Author's Notes: This story takes place after "Powerful Urges". It's not a Lady Jaye/Pathfinder fic, just a short Dilemma fic, created for drama.
Lonely Heart
With a lull in enemy activity, those who were at GI Joe HQ took full advantage of it as a chance to get in some much needed recreation time.
Everyone that is, except for Pathfinder. He was beginning to go stir-crazy and it was making him crave some enemy action. Particularly when it involved a jungle mission, his specialty. As Pathfinder walked by the swimming pool, that was where he saw Lady Jaye. She was lying on one of those floating loungers, hoping to get a tan. Pathfinder tried not to stare, but seeing Lady Jaye in her favourite string bikini was proving too hard to resist, with the way it hugged her curves. Quit staring! Pathfinder scolded himself. She's gonna notice! Pathfinder had a crush on Lady Jaye, and wished he could see her without the bikini. Sensing that someone was watching her, Lady Jaye got up. That's when Pathfinder started to walk away, hoping she didn't notice him staring at her. "Hey Pathfinder!"
Busted.
Crap, Pathfinder cringed inwardly. "Lady Jaye."
"You look like you need some cooling off. Why don't you jump in? After you get changed, of course."
"Um, no." Pathfinder said. "But thanks anyway."
"Are you sure? The water's fine." Lady Jaye insisted. Where's a Cobra attack when you need one? Pathfinder thought
"Uh , yeah. I'm sure."
"Well then, maybe you could grab that beach ball over there for me?" Lady Jaye pointed to a brightly coloured ball sitting by the edge of the pool.
"Sure." Pathfinder walked over to where Lady Jaye had pointed, picked up the ball and walked back to the edge of the pool, unsure as to why she wanted it, since there was no one else around. Oh Flint, where are you? Pathfinder thought. "Here." He handed the ball to Lady Jaye, but he didn't know that it was a ruse. Before he knew what was happening, she playfully knocked the ball out of his hands and grabbed his arm. "Whoooaaah!" Pathfinder yelped as he was pulled into the pool with a big splash. Lady Jaye burst out laughing as Pathfinder came up from under the water coughing and sputtering.
"Gotcha." She giggled.
"Oh, you are in big trouble." Pathfinder said as he looked around for his hat, which had fallen off his head when he fell in.
"C'mon Pathfinder, it was just a joke."
"Do you have any idea how long it takes to dry out my boots?"
"Well at least it's not swamp water." Lady Jaye remarked, sticking out her tongue.
"No, but still." Pathfinder swatted his arm across the water, splashing Lady Jaye.
"Oh yeah?" She splashed him back. "Two can play at that game." The two of them kept on splashing each other, laughing. In the midst of it all, Pathfinder couldn't help but stare as the water glistened on Lady Jaye's taut body and as it beaded down towards her ample chest. He felt himself getting hard, staring at her breasts as they bounced up and down, with only the bikini top to hold them. When they stopped splashing each other so that Lady Jaye could brush away some stray hair that fell into her face, Pathfinder made like he was going to help, leaning in towards her. Gently caressing her cheek, Pathfinder touched his lips to hers in a tentative kiss. Realizing what was happening, Lady Jaye backed away. "Pathfinder, what are you doing?"
"I, uh," Pathfinder stammered, his face getting hot, "Oh my god." He grabbed his hat, which was floating nearby. "Uh, I-I'm sorry Lady Jaye." Pathfinder swam to the edge of the pool and scrambled out of the water, keeping his hat next to his crotch. With his wet pants clinging to him, Pathfinder didn't want Lady Jaye, or anyone else for that matter, to see that he was still sporting a very prominent erection.
"Pathfinder, wait!" Lady called after him as he ran towards headquarters.
Pathfinder was relieved to see that no one else was in the shower room when he came in. He quickly peeled off his wet clothes and boots and stepped into one of the shower stalls. Pathfinder turned the water on and leaned against the wall, letting it cascade down his naked body. Why did I do that? Pathfinder thought, scolding himself, you know she's with Flint! Stupid! Stupid, stupid thing to do! Pathfinder turned on the hot water tap, grabbed the bar of soap sitting on the holder and began scrubbing the smell of the chlorine off his skin."I just hope Flint doesn't find out." Pathfinder muttered as he washed himself up and turned off the water. It was no secret that Flint had a tendency to get jealous if another man just talked to Lady Jaye. And if that was enough to make him jealous, just imagine what he'd do if another man tried to kiss her!
