Wheeler stood on the balcony of his Paris hotel, staring down at the crowds of lively party goers on the sidewalks below, dressed in wool coats and scarves. He was dressed only in his Planeteer t-shirt and light jacket, though the cold did not bother him. He actually found it quite refreshing after having spent the better part of the last two weeks in Botswana fighting a gang of ivory poachers lead by the infamous Slaughter family. Fortunately the Planeteers had shut their poaching ring down just in time to make it to Paris to ring in the new year.
The sounds of drunken revelry already filled the streets, although midnight was still a few hours away. Wheeler did not find himself in such a jubilant mood. In fact, he had declined to go to dinner with the others, and had instead been spending time alone in his hotel room, mulling over thoughts that had been bothering him for some time.
This was the sixth New Year's Eve he had spent with the Planeteers. He had spent his first New Year's Eve as part of this team trapped in an ice cave with Dr. Blight, contemplating whether or not he had made the right choice by becoming a Planeteer. Although Gaia had convinced him this was the correct path, he still found himself having doubts at times.
He was just a kid then, and it was difficult to imagine more than a year or two into the future anyway. Now he was an adult, and he wondered where his life was headed. Would he ever have a "normal life" one day? Would he ever get married and have children?
Specifically, would he ever get married to a particular teammate of his?
He raked his hand through his hair nervously. He had always spent his life avoiding commitment, flirting with girls but never letting it go beyond that. The closest thing to a romantic relationship he ever had before becoming a Planeteer was with Trish, and that was more of a friends with benefits situation than actually dating.
However, in the last few years, things had started to develop between him and Linka. It was slow going at first. They were both nervous, cautious, not quite willing to trust one another. But as they had spent more time together, they had realized their attraction was more than skin deep. And in a few extreme moments, when life and death had seemed to hang in the balance, they had admitted their feelings.
Now they had developed a tenuous sort of romance. They had been on dates together, just the two of them, without the rest of the team. They had shared their most personal secrets with each other. And they had become intimate in other ways as well.
He was Linka's first, which did not surprise him, but she was not his first. She was the first one that counted though, as far as he was concerned. And he'd be fine with also making her his last and only.
There was that thought again, that left him feeling nervous and anxious inside. Was he really cut out for that sort of commitment? Could he be a husband, little children running circles around his ankles while his wife fussed at him to mow the grass? It sounded so mundane, and yet rather enticing as well. At least, it seemed like it would beat yet another near death encounter with Nukem or Skumm.
But how could he and Linka ever be married? How would they provide for their family? She could get a good job, he presumed. She was smart, and well educated, and good with computers. He didn't imagine there was much a of job market for guys like him. There probably wasn't a way to get paid much for setting things on fire.
But he was getting ahead of himself. He didn't even know that Linka wanted to marry him. Yes, they had developed some kind of relationship by now, but she had never said she was looking to spend forever with him. Or at least, they had never discussed it.
He glanced at his watch and wondered where the other Planeteers were. He had hoped to spend at least some time with Linka tonight, but his teammates were taking a long time with getting dinner.
And that reminded him of another thing that was bothering him- would they have to spend every holiday for the rest of their lives with their teammates? It wasn't as if he didn't like the other Planeteers, they were his closest group of friends after all, but if he was ever going to build a life with Linka then they would need to spend time together- just the two of them.
He had booked his own room at the hotel. Kwame and Ma-ti were sharing a room, as were Linka and Gi. However, he knew quite well that Linka would make her way to his room at some point during the evening, and Gi had also figured as much, teasing him rather relentlessly about it earlier. He assumed that Kwame and Ma-ti were aware as well, though neither of them mentioned anything to him. Kwame tended to avoid any discussion of Wheeler's rather tumultuous relationship with the Russian Planeteer, and Ma-ti, who had only just turned eighteen, was still rather shy about discussing intimate relationships.
He sighed and stepped back into his hotel suite, finally noticing the effects of the cold. He flopped into a chair, and started to doze off, still exhausted from his recent mission.
It was half past ten when Wheeler was awakened by a light knock on his door. "Hello?" he called out.
