This was beyond stupid. Hector knew that. He knew that the minute they stepped out of this tent, the world and all its
problems would come crushing down on them once more. Her with her illnesses to heal and wounds to mend, him and
his battles to fight.
But right now, the tent was holding that world at bay with its canvas walls, the outside camp barely able to be heard.
Quiet, peaceful....
And temporary. He wouldn't be staying here forever, he'd have to leave the safe enclosure of her world. And that's
how she made him feel....safe. And his world, insecure and dangerous, had so little of that.
So it would be stupid, on the other hand, to not grasp it while he had the chance, right? Besides, he had given her
the chance to run away, or walk away, whichever one she wanted to do, and she didn't. She stayed and moved closer
as he scanned her face for the answer to just about every question he had ever asked anyone in his life.
So he decided to grab hold of that peace, and hold it close as he completely turned his body around on that box to
face her and did just what he had promised to do, what she in fact had asked him to promise to do, and kissed her,
holding her body and the peace it gave him to his own.
She came into his arms and tipped her face to his even as he reached for her. Quiet sigh slipping out of her as his
lips covered her own. This... this was what she wanted, she thought as her eyes closed and her arms shifted to wind
around his wide shoulders. This was safe and strong and warm and right and... and home... This was home... And
while a distant voice in her head tried to warn her, she softened against him, fitting closer. Trusting him and that
feeling. If she never trusted anything again, she trusted that feeling. Trusted him...
The kiss shifted. Went deeper and softer and hungry and gentle and sweet and needing. Drowned her and she
welcomed that. Because the need and the gentleness and all the rest - that was her. And him. And she lost track of
the difference. Her fingers wound softly into the dark hair at the back of his neck. Wanting... just him...
He was screwed now, he knew that from the instant her lips touched his in their embrace. He'd known this woman for
less than forty-eight hours, and already he'd confessed the parts of himself that he never had to anyone else, even
the guys he grew up with, or the guys in his chalk. No one else would believe some of the insecurity he had, he
always came off as coolly confident and utterly capable.
But he returned the kiss, started the kiss, it was all blending together in a sweetly remarkable way, as if the world
outside fully ceased to exist and time had stopped for the two of them, just so that they could savor this one, precious
moment before life intruded again. And he wasn't sure if he should be thankful, or curse it for its cruelty.
She was a logical, think it through woman. It was part of her personality and part of her training as a doctor. But that
wasn't all she was. She was also a missionary's daughter. And she knew there were some things you just accepted
and took on faith. Whether they made sense or not. Whether it was 'wise' or not. Certain things that you simply
opened your arms to and accepted. No matter how backward it might seem.
Right now, in Hector's arms, his mouth against hers, drowning in the strange new and yet familiar feel and scent of
him - she simply accepted. That this, Hector, now - this was right. Right where she belonged.
"Don't mind me." Mike commented dryly. "I'm just here for a beer."
If there was ever a 'busted!' moment in his life, strangely enough, this was it. Mike walking into the tent and catching
them in an embrace...somehow was worse than when he was fourteen and his father caught him making out with his
then girlfriend.
"So, really. Don't pay any attention to me at all." Mike said, reaching between the two of them when they separated
for the beer, his beer (his favorite All American brand he had stashed here). Of course, in doing so, he managed to
push the Delta back a bit more. Which resulted in both men exchanging warning glances. "Clancy's in the post op
tent, he'll be there for a while." He said, his tone as if nothing was wrong, but his face showed that he had seen
enough to know soon something would be.
"That's great." Hector said evenly.
"How is Clancy?" Andi asked. Because it was easier than dealing with the other jumble of things inside her. There was
an amount of mortification at being caught snogging and yet, a cheerful defiance that she had someone she thought
was worth kissing. The fact that it was Mike made things - different as well.
"Not good. Not bad." Mike answered, leaning a hip against a box as he twisted off the top of his beer. Body language
clearly saying that he wasn't going anywhere. He pulled his narrowed eyes away from Hector long enough to look at
Andi. And his face softened and a hidden sadness flickered through his blue eyes.
"I made a promise, Andi. Remember? He'll pull through." He took a swallow of his beer and then shook his head. "I
can't go back in. There's still a piece or two but I'm going to have to leave them. His body will either assimilate them or
push them out but they're not near anything vital and he's not going to tolerate me poking around anymore." He
looked tired. Like a man that had just fought off death and stitched up a shattered body. Rubbing a hand over his
face, he added: "If he holds out tonight, he should be good to ship in a few days." He looked at Hector again, eyes
tired and angry but the tired applied to what he was talking about and it was in his voice as he added: "He's out
though. PT alone is going to take him a good year or so. He's looking at an honorable discharge and a chance to
open up a bar or something."
