THE TIES THAT BIND
BY: THE BARD
Chapter Ten
Sanctuary
Lady Jaye sat back on the couch and closed her eyes, enjoying the first moment of peace in about three days. Scarlet had gone over to 'visit' Duke, and the other Joes had all gone back to their rooms or reported for night duty.
"At least I managed to finish unpacking", she thought to herself. Scarlet had helped, going through her roommate's wardrobe with an eye for what she could borrow. In fact, the Ralph Lauren sweater she had on when she left had never made it into a drawer.
Once the others had left, they had chatted for hours...old friends reunited after a long absence. They talked about nothing and everything, things that happened on the base while Jaye was 'away', what her life was like out in England, what shoes would go well with this particular pair of pants as well as an in depth discussion about the goings on of their favorite TV show...
Of course, Red had immediately jumped on her about her 'moment' with Flint on the island. Jaye grimaced at the thought. She was a bit embarrassed about the whole thing. She still couldn't believe she had done something so impetuous, so rash. Truth be told, she was a bit worried about seeing him again and was happy he was in a closed door meeting with the command team.
"I guess Shipwreck told you, then...."
"Told me?', Scarlet laughed, "Have you forgotten what our favorite sea dog is like when he gets his teeth into a good story."
"The whole base knows then?" Jaye groaned.
"What's a matter, LJ? Don't tell me you are upset about this..."
"Upset? Why would I be upset? I just kissed my CO, my partner, my best friend right smack on the lips. What was I thinking? I'll tell you what I was thinking...I wasn't!"
Scarlet looked at her roommate in amazement. "You can't be serious...you actually think..."
"That this is going to ruin the professional relationship I have with him, my friendship with him...yes...the whole deal. Believe me, I know. It's going to be awkward now between us. Not to mention the fact he is probably angry as hell about the talk going around the base. You know how he is about his professional reputation...."
There was a pause in the conversation as Jaye continued to hang up her clothes while Scarlet stared at her from the bed.
"You know, Jaye..."
"I can't even pretend it never happened now that every Joe and his brother knows. Maybe I can claim temporary insanity due to physical trauma..."
"Do you love him?"
Jaye turned to her friend, taken aback by the suddenness of the question and the seriousness of the tone. She answered without a seconds thought. "Of course I do. You know that!"
Red smiled at her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Then take this little piece of advice. Trust him. Now, could you please tell me if you have anything in this trunk that I can wear tonight?"
That was the end of that conversation. She knew Red was keeping something from her but she decided not to press matters.
She yawned and got up to get a cup of coffee. Jet-lag was always a problem for her, but it was nothing a little caffeine wouldn't clear up. At least she hoped it would work. She hadn't had a moment to rest since Duke mysteriously showed up on her doorstep two days ago.
To say she was surprised to see him would be an understatement.
She had handed William her resignation the day they had arrived back in England. He hadn't protested, just given her a hug and said that if she ever wanted to come back she would be more than welcome.
"You will miss it, you know...the action, the adventure..."
"William, love, I probably will. But at this point in my life, I think I need a time out. Maybe I will take up piano again. Certainly continue to train with Othello. Who knows..."
Her old friend smiled mysteriously.
"Just don't get too comfortable..."
"OH NO...you aren't pulling me in again. You tell my father that I have had enough. Do you hear me Will? WILL!" Too late, he had been pulled away by some other agents and was heading back into their meeting.
Duke showed up a couple of days after that, as she was putting Othello through his paces under her coach's watchful eye. Her arm was killing her, but she needed to keep focused on something or risk sinking into a deep hole. Her short stint with the Joes, with Flint, had reopened all the old wounds.
"Pay attention, my Lady, he is getting away from you. Pull him in!"
She played with the reins a bit and he collected...but not without a bit of a fight. He was a willful horse, and he knew she wasn't all there.
"Ok...lets see a canter at E, circle right then collected trot...."