"It's me," answered a familiar voice. "May I come in?"
"Of course," he said, hopping up to open the door for her.
Linka walked in carrying an ice bucket with champagne, as well as a tray with fruit, cheese, and croissants. "I got this from a bakery down the street," she explained.
"Looks delicious," he said. He was actually quite hungry, as he had been so lost in thought earlier that he had not eaten, a very rare occurrence for him.
She set the refreshments on the table and took a seat in the only other chair in the small suite. They both made themselves plates of the food, taking a moment to enjoy it.
"So where are the others?" Wheeler asked after a few minutes.
"Gi took Kwame and Ma-ti to a lounge down the street to celebrate New Year's Eve. She said we are welcome to join them if we wish." She paused to eat a bite of apple. "Or not."
Wheeler smiled. He knew what Gi was up to and he'd have to thank her for it later. If he didn't she'd be sure to remind him of it. "Honestly, I'd rather just stay here and celebrate quietly with you."
"Good," Linka replied. "I am not in a mood for a loud party tonight either."
They were both quiet for a moment, enjoying the rare peaceful moment in their otherwise hectic lives.
"So do you have any of those resolutions that you Americans like to make this time of year?" Linka asked finally.
"Nah, I think I'm pretty great already just the way I am. Too much improvement and the ladies wouldn't be able to handle it." He gave her a cheesy grin and stretched his arms over his head, flexing his muscles in the process.
Linka rolled her eyes and shook her head. "You mean you do not want to lose weight?" She teased, smirking as she took a bite of brie.
"You think I'm getting fat, huh?" He replied with a chuckle. Fortunately, despite his love for junk food, he managed to stay in good shape. When the Planeteers weren't out on missions, they were back on Hope Island- swimming, wind surfing, and playing volleyball. There wasn't much time for gaining weight.
"Is that not what you Americans say you are going to do on every New Year's Eve?"
Wheeler grinned. "A lot of us do, that's for sure. What about in Russia? No one decides to lose weight for the New Year?"
"I do not know," she replied with a shrug. "We do not have so many fat people in Russia." She was trying to look innocent but Wheeler caught the mischievous glint in her blue eyes.
"Oh, that's a low blow," he replied, trying to sound offended.
"I am just being honest. I mean, Greedly and Sludge are both American…" Her voice trailed off and they both started laughing. It was so unusual for him to glimpse this side of Linka, one of those rare moments when she was relaxed and joking, when she let her guard down around him. Normally she was so serious, or so focused on their mission, that she came across as cold and unfeeling.
Or else she just was just tired.
They were both tired, most of the time. Tired from non-stop missions across the globe. Tired from stopping the same eco-villains over and over, just to have them escape punishment and go free to pollute again.
Linka must have noticed the pensive look that had crossed his face, because her smiled faded and she quirked her eyebrow curiously. "What is the matter, Wheeler? You are normally so excited on holidays."
Wheeler took a deep breath, and glanced over at her, thinking of how to respond. "I guess holidays aren't as exciting as they used to be."
"Why not?"
He took a croissant from the tray, using the time it would take for him to eat it as a chance to compose his thoughts. Linka waited patiently, helping herself to a few grapes in the meantime.
"It's just… well New Year's especially… it makes me wonder what the future holds. Is this it? Is there something more?"
"What do you mean?"
"We've been Planeteers for six years now. What's next? Do we really just keep fighting the same bad guys forever? Til when? Til they're dead? Cause they sure as hell don't seem to stay in prison for long…"
Linka frowned, biting her bottom lip. "I think about that too sometimes."
"You do?"
She nodded. "We keep fighting them, and their tactics keep getting worse, more violent. I wonder what will happen. They would like to see us dead, I am certain."
"Then what do we do? Give up? Keep fighting until someone gets hurt? What about in the future? What if we want to get married one day? Or have children? Do we bring them along with us to fight Blight and Plunder?"
"So you think we are going to get married and have children together?" Linka asked somewhat nervously, her eyes a little wide at the thought.