Hector nodded. He figured. The standards for Delta Force were strict and stringent and offered no lee way. After what
he had seen happen in the OR, he knew that if Clancy pulled through he just bought himself a one way ticket back to
the States.
"I know Clancy." Hector said. "He'll be walking by December 12. He's getting married." He looked at Mike, brown eyes
met blue. "Thank you." He said, with feeling. The fact that Clancy was no longer a Delta didn't even matter, the fact
was Mike had saved his friend. He stopped just short of saying 'I owe you one,' Mike's expression gave him a clue as
to what the pay back the doctor would ask for would be.
But it didn't change that the two men were at a stalemate, neither willing to leave at this moment. Mike knew he had
patients to check on, but....
Hector knew he should check on his friends, but...
One tall, slender but.
"You're a miracle worker, Mike." Andi told him with a smile as she stood up. Well aware of the tension between the two
men. Also well aware that there wasn't anything she could do that would change it. What bothered her was the Mike
and Hector seemed to like each other. They could have been friends. But Mike was going protective to match Suzette
now. As her friend it was his right but she wished he hadn't.
"Its in the blood. Can't help being the best." Mike commented mildly. Shooting Hector a look. Because Andi was
wrong. He wasn't thinking of her like a friend at the moment. And as drained and tired as he was, he was pretty sure
he could dredge up enough energy to face the Delta right now.
"Mm." Andi commented. Well aware it was time to shift everyone's venues. "I'll tell Suz you said so." She paused until
he looked at her. "We're stocking trauma kits. I was supposed to get a report before I came back with more supplies."
She gave the conversation's direction shift a moment to settle in and then added: "I could use some help carry boxes
to the clinic if you could both spare a couple of minutes."
"Yeah, I can do that." Hector said, getting smoothly off the box, he and Mike still staring at each other as Hector
walked over to Mike. "Excuse me." Hector said, reaching around Mike for a box of syringes, moving him just as Mike
had moved Hector a few moments before. Oh yeah, it would probably come down to something between the two men
before Hector left this camp. Hector could see it now, and the challenge was pretty clear in Mike's eyes.
And would Hector fight Mike for her if it came down to it? Well, she wouldn't like the answer, but he would. And he'd
win too.
"Sure, Andi." Mike agreed mildly, taking another long swallow before he set his beer down and to the side, eyes hard
on Hector even if he didn't respond to the nudge, any more than Hector had to his earlier. They were both a bit above
petty. These were warnings and clear statements of intent. But here wasn't the time or the place for anything else.
Truthfully, he didn't have to do anything. The Delta would be gone in a few days and that would, most likely, be the
end of things.
Except of course, if it had been him, something as insignificant as troop positioning and outside regulations wouldn't
have made much of a difference to him if he'd wanted to see her on his down time. Mike picked up a couple of the
boxes Andi indicated, aware of the Delta and acting as if it didn't matter.
Not in front of her. But they would be dealing with this. Before the Delta shipped out. Mike wasn't one for gauging the
odds and assuming things would work out. He made sure they did. And Andi wasn't going to get her heart broken
over some fly boy.
"You do realize, as long as you've been gone, Suz has probably ditched the work and found something social to do."
He commented and watched her smile.
"I know. But she'll come back when I tell her I've got Clancy's report." Andi made sure the men were stocked with -
easily more boxes than they were going to need considering all she'd really come for was a box of gauze. But keeping
busy, keeping everyone busy, seemed like a good idea. She picked up the actually needed box of gauze and headed
out the entrance.
"As much as she'd like to pretend otherwise, she's been worried about him. She's already put teeth marks in three of
my pens." Hopefully, Suzette would forgive her for giving away one of her secrets. It seemed like a small sacrifice to
offer in the hopes of a nonthreatening conversation they could all take part in.
Hector just silently stacked the boxes in his arms and observed the conversation between her and Mike. He felt like
he was back in high school or something, and Mike was his main competitor for the affections of the head
cheerleader.
Well, it was kinda true, wasn't it?
"He's a good guy." He said about Clancy. "He deserves to be worried over."
"He'll be home soon." Andi commented. Choosing to believe Mike and in Hector's belief in that December wedding for
him. "And the worse anyone will have to worry over him about is whether his fiancee will drive him mad before the
wedding or not." She flashed Hector a smile. "If she doesn't just toss the entire idea and marry him as soon as he
reaches the States that is."
Molly looked up as they walked into the tent and laughed.
"We send you out for one box and you come back with a load of them and two men. Remind me to send you out for
pizza next time."
"Next errand's yours." Andi shook her head with a smile. Silently thankful for Molly's chipper presence. Andi could
imagine more uncomfortable situations. But it wasn't easy. Mike unloaded his boxes to the side and straightened up.
