A/N - Well... since the networks aren't moving along with the series... yet, I'm going to continue along. Enjoy.

Dani

1 – In the Dark of Night, In the Light of Day

3am.

Darkness dominated. Silently, we slipped out the back. A single, low watt bulb over the screen door would be our only beacon. It was cold. Frosty breath puffed as we paused letting our senses absorb the moment. But, we grinned. It had been too long and the anticipation tingled our skin. We took a step down onto the dusty field, a light fog oozing from the arid ground. Patches. Like steam from a field of miniature geysers. Swirling. Obscuring potential obstacles in our path. It was a risk, but one we had to take. We veritably itched with need. Starting slow, we allowed our eyes to adjust to the inky black that was penetrated by the million stars glistening above.

Then… we ran.

He led.

I followed.

Mist parted at our feet. Cold dampness quickly chilled the rapidly rising sweat.

We bolted across the flat expanse, senses humming. Trusting instinct. Barely seeing our feet driving us forward then pushing us up a low embankment three hundred yards later. He nimbly took the hill: long, strong legs pumping hard. I slipped on the gravel, gritted my teeth, but did not lose stride. He glanced over his shoulder, slowing but not stopping. Patient. Silent encouragement. I pushed to keep up. It felt good. Twenty minutes later, at the crossroads, he bounced on the spot, waiting as I puffed to join him. He smiled in mischief, jogging circles around me.

"Come on, Slowpoke," he whispered menacingly. "We're not done yet."

He took off back down the embankment, into the abyss. A shadow rapidly disappearing merely ten feet ahead. I eased down after him determined not to fall or give up. Racing. My lungs on fire. My heart pounding in my ears. I'd lost feeling in my legs. They moved mechanically. I pressed on with resolve.

Then, he abruptly stopped, left fist at shoulder height, carefully dropping to his knees, knuckles to the earth for balance. I followed suit, creeping beside him. He pointed. 2 o'clock. I looked right and smiled. A mother coyote, two fluffy pups bouncing and nipping at her feet as she cautiously sniffed the air. She sensed us, but the breeze was in our favor, and she noiselessly moved on.

He tipped his head sideways, silently giving new direction, heading back toward the beacon. I followed. Circling the outer structure, we quietly worked our way back onto the deck. A water bottle waited on a low, wooden table in the dim light and he guzzled half of it down, handing me the rest. I gratefully drank. Forty-five minutes. Not bad.

"You two are freaking nuts," Kelly grumbled sleepily from the doorway, tightly wrapped in a thick, white and blue quilt, her blond locks sleep-tossed. She rubbed her eyes and yawned turning back into the house. "Coffee is on," she called over her shoulder as the screen door creaked closed.

We grinned at each other and made our way into the brightly lit kitchen, wincing, shielding our eyes. Henry was leaning barefoot against the black granite countertop, hands gripped around his first hit of caffeine of the day, dark grey jeans riding low on his hips, black t-shirt rumpled, finger-combed hair. He'd probably only had a couple of hours sleep.

Tom wiped his forehead with the sleeve of his ancient, green Army sweatshirt and strode to the machine, pouring himself a mug then mimicked Henry's stance.

"I agree with Kelly." Henry quirked a tired, dark brow at us. "You two are crazy. How far did you go?"

I look at the band on my wrist. "About three miles."

"Three miles, she says," Kelly groaned from her seat at the small kitchen table, sleepy head resting in a delicate hand. "At three in the freaking morning." She desperately took another dose of hot coffee. "How long do we have?"

Tom pushed himself away from the counter and strode to his girlfriend, kneeling beside her. "Time enough to share a shower?" he grinned roguishly toying with a loose blonde curl.

Kelly looked over at her boss. This was his place. She didn't feel right about it. Wrinkling her nose at Tom's pungent scent, and playfully pushing him away, she smirked. "Go ahead without me. There's four of us needing to get ready. Make it fast."

Tom chuckled. "Military, darlin'. Two minute showers. And with no one to play with…" he rose with a wink, "maybe less."

By 4:30, chaos in the single-level ranch house was at its peak. We let Kelly use the bathroom last knowing she would take the longest. Tom emerged from the bedroom he and Kelly had shared, the one I had stayed in when I first moved in with Henry, and we ran into each other in the hall. He was in his Class Bs; navy trousers and jacket with the adornments, pressed white shirt, tie, hat, looking as dapper as ever. My heart fluttered. Sigh. A man in uniform. He and Kelly had spent the night knowing it would be an early day.