She followed his instructions as Hans rattled off a complicated pattern. She was doing relatively well until she spotted a blond, uniformed figure standing at ringside, watching her work.
"ALI...WATCH YOU LEADS!"
Othello started fighting her again. She managed to pull him back but her arm was aching terribly. Not that she would admit it. The doctor had told her before he left to stay off the horses for a while or risk re-injury.
"Better! BETTER! Yes, that's it...left lead, right lead, left lead, right....Ok...enough. I can see your arm is hurting. You cannot hide it from me or your horse. We will pick this up again next week."
She slowed the big stallion to a walk and made her way towards Duke.
"You looked good out there, soldier. I see you are just as stubborn about ignoring doctor's orders as ever." He said, gesturing towards her bandaged arm.
"Its just a scratch, sir" She mumbled, "I'll live"
Duke laughed. "You don't need to call me sir anymore, Alison. Or Duke for that matter. Conrad will do just fine."
She dismounted and gestured for a groom to come and take her horse. She would usually cool him off and un-tack him herself, but she had a feeling that Duke wasn't here on a social call.
"Come along, then sir...uhhh...Conrad...I hope you haven't eaten yet. I will have cook prepare something for us..." He nodded.
"Scarlet told me about your house. She didn't do it justice. You have a beautiful property here. Really lovely."
"Thank you. It's a bit much for just one person, mind you...but its home."
Jaye gave him a quick tour before they settled down to eat. They talked about military matters for a while, about the differences between the British and US military, about the last mission. Then, as Brian was bringing in dessert, Duke said the absolute last thing she expected to hear again in her life.
"So, Would you be interested in joining a covert special forces anti-terrorist group in the US?"
She was stunned...and it showed on her face because Duke burst out laughing.
"I'm serious, Alison. We want you back. We need you back. You are one of the best intelligence officers we have ever had..."
"Are you out of your mind?" she checked herself then remembered he was no longer her commanding officer, she could say whatever the hell she wanted, "Do you know who I am? I am a McCullen! I betrayed you to my family! I am not even a member of your military. If this is some kind of joke, it is in very poor taste." She got up and walked towards the window.
"This is no joke, Lady Jaye." Her use of her old code name made her turn. He was up and standing behind her.
"Your name is being cleared as we speak. We know all about what actually went down." He put a hand on her shoulder. "In fact, I feel we owe you an apology. We should never have doubted you."
"Apology?" She bowed her head..."No, you don't need to apologize. I would have done the same had the situations been reversed. But how can you know? We swore an oath..."
"Which is no longer valid. Destro saw to that. It was the price the mi-6 and our brass had to pay for his help with the last mission."
"He what?" Although part of her was amazed by what she had just heard, she knew her uncle well enough to realize this was a very typical gesture for him. Despite all they had gone through she was family...he would look after his blood until his dying day..
Her thoughts were interrupted. "Your government wants someone on our team. They want in on the action. Hawk wouldn't take anyone but you."
"Stop right there, Duke. No way. I am NOT going back to mi-6. I just resigned...you can tell my father the ambassador that I am not playing those games anymore..."
"No, no...we know you resigned. That's why we are after you. We want you on the team. For real this time. No strings attached. You would be a Joe. Your father disapproved of our choice but its your decision in the end."
She paused for a moment, considering his words.
"Look, Alison. I can imagine how hard it is to give up this lifestyle. But I feel I know you well enough to say that you loved your time with GIJOE. You are very good at what you do. I think, in fact, that if you didn't accept you would regret it, that you would miss it after a while..."
"Now you sound like William."
"Maybe he is right. You were made for greater things, Lady Jaye...I can't see you playing the lady of the manor just yet."
"And besides," he continued, smiling "there is a certain Warrant Officer who is about to be assigned a new teammate. Now, I don't want to be the one to tell him that unless the 'new' partner happens to be you. I value my life."