Wheeler's face flushed bright red as he stammered nervously. "I… um… I meant 'we' as in, you know, all of us Planeteers. I mean, we all want to settle down one day, right? Don't you want to get married one day?"
"I suppose I have thought about it," she admitted. "But I am surprised that you have, Yankee."
"Just because I'm such a helpless flirt, you think that I don't want to settle down with a fine lady one day?" He tried to sound like he was joking, but part of him was really worried that was truly what she thought.
"I did not say that," she replied. "It just seems as if you are not ready to settle down, as you call it."
"Well, technically, it's because I'm not. I couldn't be much of good husband or father if I'm constantly running around the world risking my neck to fight some sociopathic polluters."
Linka looked thoughtful. "If that is true, then that means that none of us Planeteers are good marriage material."
"Nah, I guess not," he replied, rather morosely.
"Oh cheer up, Wheeler! I will not let you be sad on a holiday. Just because you are not ready to tie the rope now, it does not mean you will never get married!"
"It's 'tie the knot'," he explained. "And yeah, I guess you got a point."
"Of course I do. Have you not learned by now not to disagree with me?"
"It is a losing battle," he admitted, relaxing a little now that she was back to teasing him.
Linka glanced at the clock on Wheeler's nightstand. "It is almost midnight," she said, changing the subject. "Would you like some champagne?"
"Sure," he replied with a shrug.
She popped the cork on the bottle, and poured some of the sparkling beverage into two flutes. "Happy New Year," she said, handing one to him. They tapped their glasses together, the clinking sound echoing in the small hotel room.
He took a sip of the champagne, not really sure what to think. He did not have expensive tastes. The first alcohol he ever tried was a bottle of cheap liquor that he and Trish had stolen from his father's stash. They drank it on the roof of their apartment building on a hot summer night, both pretending to like it in order to impress the other. He had come so far from the immature teenager that he used to be, yet he still sometimes felt like he wasn't quite an adult.
Linka took a sip as well. "This is very nice. It is fortunate we are in France, where champagne is so much less expensive."
Wheeler smiled. "You're a lot classier than I am, babe. I'd be fine with some beer."
"Of course you would, Yankee." Her tone was gentle, not scolding.
"But I suppose if I keep hanging around you, maybe you'll class me up a bit."
"You are fine the way you are."
There was an honesty in her voice that left Wheeler stunned. Usually she gave him such a hard time about everything that he did. He had to wonder at times if she really thought of him as someone worth spending her time with. "You really mean that, huh?"
"Da, of course. You may not be ready to get married, but that does not mean you do not have many great qualities. You will be a good husband when the time comes."
Wheeler smiled brightly, feeling in good spirits for the first time this evening. "So you have thought about marrying me then?"
"Bozhe moi!" she exclaimed. "I am not ready to think about marriage either."
"Oh…" his face fell.
"But…" she said, grinning at him, leaning in suggestively, "I have been waiting many years for a midnight kiss…"
"Now that is something I can help you with, babe," he replied eagerly, his mood elevated once again.
He didn't have long to wait, as seconds later the air was filled with excited cheers, and the sound of fireworks thundered across the city. Wheeler grabbed her and pulled her close, into a passionate kiss. They were both rather breathless when he broke the kiss, but they remained in a close embrace. She gave him a knowing look and he led her toward the bed.
"The others must know what we are up to," she said as he lowered her onto the bed. She did not seem too concerned.
"Well, I'm sure they'll figure it out at some point if they haven't already," he answered, kissing her neck softly.
"Mmmm…" she replied. "I think we should make it official."
Wheeler tilted his head up, looking her in the eyes. "Really? I've been waiting so long to hear that."
"Da. Really." This time she was the one who pulled him into a passionate kiss.
"You know they say that what you do on New Year's is how you will spend most of the next year," he remarked, as he unhooked her bra.
"Do not press your luck, Yankee," she warned him.
"Ah, so I see you giving me a hard time is something I can expect in the new year, hmmm?" he said with a smirk.
"That," she replied breathily, pulling him closer, "is something you can count on."