Chapter 1

The grass tickled Allen as he moved over it. It was slow going, and Allen felt the pressure of the marching time. The sun would be rising soon. He should have driven up closer to the building before leaving his vehicle, but it had been easier this way.

He had learned long ago to be aware of his surroundings. There were many people around, but all sleeping, thankfully. There were some domesticated animals too, but those were easy to bypass, especially when they were locked up with the people. A few stray animals and some nocturnal urban creatures were up and about still, but they decided it was best not to make a fuss over Allen. Or, at least, that's the decision Allen helped them make.

Movement like this takes forever! Dawn was fast approaching and Allen was annoyed that he hadn't even made it to the spigot on the side yet. <I should have used one of the nocturnal creatures to bring me closer, > he thought, annoyed with himself. But even still, he knew that the trial of getting an animal to take him closer would have taken just as long as moving himself, and probably cost more energy in the long run.

The sound of a shower starting shattered the pre-dawn stillness. Allen cursed himself for his reverie and stopped moving, trying to figure out what was happening. A little searching and he had it. One of the people was up and moving about. Hiding from people was more difficult without proper cover.

<Wait for it. Patience. Aha, running water. Yes, that person will be busy for a while yet. I still have time.>

Allen continued his methodical motions to the spigot on the side of the building. The water pathways weren't always the most desirable, but they tended to be efficient hiding places. Light struck Allen's skin and he froze.

<The light! Where does it come from? There, in a window. Whew.> Checking out the horizon, he knew that dawn would not wait much longer before the sun came out.

<Just over a meter to go. It'll be close. I hope none of those domesticated canines needs to be let out just yet.>

Allen continued. One would think he was hurrying, but he really only had one speed for long distance movement. It was as fast as he could possibly go over any surface with enough friction to move, but it wasn't exactly speedy. Already a few rays of sunlight were warming the plastic siding of this building. If he could, Allen would have been sweating with worry.

<Made it! Now, to make certain I wont be observed entering the dwelling.>

Casting out, Allen quickly searched for someone who might be coming this direction. Happy at not finding anyone who would be a danger, Allen extended himself up, thinning out and entered the spigot. The first rays of the sun struck Allen warmly before he was half done. The heat helped his viscosity as he entered the spigot.

Time passes...

Allen went over the list in his head again. <There are twenty four distinct dwelling spaces. There are fifty one people occupying those spaces in varying amounts. Nine of those spaces have canine companions, eight have feline, and four have avian. Five dwellings have only one occupant, while only one of those does not have an animal companion. Three of the five, including the one without an animal, are females. Two of the females, the ones with animals, seem to be elderly. The other seems to be much younger, but has a physical problem requiring a mobile chair. The two men seem to be approaching the middle of their life, and don't seem to be caring for themselves well.>

Something about the chair bound female seemed odd too. Something about the observations made felt wrong. <I should observer her further. But what of the ones who aren't dwelling alone? Do any of them seem acceptable?> Allen cast out again, feeling for the people in the dwelling. He was running out of nutrients and was going to have to decide soon. Much of what he found was unhappiness, sorrow, and fear. It simply would not do, but there was nothing he could change about it yet. Deciding, he set about moving through the pipes to the correct apartment to wait for his opportunity.

It took a while to get into position. It took even longer for the opportunity to arise. The female did not seem to need to bathe often. When she finally did, he understood why. The washing facilities were not exactly conducive to one lacking the use of one's legs. This worked in Allen's advantage, however, since this required the female to fill the tub with water, rather than stand and let the water cascade around her.

She filled the tub, placing in it some oily substance that created bubbles. It was annoying, as it tended to dry Allen out even more, but it was useful since it concealed him nicely. While she was undressing, he slipped in with the water flow, letting the water push him in. The sound when he entered was only slightly louder than just the water by itself.

Allen spread out his five liter volume on the bottom of the plastic tub, happy that this particular tub didn't have the rough surfaces that many do. It was difficult for him to separate himself so that the person could feel the texture, yet still be thin enough to be ignored on the non-textured spots.

The woman shed her clothes in short order, and climbed out of her chair with her powerful arms. She walked on her hands over to the tub edge, and heaved herself up. The chair, it seemed, was too big to fit past the toilet. Allen started his subtle manipulation as she got on the rim of the tub. She'd had another long day, it seemed and was in a foul mood, looking forward to just relaxing in the tub.

The more she felt the pleasant heat arising from the water, the more her mood slowly relaxed and lightened. She was close enough now that he didn't have to strain to feel her thoughts. "Yes, a bath was a great idea," she thought to herself. "I can't believe those jerks at the bar, thinking I would be easy just because I have a wheelchair." Her mood was turning worse again, but Allen kept up the gentle pressure. <Slowly, > he thought to himself, <don't make her suspicious.> In the end, it was the water itself that did it for her. Her back had been aching again, and feeling the heat on her back helped unknot both her muscles and her emotions.