I was dressed and ready. The cream-coloured chiffon dress with large, pastel blue flowers seductively dusted around the ankles. The silver eagle feather necklace rested over the scar on the center of my chest, matching earrings accentuating the nape of my neck. My short, tawny hair was slicked back. I wore a fine woolen jacket the colour of a clear summer sky over sleeveless shoulders. Hey, it was early morning in Wyoming. It didn't matter that it was mid-May. It was still darn cold.

Tom eyed me approvingly and stroked a single finger along my jawline. "Gorgeous," he breathed. "You ready?" he asked raising his elbow for me to take.

"Why, Lieutenant Colonel, such a gentleman." I smiled coyly hooking my hand into the crook. "Find your own date, Kelly," I teased over my shoulder as my friend hopped out of the bathroom struggling with a reluctant stiletto. "He's mine."

Stunning as always in a pale green dress reminiscent of those from the 50s: fitted bodice, flared skirt, golden tresses pinned to the top of her head in ringlets, Kelly laughed. "Hey! You have your own. Where is Henry anyway?"

"He's outside already."

"Ferg is a genius." Kelly beamed. "I can't believe he set all this up yesterday. Are you ready?"

I grinned excitedly. "Oh, ya. We have a wedding to get to."

The fog was burning off and the transition from night to day was beginning. Stars melted into the indigo west as the orange hues of early morning began to peak over the eastern horizon. It would be a beautiful day.

As we approached the driveway, my cell phone rang, and I grabbed it from my clutch.

Smiling at the caller ID, I answered. "Gsubuhi njema, rafiki yangu."

"It may be morning for you, my friend, but it is afternoon here," Brook's mellow cadence warmed my ear. "Are you ready?"

I looked over at Henry adjusting a machine on the front porch. He wore a camel-coloured sport jacket over black dress pants, a black string tie with silver shield over a white shirt. As fancy as the man could get and I wouldn't have it any other way.

"I think so. How much time do we have?"

There was a pause and I could hear him acknowledge people as they passed. "Fifteen minutes, I think. Maybe twenty."

"Okay. Give the phone to Chris and we'll talk later. I love you." There were voices on the other end and Captain Chris Bennett cheerily came on the line.

"Darling," he oozed charm, his mixed accent of fading London and lilting Nairobi brought tears to my eyes. God, I missed these guys.

We chatted for a few moments until Henry gave a call, waving his hand in signal. "Okay," I said to Chris. "Pay attention. We're live in five." I hung up and moved to the front yard.

"Ready?" Henry asked before hitting the button.

"I can't believe we're doing this," Kelly said in excited awe, clasping her hands onto Tom's arm.

"Ready." I grinned as the Red Pony's 60-inch flat screen fastened on the porch balustrade came to life, Chris' face dominating the monitor beaming with the first hello. The four of us stood shoulder to shoulder to greet him.

"It's, what, 5am there?" he asked seeing the sun rise behind us, the new prairie grass still short and dry.

I nodded as the savannah of Tsavo National Park came into view and Chris took us for a walk with his tablet.

Sasha. Toby. Valez. Some of our old team. Staff from the Nairobi headquarters. I recognized Brook's sister and mother. His father had passed away when he was a child. Karel's parents and siblings were milling about.

When Chris approached, we were greeted with enthusiasm. Waves into the camera. Smiles and best wishes all around. They could see the four of us in his smaller screen.

The sun was beaming. Not a cloud in the sky and just a whisper of a breeze. In the distance, a herd of giraffe could be seen wandering the perimeter, curiously watching the crowd.

"I don't know if I'm allowed back here but I'm going to try anyway." Chris good-naturedly approached a white tent the size of a small cottage. "Knock. Knock," he called. "You have visitors."

"Go away. You cannot come in here." A beautiful caramel face appeared through a crack in the flexible doorway. Chris held up the screen as we waved to Karel's older sister. "Oh." Her smile was radiant. "They can come. You cannot." She playfully pushed Chris back with a laugh taking the tablet from him. "Karel. A moment of your time."

When the music began, Chris quickly retrieved the tablet and rushed back to Brook, transferring the feed from the smaller screen to a camera and larger monitor set up on the podium as guests took their places. There must have been at least two hundred people and there was no way we were going to miss this. It was as close as we could get to being there. I stood between my two men: Henry and Tom, our hands linked as Karel emerged from the tent, a glorious ray of beauty. The camera was angled to capture all reactions and Brook's was priceless: completely captivated. I could sense the shortness of his breath as his bride-to-be moved gracefully toward him down the aisle.

My best friend. Getting married.

Tears welled in my eyes, and I could feel Tom tighten his grip, giving a loving squeeze.

As they exchanged their vows, the afternoon sun high over the East African savannah, dawn broke over the Wyoming prairie scattering the darkness and beaming light and hope into a beautiful new day.