"Hope Flint doesn't find out about what?" Someone asked.
Pathfinder grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist before seeing who it was that came in. It was Dusty, who earlier that day was helping out with giving some of the AWE Strikers a tune-up. He came to the shower room so he could scrub off the grime that was all over him.
"Oh, uh, nothing Dusty. Just talking to myself." Pathfinder said.
"If it's about Flint finding out about you and Lady Jaye in the swimming pool, I wouldn't be too worried." Dusty told him.
"You saw me and Lady Jaye?" Pathfinder hoped Dusty didn't see him try to kiss her.
"Only when I came back to base. I don't think Flint would have a problem with you two splashing each other."
"Oh, uh, no. I guess not." Pathfinder said as he gathered up his wet clothes and boots. He left the shower room before Dusty had a chance to get more curious and ask any more questions.
Pathfinder was in the mess hall that evening, sitting alone, picking at the hardly eaten food on his tray. He didn't even look up when Ambush sat down at the table with him. "You know if your face got any longer, you'd be dragging it through your food." Ambush remarked with a slight chuckle.
"I'm really not in the mood for jokes right now Ambush." Pathfinder muttered.
"Ooookay." Ambush was taken aback a bit. "You, wanna talk about it?" Pathfinder looked up.
"Not really."
"C'mon buddy. It can't be that bad. Can it?" Pathfinder put down his fork.
"Fine. But only if you promise not to make any stupid jokes, or tell anyone else. Especially not tell anyone else."
"Alright." Ambush said, wondering why Pathfinder was so testy. Pathfinder sighed, hesitant. He didn't really want to talk to anyone, even Ambush, although he was his best friend.
"Ambush, I think I'm in love." Pathfinder finally said.
"Oh? That shouldn't be a problem. Who's the lucky woman?"
"I wouldn't necessarily say that she's lucky Ambush. Because the woman I'm in love with happens to be Lady Jaye."
"Lady Jaye? Uh, huh. Wow, hoo, I can see how that can be a problem." Ambush said, "She's with Flint, right?"
"Uh, DUH! Captain Obvious." Pathfinder rolled his eyes.
"Okay, okay, no need to bite my head off. So, what brought this on?"
"I don't know. How am I supposed to know?" Pathfinder groaned, frustrated. But he did know. Ever since that time he slept with her, Pathfinder didn't just have a little crush on Lady Jaye anymore. He wanted to continue to be with her. Sleeping with a woman and then not continuing to be in a relationship with her was something Pathfinder never did. He tried to detach himself from the emotional bond that occurred during physical intimacy, but he couldn't help it. Pathfinder had fallen even more in love with her. The problem though now, was that Lady Jaye was already in a relationship, and he knew she would never be disloyal to Flint. "More importantly, why do I do this myself?"
"Do what?" Ambush asked.
"Fall for the unattainable woman."
"Maybe because you enjoy it?"
"You call this enjoying it?" Pathfinder snapped, slamming his fists on the table.
"Hey, I'm just putting it out there." Ambush replied. "C'mon buddy. We're guys. We fantasize about being with a woman whether she's taken or not."
"Fantasize, Ambush. Not fall in love. There's a difference." Pathfinder said.
"I don't see how it's different."
"Of course not. That's because it's never happened to you. Also, you've never had a very taken woman trick you into jumping into the swimming pool with her either."
"Lady Jaye did that? Sounds innocent enough." Ambush said.
"Yeah, well, I don't think you would call what happened next, so innocent."
"Why? I mean, it's not like you kissed her or anything." Pathfinder didn't reply. "You, you didn't, did you?" He turned away, still not saying anything, just nodding his head slightly. "You kissed Lady Jaye?" Ambush's eyes widened.
"Shhhh!" Pathfinder hissed. He looked around to make sure no one else had heard them. "Do you mind? I really don't want the entire mess hall to know!"
"Not to mention Flint." Ambush added.
"Especially him." Pathfinder re-emphasized.
"So, what are you going to do now?"
