alex, Charlie was a little scared to see a hunger in her eyes that she'd never seen before. Alex's shirt was lifted up and Charlie could see her light blue bra pushed up over her breast, but when caught Charlie's attention most was the look in her girlfriend's eyes. Aside from the hunger, there also seemed to be a need in there that felt like Alex was just as lost as Charlie felt at the moment.

Absently, Charlie estimated that Alex's breast was at least a B cup, same as her own, but was close to a C cup. Even as her mind noted that, she was kicking herself for thinking about that and quickly pushed the thought out of her mind.

Slowly the look of hunger and need left Alex's eyes, though Alex didn't do anything to fix her shirt or bra.

"What was that?" Charlie asked, confused about how to address what had just happened.

"Um, well," Alex hesitated. "I guess being with me makes me want to show you how much I like you…" Alex trailed off, sounding like she wasn't sure how to put her thoughts into words.

Charlie wanted to pull Alex into another hug and assure her it was fine, but she was also scared of what might happen if she did.

"Sorry for pushing you away," Charlie apologized, not sure if she should really be the one apologizing, but certain she should at least say something. "You were just moving too fast for me again."

Alex smiled, and reached her hand out to take Charlie's. "That's okay, but would you be willing to continue with me?" Alex asked, an odd look in her eyes that Charlie couldn't identify. "I think I'll be good if you would help me finish."

Charlie hesitated in replying. Something about how Alex said that sounded wrong to her and she definitely didn't want to agree to something she didn't really know what was being asked.

"What do you mean?" Charlie asked carefully, wondering if she should use her magic to try and see Alex's thoughts, despite her determination not to do that to her friends and family. Mostly the urge came from a sense that she might need it in order to protect herself.

"Well," Alex said blushing, "just get me off and I'll be good."

Charlie blinked at how blunt Alex was. "Um, Alex, why are you so invested in doing this stuff?" Charlie asked, mostly because while her body clearly wanted her to do all that, she didn't think it would turn out well for her.

Alex looked at Charlie confused. "Why not? I like you and you like me, so isn't that what people who like each other do?"

Charlie felt like this whole situation had to be a big joke, yet she could see in Alex's eyes that not only was she not joking, but it was almost like that was a need she had. Only, it was a need that Charlie felt it wouldn't be good for herself to fulfil. At least not right now.

Taking a deep breath, she put her hands on Alex's shoulders. "Alex, if I do that, then there won't be any going back. I told you things were moving too fast for me and doing that would be the same as me letting you doing what you wanted to me," Charlie said, hoping that her statement wouldn't end her relationship with Alex. While she was still new to having a girlfriend, she found she liked having a girlfriend, even though she wasn't sure what was expected of her because of that.

Alex took a deep breath. "What do you suggest then?" she asked, her eyes telling Charlie that there was something inside her that was in pain, but didn't know how to heal it.

Charlie sighed, not really sure what she could do about it. "Well, if you really need to have that happen, I guess you could always look for someone who would be willing to fill that need for you," Charlie said, her words leaving a bitter taste on her mouth, but not sure what else she could suggest. "I mean, if you really need it and since I'm not going to do that, I guess if you have to, I'll be okay with you going to someone else for that."

Alex giggled. "Are you giving me permission to cheat on you?" Alex asked, her eyes suddenly full of mirth.

Charlie felt her face heat up. "I guess I kind of am," she admitted, wondering how badly this was going to bite her in her backside. "All I ask would be to not tell me the details, okay?" Charlie sighed. Of all the directions this conversation could go, she wouldn't have believed she would suggest this course. "If you can find a way to not do that, yeah, I'd prefer you do that, but if you really need to… um, well, I guess then you need to."

Alex leaned forward against Charlie, resting her head against Charlie's chest. Charlie hesitantly put her arms around Alex, unsure what to expect from this.

"Thanks, Charlie," Alex said. "I'll- I'll try to find a way not to do that, okay?"

"All I can ask, really," Charlie said.

"Would I still be able to play with your girls?" Alex asked, her voice showing Charlie some of the same mischief she remembered from the night before.

"I guess, I already kinda said you could," Charlie sighed. "So, as long as it's over my shirt, that'll be fine."

"Would you be willing to play with my girls sometimes?" Alex asked.

Charlie wondered how far these questions would go. "Maybe," she replied. "I'm not sure right now, but if we're not going to watch the movie, then I should probably start heading home. We can discuss that later. When it doesn't feel like we'd be moving too fast if I did that."

"I guess I can accept that," Alex said, lifting her head up to give Charlie a kiss on her cheek.