Cara flipped the switches that shut of the unnecessary lights.
"Talking time is done." She announced.
"She's terribly strict" Andi complained. In a whisper. Tucking close to Hector and looking back up at him, eyes catching
light in the dimness as they silently laughed.
"But I already had nap time." Hector reminded her with a chuckle.
"Don't make me sedate you again, Garrett." She threatened. "I can, and will, if you don't get the rest you need so you
can get out of my hair." She went to her desk to finish her charting, then she'd turn in for the night.
"Yes, ma'am!" Hector said with a salute. Potter went over to the coffee maker and Hector looked at Andi. "So I was told
to get the story from you of what you and Cara were talking about that caused a whole parade of people in here."
Andi's eyes went a bit wide in surprise over a subject she'd thought long dropped. In the dim light it was impossible to
see the color that spread lightly over her cheeks but it was there in the edges of the small smile that came
automatically.
"I'm going to have to make myself a mental note that you never forget anything." She answered softly. Shifting onto her
side to face him and tuck closer. Not incidentally hiding her eyes so his 'little boy' look wouldn't work on her if he tried to
use it. "Aren't you tired?" She asked.
"Nah, I took a nap earlier. Remember? A pretty long one actually." He said with a chuckle. "And all I do is lie around
anyway, so I'm actually getting pretty energetic...." He grinned though she couldn't see it. "You're ticklish. I know that. I
could torture it out of you I suppose. And yes, I'm worse than your elephants when it comes to remembering things."
Andi was chuckling until he threatened to tickle her. Then her eyes went wide and flew up to meet his as her hands
braced automatically against his bare chest. The grin on his face, she was sure, had enough 'devilish' in it that his
tabasco sauce was obviously not doing any good.
"You wouldn't dare." She protested. Not having quite as much faith in that statement as she might have liked.
"Wouldn't I?" Hector asked, still with that grin and a gleam in his dark eyes. "Dare to test me on that? Cause I've been
so well behaved for so long, its starting to get to me."
"Hector." She whispered the protest, torn between wide eyes at his threat and the laughter that kept trying to slip past
at the look in his eyes. He looked uttered capable of carrying through with his threat. It seemed a bit backward that she
should find his gleeful devilish look so attractive. She shifted experimentally against him. Not half as sure she didn't
want to tempt him the way she knew she shouldn't.
"You'll pull your side." She warned.
"And it would totally be worth it." He countered. "Besides, all I have to do is moan and someone will be along to dope
me up. They haven't cut off my supply of happy juice yet, you know." He hadn't felt much pain because no one would
let him, a shot was always available and given if he so much as grimaced. He wondered if she was behind that.
He ran a hand lightly up her side, fingers moving enough to let her know that he fully intended on carrying out his
'threat.' "So come on, spill."
He had always been so very careful how he touched her before that the familiarity of his hand was a surprise she
inhaled sharply against. And it wasn't a bad surprise even if it did make something in the back of her throat go dry and
her fingers against him spread. It was a bit embarrassing to be this inexperienced and yet in another way she liked
being able to focus on each new thing without preconceived ideas about where everything should go next. Still, she
being silly. It was just a hand against her ribs.
The long fingered, warm hand of the man she loved while he watched her with those impossible eyes of his and that
grin...
"Evil." She remonstrated. Shaking her head with a smile, lips pressed together. "And not a word."
"Is that a dare or a challenge?" He said. "I think it is. In fact, I'm pretty sure." He said as his fingers started to move
against her side. "Come on, tell all and I'll stop. You know, I'm pretty good at this torture thing once I get going."
"Evil." Andi managed to accuse through rivers of laughter. Trying to twist away from his hand without risking the
possibility of thumping him wrong and hurting his side. Which left her with few options and he was surprisingly good at
blocking most of her escape moves which generally consisted of trying to wriggle off the side of the bed. "I'll bite." She
threatened between laughs, trying to twist away from his hand which turned her into him, fingernails touching but not
biting down where her hands were against his shoulders. "I swear I will."
"Really?" He asked, chuckling, not stopping. "You're talking to a man who was shot and denied it for days...I think I can
handle a bite. And yes, I'm completely evil. Hence the tabasco sauce, keeps me honest. Come on, just tell me. Cara
won't say anything except to ask you and giving me all sorts of patient looks."
She might have fought a little longer. For sheer stubbornness and principle alone. Despite the fact her cheeks were
starting to hurt. But his 'come on' sounded so young and coaxing that it had her laughing too and she turned her head,
exposing her throat to him.
