LOTS - CARA/DAHLIA/KAHLAN

Sometimes You Just Can’t Hesitate

cameron_sarah

Title: Sometimes You Just Can’t Hesitate

Author: [cameron_sarah

Pairing: Cara/Dahlia/Kahlan

Rating: G

Warnings: Fluffy :P

Disclaimer: They are most definitely not mine :(

Summary: ~Feelings then Snuggles. What more do you want?

A/N: Written for [sofiemae in the The (potentially) Great LotS Spooning Commentfic Meme. Prompt was: After Dahlia join the merry band of epic heroes Dahlia tries to hide her emotions but Cara and Kahlan are determined to help her confront them.

A/N2: THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP [sofiemae !! You practically wrote this story yourself! But I hope you enjoy the bits that you haven’t seen yet!! ;P

Sometimes You Just Can’t Hesitate

cameron_sarah

Dahlia had been traveling with Cara and her friends for a few weeks when it happened. She had been ignoring the …feelings that had been growing inside her since she had arrived. But it was hard when the Seeker insisted on stopping whenever possible to help out desperate villagers. Dahlia kept being confronted with her former life and slowly she began to realize what she had done under the previous Lord Rahl was wrong.

But, this time, she couldn’t hold back the tide of emotions – damn emotions – that washed over her, and she bit back the gasp that threatened to escape her throat. She turned over on her bedroll to face Cara, who was lying only a few feet away.

“Cara…” She managed to croak, and the blonde quickly turned towards her, clearly alarmed by the weakness in her voice.

“Dahlia?” Cara crawled closer, brow furrowing.

“Cara, I…” She couldn’t even begin to explain what was happening; she didn’t think she even knew the words to use. She brought up her hands to cover her face, not wanting Cara to see the tears that were forming. Mord–Sith did not cry. And while Cara was probably one of the only Mord–Sith who would have some sort of understanding, Dahlia was not yet sure that she was comfortable with it. She was strong, as strong as Cara had been, and here she was now, just a weak.

“Dahlia,” Cara reached up, gently tugging Dahlia’s hands away to reveal her reddening eyes. Dahlia saw a faint smile flutter on Cara’s lips, saw the …compassion swimming in her eyes. It made her want to Agiel Cara, yet somehow made her yearn to be close to her, to touch her, be comforted by her. Even more things that Mord–Sith were not supposed to want nor need.

“What is happening to me?” She asked, her voice breaking, as the tears began to slide down her cheeks. Cara released her hands, thumbing away a tear.

“Wait here, alright?” She stood, watching as Dahlia’s brow furrowed slightly as she hugged herself. Cara knew what she was going through – she remembered it all too clearly; the emotions that came suddenly and overwhelmingly, the confusion, regret. Things so unusual to a Mord–Sith that the experience was hard to forget.

Cara crouched next to Kahlan, nudging her. The Confessor blinked a few times, as she came awake and Cara smiled. She didn’t know what would have happened if she had gone through the change alone, and she was glad she had had the Confessor’s support.

“Kahlan, it’s happening.” She whispered, and Kahlan sat up, glancing over at Dahlia. The two had been expecting it for a while, and Cara was grateful that Kahlan was more than happy to help again.

“Okay.” Kahlan rose, following Cara back to the other Mord–Sith, who looked up with scared, wet eyes. Cara returned to lying behind her, fingers beginning to unlace her collar.

“What–”

“Shhh.” Cara silenced Dahlia, as Kahlan lay down in front of her, resting her head in her hand.

“Dahlia,” Kahlan murmured, reaching out to brush a stray stand of hair from the woman’s face and distracting her from what Cara was doing. “I want you to listen, okay?” Dahlia nodded. “You can’t stop this, what is happening. But it is a process, and we are going to help you through it.”

Cara finished with the collar, carefully lifting it away, and Dahlia flinched as the cold night air ghosted over her exposed neck. Cara’s fingers moved to the thick leather straps around her chest.

“What do you feel?” Kahlan asked, watching as Dahlia bit her bottom lip, clearly trying to articulate the feelings so foreign to her.

“My chest…my heart…hurts.” She admitted, voice wavering, and Kahlan could see she was close to tears.

“Sadness, remorse, guilt.” Kahlan explained.

Cara released Dahlia from the thick protective corset, and the woman began to take quicker breaths, now that she was no longer restrained. Her eyes went wide with panic as she gasped for air.

“All those people I hurt…killed…they had families. They were innocent and I …I–”

“Deep breaths.” Kahlan soothed, as Cara rubbed circles on the woman’s back, trying to calm her.

“We’re here, Dahlia.” Cara whispered, and Dahlia slowly started breathing easier.

“There is nothing you can do to change what you did.” Kahlan continued, reaching out cup Dahlia’s cheek. “You can only try and make up for it, by doing good now. By helping those that you can.”

“But the things I did–”

Kahlan shook her head, cutting her off. “You’re not that person any more. Just like Cara, you’ve changed. You are your own person now. You choose how you are going to live your life.”

Dahlia whimpered. The idea of being alone in the world, without someone to follow, to give her orders, was terrifying to her. She was without sisters now. Who would she turn to when she was in need?

“You have me.” Cara’s voice was in her ear, and Dahlia gasped, feeling Cara smirk. Cara had always been able to know what she was thinking. Confessors might not be able to read Mord–Sith, but Cara could always read her. She felt the smirk turn into a smile, as Cara placed a kiss against her neck. “I’m not going to leave you, Dahlia.” Cara glanced over at Kahlan. “You’re safe with us.” She reached up, stroking Dahlia’s hair and the other Mord–Sith leaned into the touch.

A soft smile crept onto Kahlan’s lips as she watched the two share a moment. Cara had come so far since that night months ago when she had done the exact same for the blonde. She was proud to see Cara so compassionate towards the other woman.

Cara used a finger to turn Dahlia’s face to her, pressing their lips together for a brief moment, before pulling away. She nodded to Kahlan and the Confessor wiggled over, until her back was against Dahlia, and she snuggled close. Cara smiled, snaking a hand around Dahlia’s middle and pressing flush against her.

Dahlia found it strange, not used to the gentle contact, but soon began to find it comforting.

She lay quietly feeling the heat of Cara’s arm through the thinner layers of leather. Her heart fluttered in her chest as her eyelids floated shut. She thought that she had known what safety was, in the secure temples with her sister. But she had been wrong. Pressed tightly between the two women, Dahlia felt safe.

~ ~ ~