"Then next time we'll take some time off together. Not because you've been shot." She gave him a soft smile and
brushed her fingers softly down his cheek. "And we'll go home. To your home. So you can make gumpo and drink
real American sweet tea. Cold. With lots of ice cubes." She mocked a shudder at the aberration of it all. "Next time.
But for right now here in the shade, with you, is very, very nice. And I can still pretend everyone knows tea is
supposed to be hot and in a cup. With honey."
"That's what we drink coffee for." He said with a chuckle. "Hot, with lots of sugar and no cream or half and half. Strong
enough that even I don't have to add tabasco sauce to it. Then, after I've ruined your digestion system with the joe, I'll
introduce you to good ole deep south sweet tea. And we'll see how much you appreciate it then, especially on a hot
muggy day."
Her lips curved even more and she gave him a look, eyes dancing. "So you're threatening to sheer off my sense of
taste so that I won't mind drinking your unnatural concoction?" Her eyebrows went up at him. "And I'm supposed to be
looking forward to this? Oh yeah." She laughed. "You do know how to tempt a girl."
"Hey, could be worse. Could try to cajole you into my mercies with talks of truck shows and road rallies." He said with
a chuckle. "So coffee and tabasco sauce is relatively benign when you look at it that, way, right?"
Andi faked shock.
"You have mercies?" She asked, curling her hands in the front of his shirt as her wide eyes looked up at him. "Since
when? I remember having to beg for your mercy the last time you took it upon yourself to extract information from
me." Her lips curved upward in a grin and she leaned in to nuzzle against his jaw line. "Mercies." She chortled the
word. "Evil clutches is closer. Though I do love listening to you mangle the Queen's good English." She added after a
moment's pause. "Listening to you talk about road rollies might work better than threatening my sense of taste." She
decided, intentionally mispronouncing the word.
"It's all better seen than described." He said. "So I guess I'm just giving you incentive to pay the States a visit or two,
aren't I?" He said with a grin looking down at her.
He knew Martinez and Cara weren't fooled, the minute she was gone, the chase was on. He was supposed to have a
follow up appointment, which of course he'd skip. Maybe he'd be lucky and be off on an op and have a legitimate
excuse for once.
Andi gave it some serious thought. Or at least pretended to.
"Road rollies, gumpo, and angry Sox. Why, it’s a wonder I haven't been there already!" Her laughing eyes met his
and her smile softened. "All you had to do was say you'd be there. That's everything I want. The rest you'll just have
to get me addicted to once we get there."
"I will." He assured her with a smile. "And you'll enjoy every minute of it." He looked at her seriously, he knew the time
together was waning with every single moment. And there was nothing either could do about that. "Just don't forget
me."
“Hector..." Her eyes blinked, suddenly srticken and found his. Her face softened with a mix of both love and sorrow.
Slow, she reached up with her slim fingers and gently smoothed them along the familiar planes and angles of his
face. The ones she re-memorized every night as he slept next to her. Who had ever left him thinking he was easy to
leave? Or forget? "Oh." her voice was soft and low. "Never that, my love. Not even after my last breath." Her hands
framed his face and she held his eyes with her own. Gently and absolutely sure, she gave him a soft smile. "You I
love. I've never said that to another man before. And I never will again, say it as I do to you now. You have my heart
forever. I will forget myself before I forget you."
Hector nodded.
After what he had just put her through with his unfortunately timed and placed injury, he wouldn't have blamed her
had she just decided to wash her hands of him, now that he was okay. Stick it out until he could 'handle' it or
something polite and compassionate like that. Figuring he was too much trouble to really put that much time and
effort and heart into it.
And he would have understood. He probably would have volunteered for an over the top mission that wasn't readily
offered to anyone, but he would have understood.
"Love you too."
She watched his eyes. Those dark, dark eyes. So full of everything that was hidden inside him. Those eyes, and what
was inside them, could break her heart. Because his own broken heart was just below that dark surface.
Tonight was going to be so lonely without him...
She rested her forehead against his. Voice soft.
"Then remember," she touched his lips lightly with her fingertips, "I don't leave the people I love. Not for heartache or
difficulty or distraction. I never have. They always leave me. Or send me away. You won't lose me until you decide
you don't want me anymore." Her lips shifted slightly into a sad smile. "And even then I'll still spend the rest of my life
waiting for you to call for me."