I turn around, "Dex! Why are you here? I thought you were supposed to be in Blood Gulch."
He puts one hand on my back, "Sarge let me off a little early."
I look up at him, "You've gotta stop just coming here instead of doing your job!" He raises his hands in offense.
I go back to my work and he whispers in my ear, "You know I just always have to see you. And I worry about you."
I can't stop the smile slowly spreading across my face now. Grif has that effect, always making you happy so you can never be mad at him for long. I try to cover up my smile by putting both hands over my face.
"Hey, don't stop smiling, you know I love it when you smile."
I peek out, "Stop it Dex, now you're just messing with me."
He turns me to face him, "You say that every time and it's never true."
"You always win," I say, and before I kiss him he says, "Not always." I lay my head on his shoulder and absorb the warmth coming through his suit.
"What would I do without you?"
He simply says, "I was just thinking the same thing."
Okay, me and Grif have been together for a while. Its been like fifteen months. I'm sure it would be longer if I had gotten hooked on his work sooner, but that's not what happened.
"Dex, go get me another pile since you're staying here." He listens to what I say, doesn't fight it. I guess he thinks he owes me for coming 'home' early again.
He comes up beside me, "Look, do you want to know the real reason I'm here right now?"
"Wait, you lied to me? That's a first Dex." I just stand, awestruck, staring at him.
He lowers his head, "It wasn't entirely a lie, Sarge did let me off early. He just let me off because my sister is there again." He looks back at me finally and I look down at his empty holster. Sure enough, he's scratching at it.
"I sigh, "Stop it Dex."
He immediately shoots his hand away from his side, "Sorry."
"You could have told me your stupid, annoying, little sister is there." I plop down on my bed and he sits down next to me. "Can we go to Blood Gulch? I can help deal with your sister."
Grif grabs my hand, "Let's go." I smile and he powers up the portable teleporter Doc had made with the help of Simmons.
We step through and in a flash of green light, we are standing in Blood Gulch; the device back in Grif's hand. "Let's go find my suits that should be ready," I smile at the lie. He nods and we head toward Red Base. As we are coming up, Simmons is at the door.
He yells inside, "Um Sarge, she's here!"
Sarge emerges from the base, "Hello there! We kind of figured you'd be paying us a visit today. Your suits came in today."
"Can it Sarge, that's not why I'm here and you know it." I stand up in front of him and take the Battle Rifle Grif is handing me, "Where is she?"