Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.

Chapter 11:

Ivy was deep in thought as she walked into the church. Her footsteps were quiet as she walked down the hallway toward the kitchen, replaying Ronnie's conversation with her over and over. As she entered the kitchen, she barely noticed Rachel sitting in front of her computer. Ivy stopped abruptly as the image registered in her mind. Oh my God, Rachel!

"What are you doing?" Ivy asked, panic in her voice as she realized too late that Rachel was watching the same video she had seen only a few hours ago. Rachel had been staring at the computer screen; her eyes wide and her face a bit too pale. She jumped when she heard Ivy's voice, obviously too engrossed with what she was seeing to have heard her come in.

Rachel could barely take her eyes off the monitor. "Ivy," Rachel's voice was a little shaky as she pointed to the women on the screen, "Is that Ronnie?"

Ivy rushed over to the computer and shut off the monitor. "What are you doing Rachel?" Ivy's voice was tight, with a hint of anger. She didn't want to have to explain this to Rachel, not now. She didn't want her to see this, to see Ronnie this way. She wouldn't understand.

"I…I wanted to help you. I knew you were behind on your work. I woke up this morning and you were already gone. I came in here and thought I would review the recordings from last night for you. Your notebook was blank, so I thought you didn't check them yet." Rachel turned her wide eyes to Ivy. "Did you see this? Did you know?"

Ivy slowly let out the breath she was holding. "I couldn't sleep. I got up early and saw this." She gestured at the dark screen. Ivy leaned back against the counter behind her, slumping a little. "I called Ronnie right away and she wanted a chance to explain. I met her to talk, and that's where I have been this morning." Ivy's voice no longer held the edge of anger; it was only soft and sad. "You weren't supposed to see this."

Rachel sat at the table, still staring at the blank monitor. Rachel blinked slowly and some of the color returned to her face. "Why, Ivy? Were you going to hide this from me? Why wasn't I supposed to see?"

"Rachel…" Ivy started to speak, but didn't know where to begin.

Rachel turned her gaze back to Ivy. "Some of the things they were doing…" The color rose in her cheeks, making them flush. "Do you do those things with Ronnie?"

"Rachel," Ivy shook her head slowly, and looking away, "don't ask questions like that."

"Why?" Rachel's voice was still a little breathy; the shock of what she had seen hadn't quite worn off yet.

"You may not like the answers." Ivy said quietly.

"Do you want to do that to me?"

"Rachel, please…"

"No Ivy, I want to know. Seeing this has kind of freaked me out. I mean, how could she do some of those things to someone she cares about. Didn't she hurt her?"

"I know how it may look to someone…not used to the lifestyle, but, trust me, you are taking things out of context. Kate and Ronnie have been together for a long time, even longer than I have known her. It came as a surprise to me as well. We just never got around to discussing the topic of shadows before this. And I don't think she was hurting her. From what Ronnie told me, she likes it this way." Ivy looked away from Rachel's shocked expression. "Like I said, you may not like the answers to your questions."

"So Kate is her shadow?" Rachel asked, looking back at the black screen of the monitor.

"Yes," Ivy said, slowly nodding her head up and down.

"Are you going to tell her husband? Is that what Ronnie wanted to talk to you about?" Rachel asked.

"She didn't ask me to erase it, if that's what you mean."

"Aren't you upset about this, Ivy? Doesn't it bother you to see her with someone else? You were just with her the other day!"

Ivy sighed and pulled out the chair next to Rachel. "It's hard to explain. It bothers me, and yet I understand why she did it. It's different with us Rachel, with vampires, I mean. Sometimes it hard to find everything we need in just one person. Sometimes it's blood, sometimes it's sex, and sometimes it's having the feeling of power over someone that we crave. It's rare to find all those things available in one person. And if we do, how long do you think that one person can keep giving all those things to us? I mean, look at my parents. You don't know how difficult, how draining it is on my dad to try to sustain my mother. To be her only source of blood…"

Ivy shook her head. Looking back up from the table, she met Rachel's green eyes. "Sometimes it's best to get what we need from several people. I know it sounds messed up, but it means that we care enough not to drain everything from the one we love."

"I understand what you are saying, but I'm not sure I like it." Rachel said, leaning back in her chair.

"You don't have to like it, Rachel. I'm just letting you know how it is so you can try to accept it." Ivy said, her voice soft. "Not everyone will deny their instincts as I have."

"So you are telling me that to be with you, or any vamp for that matter, I have to be ok with sharing?" Rachel asked.

"You didn't have a problem sharing me with Rynn Cormel in the past, remember?" Ivy answered.

"That was different, before last night. And besides, he's your master or whatever." Rachel said, sitting up straighter in her chair. "No games, Ivy, answer my question. Do I have to share you if I am in a relationship with you?"

"Sometimes, yes. If I need something you are unable or unwilling to give, then yes. I would never take anything from you that you wouldn't give to me freely."

"And you are telling me that you are ok if I go outside of the relationship if I am looking for something you aren't giving me?" Rachel asked, shaking her head incredulously.

"There isn't anything I wouldn't give to you," Ivy answered. "But, yes, I would accept it."

"I don't believe you." Rachel said.

"Then maybe you should think about it a little longer," Ivy said with a sad smile. "Really think about what I have told you, what you have seen," Ivy gestured again toward the computer, "and decide if this type of relationship is truly something you want with me. I know it isn't what you are used to, in any way, but I would make it worth your effort." Ivy stood from the table and pushed her chair in.

"You're still going away with her, aren't you?" Rachel asked, looking up at Ivy.

"I promised my friend I would go Rachel. I can't back out on my promise. I don't want to back out. It has nothing to do with what has happened or what we talked about just now. I'm not trying to be mean or hurtful; I just need to get away for a few days. I need to think about what I'm going to do about…everything. My brain is going a mile a minute, and I need a break." Ivy stepped closer to Rachel, placing her hand on Rachel's arm. "I'll be back in a few days, and then we can start fresh. You'll have thought things through, and I'll have this other business cleaned up. It will be ok. Trust me, Rachel."

Ivy left Rachel sitting at the table, still staring at the blank computer. She walked into her bedroom and smiled when she saw that Rachel had made up the bed, taking the time to put all the pillows back in place. Ivy had just laid her head down when she heard the soft knock on her door.

"Come in, Rachel" Ivy said, her voice heavy with sleep.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but can I lay in here with you for awhile?" Rachel asked as she walked over toward the bed. "I'm going to miss you when you are gone, and this will make me feel better about it."

Ivy gave her a sleepy smile and patted the spot next to her on the mattress. Rachel climbed in and turned her back into Ivy's front. Ivy rested her arm over Rachel's and Rachel pushed in closer, allowing Ivy to spoon her body.

Ivy smiled to herself as she breathed in deeply of their mingling scents. She nuzzled her face closer to Rachel's hair and hugged her tighter to her body. It appeared that this would be one of the few times that Ivy would get her cake and eat it too.

A/N: I hope you aren't too disappointed that Ivy is playing the field a little here. I thought after all this time chasing after Rachel, she deserved some fun being the center of attention. [I also kind of felt bad for Ronnie and wanted to give her a happy ending as well.] Thanks for following my story! I hope that you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it! (Thank you for all the reviews too, I looked forward to checking my mail this whole time!)