"I don't know Ambush." Pathfinder replied, sighing. "I mean, we're both friends, Lady Jaye and I. Now, I wonder if I messed it all up."
"Have you talked to Lady Jaye at all?"
"Not since then."
"Well, maybe you should. If anything, it'll give you both a chance to clear the air. Find out where you got your signals crossed." Ambush suggested.
"I don't think she got her signals crossed at all. But I know I did, that's for sure."
"Talk to her anyway, just to be on the safe side."
"Yeah maybe I should. Problem is, I don't know what I should say."
Later that evening, Lady Jaye headed towards the Enlisted Men's barracks, hoping to talk to Pathfinder. "Woman on the floor!" Someone announced, just in case any of the men were changing.
"Which room is Pathfinder in?" Lady Jaye asked.
"End of the hall on your right."
"Thanks." She replied and continued walking towards the end of the hall. "Anyone in here?" Lady Jaye called out, knocking on the door. Inside, Pathfinder looked up, knowing it was her. He hesitated a bit before answering.
" It's just me." Pathfinder replied and looked back down as Lady Jaye entered the room.
"Oh, good. You're alone." She walked up to his bunk, where he was sitting. "Mind if I sit here?"
"I, guess not." Lady Jaye sat down, but Pathfinder still didn't look up. Several minutes passed, but it seemed like an eternity as they said nothing. Pathfinder didn't know what to say. Lady Jaye looked around the room, as she was unsure what to say too.
"So, I guess the men's barracks aren't much different from the women's" Lady Jaye commented, breaking the silence.
"I wouldn't know. I've never been down that area." Pathfinder replied,his eyes glued to the floor. He sighed, and turned to face her. "Lady Jaye, about what happened in the pool earlier-"
"Pathfinder, you don't have to apologize. It was my fault."
"What? No it isn't."
"Yes it is. I gave you the wrong impression, and I didn't mean to." Lady Jaye said.
"You didn't give me the wrong impression. I, wanted to kiss you."
"Oh?"
I, uh, how should I put this, I, um," Pathfinder shifted around uncomfortably, "Well, I guess I'm just gonna have to come right out and say it. I like you. As more than a friend."
There. Finally, the truth was out.
"I guess I should've known that." Lady Jaye replied. "Well, actually, I think I already did."
"You, you did?"
"Pathfinder, I'm not blind. Flint looked at me the same way."
"Yeah, um, about Flint..."
"Don't worry, I'll make sure this stays between us." Lady Jaye said.
"Thanks Lady Jaye." Pathfinder said. "I don't understand. I mean, I ask myself, why you? Of all the women in GI Joe-"
"Why did you end up falling in love with me?"
"Yeah. Crazy huh?"
"Not really. Pathfinder, when was the last time you had a girlfriend?" Lady Jaye asked. Pathfinder looked away, his face turning red. Unlike some of the Joes, he was not one to chase after a lot of girls. Pathfinder did have one previous girlfriend, and that was back in...
"High school." He admitted.
"Ah. Maybe that's why you mistook my attempts at friendship as something more."
"Probably."
"It's nothing to be ashamed of. Everybody makes mistakes. You get lonely after a while. It even happened to me before Flint came along. Of course, I didn't like him at all at first. Also, you're a gentleman, you don't see women as conquests. Unlike some who will not be named."
"Well, I wish it hadn't happened to me, because I know you've already got Flint," Pathfinder said, "and you'd never be disloyal to him."
"We can still be friends. That is, if that's what you want."
"I'd like that. I was thinking maybe I had screwed that up too."
"No, you didn't. Things just got a little awkward, that's all." Lady Jaye got up off the bed. "Maybe you don't want to hear this from me, but you're a nice guy, Pathfinder. There will be someone for you. You just, haven't met her yet."
"You're probably right." Pathfinder said. Then, a thought occurred to Lady Jaye.
"Hey, I have an idea. How about I set you up with someone?" She offered. "There's a girl who just got assigned to covert ops. She's single. I think you'd like her."
"You would do that for me? Lady Jaye, you really shouldn't have to."
"No, I want to. What are friends for? I'll bring her along at breakfast tomorrow. And I hope you two hit it off."
"Thanks. I hope so too." Pathfinder said, his lips curling up into a slight smile
The End