Allen let her continue to bathe for a while before pressing a little harder. He had learned much while growing up here. His timing was nearly perfect. The slow pressure, and low doses of soothing happiness, combined with a minor arousal did their trick. As she was washing her lower stomach, she let her hands linger longer. "Well, I hadn't planned on it," she pondered, "but why not? It's a rerun tonight anyway." She took it slowly this time, letting it build. The rough washcloth on her lips distracted the sensations of her too sensitive clitoris, so she didn't overwhelm herself. She brought her hand up, making sure it was very wet, and slowly dropped water onto her nipple. She moaned slightly at this, and used the washcloth to grab her redening outer labia and press them together, using this as a nice buffer for the stimulation as she massaged her clitoris.

"Yes, slowly this time, oh it feels so good." Her thoughts echoed her actions.

Allen was not idle during this time either. He was opening the membrane slightly, strategically, and interfacing with the skin of her legs, her buttocks, and her lower back. Biding his time a little more, and confident knowing that he could convince her to stay as long as was necessary, he let her skin slowly absorb him. It would take a very long time if he let her absorb him with just her skin, but he was confident he could time the next part right.

Her hand had gone from dripping water on her nipples, to massaging her pert breasts, and the strong pectoral muscles beneath. She stayed away from her nipple, not ready for that level of sensation, knowing that it would be more likely to turn her off than further her excitement. Her other hand had dropped the washcloth, however, and was now rubbing her swelling lips with her bare fingers, massaging the labia around, and teasing her sensitive clitoris and awakening vagina. Their slow motion seemed to match well with the soft moans purring in her throat and the gentle images she was seeing behind her closed eyes.

It didn't take her very long before just the rubbing and touching just weren't quite enough, and she parted the lips with her finger, teasing herself. She briefly wondered how long she could continue this before she just had to enter that moist opening that brings so much pleasure. It wasn't long. She moved her hand down from her breasts and pinched her clitoris between her labia as her other hand worked a finger between her puffy lips and into her radiating vagina.

This was what Allen was waiting for, and he thinned himself out a little as he extended himself into her vagina as well. This was the critical moment. Would he have enough energy left to make her ignore the extra volume? He moved quickly, but paid attention to her response. This time, he needn't have worried. She was enjoying it too much to care. It took a while for him to get the rest of his five liter volume inside her, but thankfully she had been able to absorb a lot through her skin. Allen had to slow down her building orgasm to give himself time, but she wasn't trying to rush herself either.

Allen took a little extra time to stimulate her clitorus himself. He reached up with a tendril of himself, his not-quite-fluid body caressing all the nooks and crannies in her labia. He parted the insides of the lips just enough to reach through a tongue of his membrane. Gently, he engulfed the clitorus, vibrating it and caressing it from all directions at once.

"OH, it feels so much BETTER this time." Her thoughts were confused, but happy, and her hips were soon thrusting against her hand. "I haven't felt so FULL since... since..." her thoughts were interrupted by a moan as the last of Allen slipped inside of her. Happy now that he would have enough energy left to control the pace of the symbiotic bond, he removed the dam on her emotions. Mind and body released as one, as all the tension of her day ran out of her in one large deluge of orgasmic release.

Their eyes blinked open sleepily. "Mmmm, how long have I been out," she wondered aloud, "I'm lucky I didn't drown.".

<Around forty five minutes, > replied Allen mentally. Allen shifted slightly, as the adrenaline pumped through their system. <Calm down, Mary!> Allen thought, but of course, it simply fueled her panic a little further.

"Who said that?" asked Mary, panicking a little now, and reaching around for something to use to defend herself, settling her hand on the plunger kept behind the toilet.

<Don't worry, Mary, I kept you from relaxing enough to worry about drowning.> Allen's softly soothing thoughts weren't calming Mary nearly as much as he'd hoped, and she kept looking around for someone, thinking she heard him. <My name is Allen. Looking around for me is a futile search, Mary, for I am within you.>

That information seemed to be a jolt of lightning in Mary's brain, sending her mind reeling. Without herself doing it, her back stiffened and her arm and hand flexed on the side of the tub, keeping her upright. This seemed to scare her even more. Panic in her voice, and tears of fear in her eyes she tried to get a handle on the situation. "What ARE you? Why are you in me? What do you WANT with me?!" Her voice was strained as she rapidly babbled out questions.

<My name is Allen. I am a symbiote, Mary. Do you know what a symbiote is?> Allen's soothing tone continued. To the part of Mary's brain that wasn't completely wrought with hysteria, and his responses seemed practiced.