He had left for his hotel then, despite protests that he should stay at the manor. There was more than enough room. He waved off the offer, saying that he wanted her to think about the offer for a while on her own, without him pressuring her. He would be back for her answer the next day.
She didn't tell him that she had made up her mind to accept the minute he put the offer on the table. He was right about her. She loved her job on the Joe team. She wasn't ready to retire just yet.
As she was pouring her coffee, something on the shelf near the TV caught her eye and brought her back to the present. She went to investigate.
The area in question was covered with framed pictures of all sizes. Jaye was familiar with most of them...Some in fact where hers...but there was a new photo among them. She picked up the pewter frame.
It was an informal shot of Shipwreck, Snake Eyes, Duke, Scarlet, herself and Flint. They were all in civies, sitting on the terrace of a Paris cafe. This must have been taken when they were in Europe two years ago on training...and she guessed Scarlet had finally gotten round to developing one of the many rolls of film sitting in her dresser drawer.
They all looked so happy. Duke had his arms around Scarlet and they were both laughing, Shipwreck was feeding Polly a croissant, eyeing the leggy girls sitting at the other table, while Snake Eyes was trying to figure out the map. She focused in on Flint, who was grinning, one hand holding his coffee, the other hand draped casually around her shoulder. They were sitting close together, sharing the newspaper.
She put the picture back and sighed, sipping the coffee.
"I remember that trip. You dragged me to every shoe store in town..."
She jumped at the sound of the voice, nearly spilling her coffee in the process. She turned around and came face to face with Flint.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. The door was open..." He looked at her closely for the first time since she had left him on the beach a week ago. She was wearing jeans and a hooded ARMY sweatshirt...and even in this casual get-up it was all Flint could do to control himself.
"Oh, that's ok...It must be the jet-lag. I don't usually let people sneak up on me like that." Flint grimaced, and Jaye laughed when she saw the expression on his face...both of them remembering that time he had tried to scare her on Halloween, sneaking up behind her in the motor pool late that night. He had been kneed in a very sensitive spot for his troubles.
"Oh god...don't make me apologize for that again! You know I felt terrible about it" Flint smiled at her, enjoying the sound of her laughter.
"I'm sorry it's so late. Hawk kept us in overtime. Otherwise, I would have come to welcome you back sooner."
Flint had listened closely as Hawk went over the reports they had written up about the Weapon-19 mission. It had taken a long time. The Ambassador had many questions...all of which were extremely pertinent and showed a depth of knowledge that at any other time would have impressed the hell out of him. This evening, however, he had other things on his mind.
Duke must have noticed him fidgeting, because he leaned over and discreetly punched him in the arm while Hawk wasn't looking.
"Pay attention, Dash."
He rubbed his arm and grunted in reply.
"So then general," Lord Burnett turned to look in his direction, "Is this the officer assigned to my daughter?"
"Yes, Ambassador. This is Flint, our Warrant Officer and third in command of this outfit. He has been partnered up with Lady Jaye for about three years now. They work well together...we didn't feel it was necessary to break up the team."
Flint nodded. He wasn't quite sure what to say. The man was staring quite intently, studying him. It made him feel uncomfortable, but nevertheless he stood his ground and didn't break the gaze.
Burnett must have admired this reaction for he smiled then and nodded, turning back to Hawk. "Good. I needn't remind you that my government wishes to be informed of any and all operations pertaining to the European theatre from this point onwards. COBRA is an international threat, and as such should be dealt with by an international team."
Beachhead spoke up then. "With all do respect, sir. We have done the job well all these years without foreign help. This team is made up of the best the US has to offer..."
"I understand that, young man, and our intention is not to take away from that achievement...but to add to it. We hope to learn from what you have done here...maybe start our own team in years to come."
"The Ambassador is right." Duke added, "We can only benefit from the soldiers the Brits have to offer if Lady Jaye is any indication."
The meeting went on from there, and was actually very interesting. Flint got pretty into it, so much so that he forgot the time. Three hours had passed before Hawk called it quits.