"Yield. I yield." She surrendered, still laughing. "I do. Mercy."
Hector settled back down and smiled. "Okay, I'll show mercy. But what was it you said? Gotta pay the Piper? Piper's
waiting for his pay." He said triumphantly as he stopped tickling her and instead rested his hand on her hip lightly as he
waited.
Andi's laughter died down into chortles and she smiled up at him. God. She did love this man.
"Well, if you see the Piper..." she began and felt the warning twitch of his hand and laughed. "Mm. All right." She
sighed. Aware of his hand. And the way her body was wound against his. Aware that - things girls like her weren't
supposed to think - but she wanted Hector to touch her the way he had been. The way he was. As if he had every right
to.
She wet her lips to buy time and then looked up at him with a crooked, slightly proud and somehow also equally
embarrassed smile.
"You." She admitted. "Everyone just wanted to talk about you."
"Me?" Hector repeated, surprised by that. He didn't know quite what he was expecting, but knew it wasn't that. Him? Of
all people? Go figure. "What did they want to know about me? I mean, this is a pretty small base, considering." Sure
there were a lot of people, but there were also cramped quarters.
Andi looked up at him. Wondering how to explain the workings of the female mind to someone that didn't simply
instinctively understand it to start with. She reached up, combed long fingers through his thick hair.
"Well." She tried anyway. "They suspected that the 'you' that they knew of and the 'you' that I know might be different.
And there was some interest in the fact that you were actually voluntarily staying in the clinic despite not being
physically restrained." She shrugged against him and gave him another small smile. "There was also a great deal of
speculation on how I'd managed to 'snag you' I think were the words. Do you feel very 'snagged'? Because it sounds
painful."
"Snagged can be painful." He said. "But sometimes its fun. So I'm snagged, huh? Wow, didn't know I was on the meat
market to be 'snagged.' Amazing what you learn everyday, isn't it? Eh, they'll get over it. By tomorrow, depending on
Swanson's antics, I might be yesterday's news." Which would suit him just fine. It was flattering in a way to be the center
of gossip, but on the other hand it was unnerving. Being the center of attention meant just that, people were always
watching.
She had actually done more listening and smiling than talking during her 'girl's day out'. Her private life was private and
Hector even more so to her. But she'd enjoyed herself and the nurses had been more than content to simply share
guesses - and horror stories about past clinic visits. Though it had made her question for the first time why he had
turned to her out of all the choices he'd had. She knew for a fact she hadn't set out to 'snare' him. They'd just seemed
to slowly melt together without too much effort on anyone's part. Not every miracle needed loud trumpets and sparkling
light. The best kinds, she thought, were the ones that fit perfectly into your life and yet made everything better.
And she knew for a fact, thanks to her day today, that some of the women on base had had their own interest in him.
She couldn't say she blamed them in the least.
"I didn't realize I was attempting snaggery." She admitted before a smile softened her face and she reached up to
touch his lips lightly with the tips of her fingers. "They were also very interested in how good of a kisser you were." She
added, light teasing in her eyes.
"Hmm. Not sure how it works, but I think it works best if it's not the intention. I don't know." He said with a chuckle. “So
does this mean I can run around the Red Cross camp telling them I 'snagged' you? That could be fun. At least the
running part at this point."
He looked at her at her last addition. "Really? And what did you tell them?" He asked, chuckling, and curious.
She snuggled herself more comfortably against him, feeling a bit smug. After all, surely every woman thought that the
man she loved was the best man there was. She just happened to know it for a fact. Fingers light she traced across his
features. Pleased. It was very difficult not to brag about him when someone asked.
"Well, a real lady doesn't talk about her private life." She informed him primly. Eyes laughing. "But if I didn't say
anything they would have come to their own conclusions anyway." Not that most of them hadn't had high expectations
for him anyway. Not that she blamed them. "But it’s been such a very long time since I've been kissed." She informed
him solemnly, dark eyes meeting his. "I think I've forgotten. Without a reminder I'm not sure I can remember what I told
them."
"First you tell me to get some sleep and that rest is very important, and are probably in cahoots with Cara for sedating
me, now you hold that against me?" He asked with a chuckle. "You gotta make up your mind. Especially if you're then
going to hold it as leverage and all. Kind of a cheap negotiating ploy." He said and winked. "Which, I always seem to fall
for." He said and then he kissed her.
Her lips were already curving upward in a smile as his covered them and her arms reached up to wrap around him in
welcome, drawing him down and closer. Pure joy bubbled through her bloodstream.