I hate Valentine's Day, I can't believe I wrote about it!
Summary: This is a follow up to The Happiest New Year. I'm going to try and keep this storyline going through Wheeler and Linka's first year together, celebrating different holidays and events if I get any ideas for stories. You don't really need to read the first fic, but it might make more sense if you do. Wheeler tries his best to make Linka and his first Valentines Day together a memorable one. Remember, this is set around season 5ish.
Disclaimer: I don't own Captain Planet or the Planeteers. Don't sue me Ted Turner, you won't get much!
Linka and I have been a couple for a little over a month now. 45 days actually. Not that I'm counting, that'd be weird and obsessive. I just did the math real quick in my head. Anyways, things have been great between us. The thrill isn't gone, she hasn't killed me, and we still really enjoy spending time together when we're not on missions. We've even managed to behave ourselves on missions. I'm a little surprised at that. Linka has always had great self control…after all, she resisted me all those years, however, I questioned whether I'd be able to resist. It hasn't been as hard as I'd thought. If anything, it gives me more incentive to work harder on missions. The sooner we save the day, the sooner we get home. Our last mission was a week ago and it only lasted two days. That might be a new record! Since then, things have been pretty quiet for the Planeteers. I hope it stays that way, at least for another day or two. Not because I don't enjoy saving the world, I do…but tomorrow is Valentine's Day, and I have plans. Big plans. I've never really cared for Valentine's Day. I never had a reason to until now.
When I walk into the kitchen, Gi and Linka are sitting at the table talking. They stop when they see me.
"Hey girls." I give Linka a kiss on the cheek.
"Hey you," Linka says.
"Hi Wheeler. How was your run?" Gi asks.
"Good." I say as I pour myself a glass of water, and take the seat next to Linka.
"That's good. Where'd Kwame go?"
"He's gettin' cleaned up. I wanted to come in here first though and get a drink."
"Oh, don't lie Wheeler, you just wanted to see Linka! You were gone for...a half hour. How in the world did you manage to survive that long without her?" Gi teases me.
"Ha ha. Very funny. Actually I came here to see how SHE was holding up without me."
"Thank God you're here now Yankee. I almost did not make it!" Linka says with just a hint of sarcasm.
"Well, I have something I need to talk to Kwame about so I'm going to go wait for him." Gi excuses herself.
"Wow, that was subtle! Gi needs to get more creative in her excuses to leave the room!"
"Are you complaining?"
"No, I was just wondering if I smelled bad?" I jokingly sniff my clothes.
Linka leans over and takes a whiff as well.
"Nyet, I think you smell good."
"Really?! Guess I didn't run long enough."
"A bit sweaty, but still mixed with your normal scent from your deodorant and soap…Usually, when you smell like that, it's from certain other activities," she says with a wink.
"Ooh, talk dirty to me Babe!" I tease.
"Air pollution, water pollution, sewage, landfills…"
"When did you turn into such a smartass?"
"Must be the company I have been keeping lately!"
"Well I'm glad to see I've had such a positive influence on you." I get a smile from her in return. "Anyways, I'm glad I have you all to myself. I have to talk to you about something."
"Can you talk while I make a sandwich? Would you like one too?"
"Yeah, sure. Thanks…do you know what tomorrow is?" I ask.
"Monday."
"Besides Monday."
"Our 46th day together?"
"No, well yeah…wait…YOU'VE BEEN COUNTING?!"
"NYET! I just did the math in my head real quick."
"Oh, ok." Yeah right! "Besides that."
"Do you mean Valentine's Day?"
"Yeah...Hey! Stop messin' with me like that!"
"Sorry, it is too much fun though. Here," she says as she sets down the turkey sandwich that she made in front of me.
"I was wondering if you wanted to do something tomorrow. Like go out somewhere?"
"Da, that sounds nice."
"Cool. It's a date then. I'm gonna go get cleaned up. What are your plans for today?" I ask.
"I did not have anything special planned. I am going to go check my email while you shower. I just bought 'Interview With the Vampire' on tape since I did not get to see it in the theater. Do you want to watch it with me?"
"Sure. That looked good. I never pegged you for the vampire movie type though Babe."
"I am not. I am the Brad Pitt type though!"
"HEY!"
"Do not worry Yankee, I only like him because his eyes and chiseled face remind me of you," she says, attempting to cover.
"Oh. Well then I guess that's ok." I give her a quick kiss and head back to my room.
The truth is, I already made arrangements for Valentine's Day before Linka said yes. It's easier to cancel dinner reservations on Valentine's Day than it is to make them. I've enlisted the help of Kwame and Ma-Ti to pull off my surprise. The presents have been bought and wrapped. All I have to do is give them to her.
After I get cleaned up, I head out to the common room where everyone has gathered to watch the movie. I was kinda hoping it was just going to be the two of us, but oh well. The more the merrier right?