"Ok. I think that's enough for tonight. Ambassador, I can't thank you enough for coming in. We look forward to working with you....Flint, could you stay behind a minute. The rest of you, go and get some sleep. Dismissed."
"Wonderful...another delay." he thought, "What could he possibly have to say that's so important that it has to be done tonight?"
"Flint." He turned and noticed Jaye's father had stopped on his way out and was looking at him closely again, "I trust you will keep my daughter safe."
"I do what I can...but she is very capable of taking care of herself."
From the look on his face, it was the right answer. "Yes, of course. I hope we can get to know each other better sometime. William was very impressed with you. We were actually considering wooing you over to mi-6."
That surprised him, but he kept a straight face. "I have my hands full here at the moment, but thank you."
"Yes...well...know that the offer stands." With that he shook his hand and left.
Hawk closed the door and went to sit at the edge of his desk.
"Flint. We need to have a chat."
"Sir?"
"It has come to my attention that your relationship with Lady Jaye might be on the verge of moving in a direction that is something more than professional."
Shipwreck...I am going to kill you.
"Sir...I think..."
"No, Flint...let me finish. I have known for a while that your 'feelings' towards your partner have been more than 'just friends'. To tell you the truth, I am surprised this hasn't come up sooner. I was fully expecting to have this chat with you a very long time ago."
He didn't know what to say. He hoped this was not going where he thought it was going.
"I needn't remind you of our Military's regulations about fraternization with a subordinate."
"Yes Sir,"
Hawk laughed. "Don't look so deflated, soldier. I am not done. You are one of my best officers. Your work with Lady Jaye has been beyond all expectation. I have no complaints whatsoever. Your actions in the last confrontation with COBRA were exemplary. As such, I have decided to 'look the other way' with regards to your personal relationship with her."
"That said...I expect you to be discreet about it. I realize you are the last person in the world I need to remind about this, but in the heat of the moment things sometimes get a little out of hand. And if I ever...EVER...see that this arrangement is affecting your work in a negative manner, I will come down on you so hard that you will remember to your dying day why they call me the Tomahawk."
"Yes sir."
"Ok...I think I have kept you long enough. I am sure there is someplace else you would rather be right now."
Flint smiled.
"Dismissed."
Lady Jaye broke his reverie with a question, "Duke got out of the meeting a while ago. I was wondering what happened to you. Hawk kept you behind?"
"Ummm...yeah." He sat down on the sofa and took off his beret.
Here it goes...he thought.
"To tell you the truth. He wanted to talk to me about my relationship with you."
Her eyes went wide, and then she looked away...putting her coffee down on the TV.
"Oh God, Flint...I'm so sorry. That was all my fault. I shouldn't have done what I did on that last mission. I promise, it won't happen again."
He got up and quickly came up behind her to whisper in her ear "Don't make promises you won't be able to keep."
What? Did she hear him correctly? She turned around and they stood face to face...very close. She could feel the heat off his body, smell his musky scent...she could sense his tension. It wasn't the tension of battle, something she had felt off him many times before...this was different. She felt her body responding and tried to fight it down.
"Flint...I..."
He brushed his hand softly across her cheek. It came to rest around the back of her neck. He pulled her towards him and their lips met. It was an instantaneous explosion of pleasure, of passion...held in for too long...Jaye's body responded immediately, pulling closer to his. His arms were around her now, her arms around him. His hands began to gently roam her back.
Suddenly he pulled away...she looked at him askance.
"Oh boy..." he pulled his hand through his hair, looking sheepish, like a little boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Jaye, I had better get this off my back now. I don't think I am going to be able to stop myself if we go any further."
She was about to tell him she didn't mind when he put a finger on her lips.
"Shhh...No, let me say this...its been sitting in here too long." He indicated his heart, "It has to be said."