"I'll send Suz back." He offered. "I've still got reports to fill out and a beer to finish." Andi was safely transferred off to
the next person that could keep her from being alone with the Delta and he needed some time to think. All right, some
time to stew. And he preferred doing that in private. He gave the women a nod, met Hector's eyes levelly and then
ducked back out of the tent.
"So, Clancy's okay?" Molly asked, voice cautious. Andi nodded.
"He is." She agreed. Before adding: "Could you give me a minute, Molly?"
"Huh?" Molly asked blankly before her eyes went wide and she looked over at the soldier. And started to grin. "Yeah,
sure." She agreed cheerfully. "I'll go get us something to eat. Or drink. Or something like that. I'll even take my time. I
might get distracted along the way. Stop and smell the roses or something."
"Molly..." Andi was torn between laughing and closing her eyes. "Please?"
"Yeah, yeah." Molly teased. Grinning as she exited as well. Andi rubbed slim fingers absently against her forehead
before looking up at Hector.
"I'm sorry." She told him softly.
She wondered how that would be for him. After his recovery...
How it would feel adjusting to the everyday things most people took for granted. Realizing that there weren't going to
be anymore late night calls to report for duty or missions to foreign countries no one would ever hear about anymore.
Realizing that driving a car was the most dangerous things he'd have to do that day.
That leaving his fiancee meant a trip to the store and not to another country.
His expression softened when she apologized. "Sorry? For what?" He said. "For getting caught? For Mike giving me a
hard time? For being looked at by Molly like I was on display at a meat market?" He laughed at the last one and went
over to her, putting his hands on her shoulders and looking into those dark, dark eyes.
"Andi, there's nothing to apologize for. I'm a grown man, I can handle anything they throw at me." He said. "Course, I
should apologize to you for putting you in that position in the first place. But I'm not going to, because that would
mean feeling bad for the position, and I don't."
Some of the worry left her eyes as she looked up into his and a smile touched the edges of her lips.
"I rather enjoyed our 'position' myself" she told him. Raising her hands to spread them against his chest, to feel the
warmth of him, the low steady thrum of his heart, and let out a soft sigh. "I'm just sorry..." she shook her head.
Admitted with a soft laugh: "I'm sorry I've got such nosy, guard dog mates. Or at least that they act that way toward
you." She reached up. Gently cupped his cheek and added softly: "And I'm very sorry Suzette is supposed to be
coming back at any minute. It doesn't really allow enough time for a proper kiss goodbye before I have to get back to
work."
Hector grinned. "Remember how Mike said Delta know every back door, and I said that we take them?" He said,
taking her hand and leading her back to the door of the tent, which he closed and held closed in one hand,
positioned that even if someone tried to get in, they 1) wouldn't and 2) wouldn't see a thing. "He wasn't exaggerating."
With his free arm he pulled her toward him and kissed her.
Her arms went around him willingly and she leaned into him. Delighted and relieved to be back in his arms again. To
have her mouth under his, responding. The sweetness and the gentleness was still there but she felt the warning
edges of heat flickering in that kiss as well. And didn't know if that was hers or his or both. Just that her lips parted
willingly under his and the rest of the world could go to hell for all she cared at the moment. Because she had never
felt so safe and so wanted and so - whole before. And of everything surrounding this, and them, in the end that was
what really mattered.
The world completely closed in again, on that tent and that embrace as he held her as tight and as close as he could
with one arm, the other hand still holding the flap closed. He was completely caught up in this, their little isolated
world, and he was relieved and ecstatic that she seemed just as overwhelmed as him as she returned his kiss, then
he returned hers, until it seemed they were one person.
Of course, as was the way of the day, the spell was broken far too quickly by an annoyed French accented voice
tugging at the flap, and an American voice, deadly in its evenness, as if he knew, he just knew, saying "Just cut it
open."
Hector couldn't help it. He had to chuckle at the whole situation as he reluctantly released her. "I think that's my cue."
Andi gave a reluctant sound but stepped back as well. Eyes on his and laughing.
"You should go." She agreed. Reaching out to touch his cheek softly before stepping back further. Torn between
humor and eye rolling frustration at her 'friends' who seemed determined meddle whether she welcomed it or not. Oh.
She was going to hear about this. But at the moment she was too pleased to care.
"I'll see you and Clancy tonight." She promised. Still smiling. "Mr. Snuffles can stay home."
"Yeah, we've got enough chaperones, don't we?" He asked with an arched eyebrow as he released the flap and
Suzette breezed in like a hurricane that had been held at bay far too long. She stopped suddenly and gave Andi a
look, and Hector a glare as Hector merely nodded to her and stepped out of the tent where Mike was waiting.
Mike was going to be a problem, Hector knew that already. Some kind of romantic rival of some sorts, who didn't even
know he wanted to be a rival until someone else stepped on 'his' turf. at least that's what Hector saw. He could be
wrong. He hoped.
"Nice day." He said to Mike.