A Night Away
Disclaimer: I make no money from these stories and acknowledge the sole rights of the original owners to do so.
A/N: A quick oneshot to amuse while I'm working on my other stories behind the scenes.
Linka was bored and wishing she were back on Hope Island… with a certain red-headed American. The Russian girl smiled as she remembered the last few evenings. The long walks on the beach, the tender kisses… and afterwards back in his cabin.
"See, I knew you'd enjoy it!" Gi exclaimed, totally misinterpreting the dreamy look on her friends face.
Gi had insisted on dragging Linka with her to her friends birthday celebration. The Wind Planeteer had objected on the grounds that she had only met Karen once but the Asian girl had assured her that her friend had specifically included her in the invitation. Then the Russian had suggested that they were too old for a sleepover, but Gi assured her that it would be a fun 'girly' night and that Linka would love it.
She hadn't mentioned the club… with the male dancers… with very few clothes on.
Linka was not impressed. If she had wanted to stare at a half naked man, she had one at home who was far more appealing… at least to her. Of course Gi didn't know that.
Wanting to prove that their relationship would work without disrupting the Team, Wheeler had convinced her that they could have dates without letting the others know, thereby proving that they could keep their love life separate from their work. It had worked so well that about a week previously things had progressed beyond dating, and Linka had not slept in her own cabin since.
And now she would be spending a whole night away from him. He had better sleep as badly as I will! She thought ungenerously, but then relented, he hadn't been at all happy about her going, and even less pleased that he couldn't say anything about it.
So here she was, stuck with a lot of screaming women looking at men she had no interest in, and she didn't even drink.
The final act did what Karen called a 'Fully Monty' and again the women went wild, screaming and whistling, while Linka just sat there feeling somewhat embarrassed.
"Oh wow!" Chantelle exclaimed to Linka as they exited the club and looked for their taxi. "Did you see the guy on the far right? He was well fit!"
The Russian raised an eyebrow and replied. "I guess they all worked out, da."
"Nooo," Her companion replied. "I mean he was gorgeous, and very well put together if you know what I mean?" She winked.
Linka looked surprised but did not answer until they got into the cab. "Really? I thought that they were all a bit erm… lacking?"
She blushed red as they other four girls turned to stare at her.
"You are kidding?" Sharon responded, seeming to voice the thoughts of the others.
Karen grinned. "What part of Russia do you come from Linka? I might consider moving there!"
Gi looked embarrassed. "Don't mind Linka she hasn't had any experience with men."
"Oh honey, are you in for a disappointment then!" Chantelle told Linka, making the others laugh and the planeteer seethe quietly.
They had had dinner before they went out but on their return to Karen's house, their host provided lots of nibbles, which they ate while watching a couple of movies. They had changed into their night things and were prepared to ooh and ahh over the guys in the romances.
Linka was quieter than usual, not really joining the silliness, and when they finally turned in – curling up on the small airbeds that had been set up in the lounge for the sleepover – she found herself crying.
"What's wrong?" Gi whispered, breaking her out of her reverie.
The Russian shook her head, "Nothing Gi, go to sleep."
"You're crying." The other planeteer said sitting up. "Come on."
She got up quietly so as not to wake the others, and led her friend to the kitchen. Gi pulled out two chairs from the table and once they were seated said. "Tell me what's wrong?"
Linka looked away, worried about telling her friend her secret but after a short reflection, realised that she needed to. "I am sorry Gi, I did not want to keep things from you but we thought… that is we wanted to see if things would work between us first."
"We?" Gi asked, then with a smile forming on her lips. "You mean you and Wheeler."
The beautiful blond blushed, "Da… we have been seeing each other. A lot."
"But Linka that's wonderful!" The Asian exclaimed, trying to keep her voice hushed while overjoyed by her friends news. "By why were you crying? Because you miss him?"
Linka smiled at her friend, glad that she had taken the deception so well and not even minding the teasing she heard in her voice. "Da." She replied softly.
"Lucky it's only one night then." Amusement gleamed in Gi's eyes but Linka could tell she wasn't being unkind. "Why don't you call him and say goodnight?"
Linka shook her head. "It would just make it harder for us to be apart and I cannot sleep now."
"Why?" the Water Planeteer looked confused.
Blushing once more, the Russian tried to avoid answering her. "Because we are so far apart."
"It's not that far!" Gi protested. "What difference does it make where you are when you say goodnight anyway?" Then realisation dawning. "Unless you want a kiss!"
"I do not want to be apart from him anymore." Linka confessed, "I cannot just say goodnight and then not be with him."
Gi's eyes opened wide. "You want to be with him after you say goodnight? Just how long has this been going on?"
"We have been together for a couple of months…" she looked down at the floor. "We have been sleeping together since last Thursday."
Gi exclaimed something in her native language that Linka didn't understand and then said. "Why didn't you tell me?!"
"We wanted to keep it private." Linka replied, beginning to cry again.
The water planeteer sighed and moved her chair so that she could put her arm around her distressed friend. "Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."
"It is okay." Linka told her friend. "I am being stupid but I did not think it would be this bad, it is only for one night after all."
"That's what love does to you." Gi grinned, "I bet Wheeler has been giving the boys a hard time, he's never in a good mood when you're away." They both chuckled. "Come on, lets go back to bed, you should at least try to get some sleep and I know I need to, because one of us needs to be awake to pilot the eco-copter tomorrow."
Linka nodded and followed her friend back to the living room. "Thank you." She whispered once they were settled and got a sleepy smile in response.
The boys were all relieved to see the eco-copter return the next day. Gi had been right in her assumption, Wheeler had been in a foul temper since they'd left.
Now however, the fire planeteer was all smiles and as Linka alighted from their craft ran forward to pick her up. Then he surprised all present by kissing her as if he hadn't seen her in a month, though what surprised the others more was Linka's enthusiastic response.
When they parted the Russian girl smiled at her partner and wrapping her arms around his neck, said. "Subtle."
"Sorry." He grimaced. "It's just, I've been going crazy. Don't go away again! Please?"
Giving him a small kiss in return, Linka replied. "I will not and it is okay, I have already told Gi about us anyway."
It was Wheelers turn to be surprised. "You have?"
"She had to." Gi supplied. "I demanded to know why she was crying herself to sleep."
Wheelers arms automatically tightened about his girlfriends waist but she hushed him, snuggling closer to soothe his fears. "I missed you that is all."
"I missed you too." He told her, turning his head to kiss her temple.
"I'll say he did." Kwame added. "I take it all this means you are a couple now?" and when they nodded. "Fine, then Linka for goodness sake do not go away without him again!"
Laughing, they turned to head back towards their settlement when Gi suddenly exclaimed and covered her face.
They all immediately asked her what was wrong but when she looked up, she met Linka's eyes whilst carefully avoiding Wheelers. "I just realised what you meant last night!" and seeing her friends confusion. "You erm, said the entertainment was lacking…" her eyes flicked briefly to Wheeler.
Linka burst into a peal of laughter and nodded, and was soon joined by Gi, though both girls steadfastly refused to explain their mirth.