Not trusting herself to speak much, she squeaked out an uh huh. <Very good, Mary. In my particular case, I'm a benevolent symbiote. I hope you'll soon learn to trust me, but for now I can do nothing but tell you the truth.> Mary's mind was searching desperately for a way out, or something to do.

<No, Mary, you're not crazy, and you're not going to become a slave, and your planet isn't going to be taken over by pod aliens.> Allen's reassurances were scarily in time with Mary's horror stricken thoughts of the future. Mary wasn't aware yet that Allen could hear her thoughts as if she'd spoken them aloud.

<Mary, the water's gotten cold, and our body temperature is dropping. I suggest we get out of the water and dry off. If you can't take care of that, will you let me?>

Despite his gentle tone and the soothing emotions being pushed into her, Mary was starting to freeze. Sighing mentally--a habit he'd picked up from a particularly sullen host--Allen delved into Mary's muscle memory to figure out how she normally does this. Clumsily at first, but gaining surety, Allen manipulated Mary's nervous system and lifted her to the edge of the tub. Mary's mind whimpered as she watched and felt her body doing things without her telling it to do so. Allen made another mental note to try to figure out another way to convince the host that the union was a good thing.

<Mary? Can you take it from here? You're much more likely to avoid having us land on our face.> Allen was worried about maintaining balance while drying off and didn't want to break their head open on the toilet.

Slowly, the emotions Allen had been feeding her calmed her enough that she could respond. "Yeah," she sobbingly said, "I can get us dried and out of the tub." Mary found herself thinking back to what her mother had said so many times, "At least you're alive, and as long as you're alive, there's the chance you can better your situation." Allen observed passively as she found that thought and memory, and was pleased at how it put steel in her back.

Mary toweled theirself off and even forgot herself enough to smile warmly when she got to her satisfied vulva. When she remembered, she gave a little start, a small blush, and continued toweling off. Her mind was thinking furiously about all sorts of consequences, plans, the future, and what ifs. Allen passively observed them all, trying to regain his strength. The bonding was rapid, as tends to happen during sexual experiences, but it still drained him. Add on the energy that he had expended trying to calm down Mary, move her, and keep her from falling over; it was no wonder he was feeling drained. It takes time to absorb nutrients from the host, and he was going to have to absorb a lot.

After Mary had theirself toweled, covered, and back in their wheelchair, she started panicking slightly again, wondering what he was going to have her do next, and how to ask him.

Forestalling the question, Allen interjected to her, <Mary, please head into the kitchen. We're going to be fairly hungry soon, and I would like us to have something ready when it happens.> Allen observed Mary's thoughts as she was thinking about stuff to eat. He had his own opinions, but he kept them to himself to avoid tipping his hand early on.

"How about some Chicken Noodle Soup?" asked Mary, feeling like she was talking to herself, or a ghost.

<That is a most excelent choice, Mary.> replied Allen, happily. <It will fill our belly and provide us with a good deal of easily digested nourishment, as well as being tasty.>

Sighing, and whining to herself in her own mind, but feeling the vague echoes of hunger, Mary wheeled theirself into the kitchen and began making the soup. She really did enjoy the soup, and ate it frequently, but she didn't want to have to do dishes again. Cooking on the too-high stove was bad enough, but doing dishes was a pain. Allen avoided commenting to her mental tirade. Now was not the time to give away the extent of their new relationship. Not yet.

"So, what do we do next, A--," she couldn't come up with the name he'd given himself, and sounded nervous in her speech, even to herself.

<Allen, > he provided.

"Right. Allen. So, uh... what happens after we eat?" She almost spilled the soup as she popped the top off, she was starting to shake from nerves again.

She felt theirself sigh and then felt another wave of calm come in on the tide of her emotional sea. <After we eat, we shall talk. You shall ask me many, many questions, and eventually we shall learn more trust. We will share ourselves with each other in an embrace of intimacy no two humans could ever have. Then, we shall sleep, for we are both exhausted.>

"How are you doing that to me? I don't -want- to be calm and relaxed. I don't want to feel comfortable! What are you doing to me?" Mary's mind was trying to panic, but even her voice came out more calm than she had feared it would.

<I am stimulating the endorphins in your brain to induce those feelings. Your consciousness and your brain are highly connected, and since I share your brain now it is much easier than to try to calm your emotions empathically.>

This should have overwhelmed Mary's mind again, and she knew it, yet somehow, she remained in control, and calmly examined the statement. She had no clue if there was any validity to the claims, but it sure felt that way. Allen noted all this and was pleased at the potential this host had shown. She had demonstrated that she was capable by her solitary existence, and now that she was clever and aware of herself and how things had changed. Perhaps he'd finally found a suitable host. He suppressed his excitement, not wanting to rush things.