"Alison...I've done a lot of thinking this past year while you were gone, about things that I never told you. I missed you terribly. I was angry, but it paled in comparison to the hurt I felt at losing you. I am not very good a expressing my feelings...I...no, that's a lie. I was afraid. Afraid to admit how I felt about you...afraid to deal with all the emotions welling up inside me every time I saw you. It wasn't until I saw you again, until I nearly lost you to a bullet, that I realized what a fool I'd been."
He looked up into her eyes then, and brushed his hand slowly long her cheek...
"I love you, Jaye. I have loved you for a good long time now...I just could never admit it to myself...to you...until now."
She stood there silently, floored by what she had just heard. She didn't know what to say, to do...
"Is this a dream? I must have fallen asleep..."
He cocked his head, looking at her with a questioning glance, and pulled away.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lay all this on you like that...I guess that is a lot for you to think about all at once. Should I leave you alone for a bit..."
"No...Don't go..." She grabbed his arm and pulled him closer, "Its just a shock, that's all. I never thought you felt the same way..."
"You mean...?", he flashed her a happy, lopsided grin. She laughed at the sweet and eager expression on his face. This was the Flint that no one knew but her. This was the man behind the uniform. Behind the rank.
"Flint...you have to be the most clueless male I have ever met. Of course I love you. I always have. With all of my heart."
He gathered her up into his arms and kissed her gently on the lips.
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Flint awoke in the darkness, disoriented for a moment. He felt a warm body nestled beside him and remembered where he was.
He smiled, pulling Jaye's naked body closer to his. The touch of her skin on his was enough to send waves of desire pulsing through his body, as exhausted as it was. She mumbled something in her sleep and cuddled closer.
"Shhh...sleep." He whispered, kissing her on the top of her head.
She must be wiped. Neither of them had gotten much sleep last night...the two of them spent the hours exploring, getting to know each others bodies as well as they knew each others hearts. It had been an incredible experience. He was no beginner in the bedroom, but last night he felt he had finally learned the difference between the expressions "having sex" and 'making love'.
He looked at the clock...5 am. The sun wasn't even up yet and his internal alarm clock had gone off, not caring that Duke had given him the day off. Needless to say, he planned on making the most of it. He had some surprises up his sleeve for his lovely lady...but now he wondered if he would be able to get out of bed...for his body was beginning to respond to her proximity.
"Flint...why are you up? Don't you have the day off?" a sleepy voice asked from beside him.
"Force of habit." He nestled down close to her and kissed her. "I didn't mean to wake you. "
She smiled. "My circadian rhythm is stuck in another time zone...and besides." She poked him playfully in the side, "I just remembered something... " She nimbly leaned over him, grabbing something out of her night table drawer.
"Mmmm...this is nice."
"Flint...don't you ever get tired?" She sat up and began to fiddle with the clasp on a small leather bag.
"No...not really. It must be that sexy accent."
She playfully tapped him on the forehead. "I have something that might distract you..."
"I doubt it...hey...what's this?" She handed him a set of keys. "Is this what I think it is?" He got up and looked at her excitedly.
"Keys to the Porsche...It's a lovely morning, and we are already up. How about we go and take a drive. Catch the sunrise."
He looked at her and smiled..."Where have you been all my life?"
"Right here, you big goof. Waiting for you to come to your senses."
His expression turned serious, then...as his eyes met hers. "You must miss you old life. Living the way you did and having to give it up to come to the US, to the army..."
She leaned in and kissed him, "Not as much as I missed you and the team while I was over there this past year...and besides, I didn't give anything up. Its still there waiting for me, for us."
He paused and took her hand. "Us?"
"There is an 'us' now, isn't there?"
He smiled at her and squeezed her hand. "I think there has been an 'us' since our very first meeting, partner"
"Now," he continued as he playfully pinned her down and leaned on top of her, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but the car can wait...Right now...I have to get something out of my system."
She smiled at him. Her teammate, her best friend, her lover...
"Why not...we do have the whole day."
"Jaye...my love...we have our whole lives..."
~End~
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