The movie was good. I thought so anyways. Linka either wasn't impressed, was really tired, or really comfortable. About midway through the movie, she put a pillow on my lap, laid her head down, and fell asleep. The others say good night and head for bed. I don't feel like disturbing Linka quite yet. She looks too peaceful, and I enjoy watching her sleep. I do some channel surfing for a while before deciding to turn in. I gently stroke Linka's hair, but it doesn't wake her. Then I get an idea. Inspired by the vampires, I lean down and brush my lips against her neck. This gets her attention and she begins to wake up.
"Mmm, Louis…is that you?"
"Huh?!"
"Or Lestat perhaps?"
"Ah. I get it, Vampires. Wanna try again?"
"Oh, it is you, Count Chocula!"
"You're frickin' hilarious, you know that Babe?"
"I told you, I have had a good teacher."
"Thanks…I think. You ready to go to bed?" I ask as I pick her up and carry her in my arms.
"Da. Your room or mine?" She asks.
"Mine's closer." Which is true, but I also need her room to be empty so Kwame and Ma-Ti can get in there and set up part one of my surprise.
When we wake up the next morning, we do something we rarely get to do…just lay there. Occasionally we'll say something, but for the most part, we just enjoy holding each other. My grumbling stomach kills the mood.
"Shall we go have breakfast before you pass out?" She asks.
"Yeah, I'm starving."
When we get to the kitchen, there are two place settings, and a tray with a covered platter.
"What's this?" I ask.
"Happy Valentine's Day Yankee!"
"How did you…? I mean…you were with me all morning."
"I had some help from Gi. I told her my idea and she agreed to help me by preparing breakfast for us."
"That was nice of her. Shall we eat?" I ask as I pull her chair out for her and push it back in as she sits.
When I uncover the platter, a plate full of heart shaped pancakes is revealed, along with a bowl of sliced strawberries and a bowl of whipped cream. After putting the strawberries and cream on top of our pancakes, I pour us each a glass of orange juice and raise it.
"To Gi for being such a good friend."
"Da, to Gi."
"…and to you for arranging it for me. Thank you."
"You are welcome. Happy Valentine's Day my sweet Yankee."
"Back at'cha Babe." And we clink our glasses.
After we finish our breakfast, Linka reaches under the table, pulls out a gift bag, and hands it to me. I reach in and pull out a box. I unwrap it, open the lid, and see a silver watch. It's a good one too. Heavy duty. It's nice enough to be worn for special occasions only, but not too flashy that I can't wear it all the time.
"Wow Linka, this is awesome."
"It is very durable. The face is scratch and crack resistant. It keeps track of different time zones too. You can keep it set to Hope Island's time, but down here is a smaller watch face that can be set to wherever we are, that way you do not have to worry about changing your watch back every time we come home from a mission. Turn it over."
She had it engraved.
I cherish every second we are together. Love, Linka.
"Me too Babe. I love it. I love you." I stand up and go to her, holding out my arms. She stands and steps into my embrace. I put my finger under her chin, tip her face up towards mine, and kiss her. When we part, I place one more kiss on the tip of her nose and say, "Your turn. Come with me."
I take her hand and lead her to her cabin. I open the door for her and usher her in. My boys came through for me big time!
"Bozhe moy! Wheeler, I have never seen so many roses," she says as she admires the vase of red roses sitting on her dresser.
"There's 46 of them. One for each day we've been together."
"Ah-ha! You were counting too! They are beautiful," she says.
"Just like you. Look on the bed."
There's a box wrapped in white paper with a big red bow. Linka walks over to it and opens the card. It's your typical Valentine's Day card. Inside, I've placed a brochure for a dinner cruise in New York. You get a four course gourmet meal, dancing, and a 3 hour boat ride with a great view of the city. Linka reads the brochure aloud,
"'Valentine's Day Dinner Cruise:Celebrate with that special someone as we sail around Manhattan, enjoy superb cuisine, sip fine wines and listen to romantic ballads, or dance the night away.' Oh Wheeler! Dinner and dancing! It sounds wonderful."
"I promised you more dancing. And I figured it'd be appropriate if we went back to New York since that's where it all started."
"It is perfect. I cannot wait. I hope I can find something appropriate to wear." She begins to unwrap the box and gasps when she opens it.
"Wheeler…this is…it is so…"
"Do you like it?"
"Da, I love it!"
"Me too. I can't wait to see it on you."
I got her a light blue, aquamarine I guess, evening gown. She holds it up and I can only imagine how beautiful she'll look in it.
"And I cannot wait to try it on."
"I'll leave you alone and let you try it on to see if it fits. I don't wanna see it now though. I want to be surprised later! Once you've tried it on and if it's ok, pack it up and we'll be on our way."
"So soon? The brochure said that they would not begin boarding the boat until 6 pm," she says.
"But check in time at the hotel is 11 am."
"Hotel?"
"Yeah, we'll be staying the night at the same hotel that we celebrated New Year's on top of."
"How did you manage that?" She asks.
"I asked Trish to have her friend Val's boyfriend Dan contact me. Remember, he was the one who worked at the hotel and the reason we were able to ring in the New Year at the party the hotel lets the employees have on the roof."
"Da."
"Well, he got me a good deal…free accommodations!"
"And he did not want anything in return?"
"I offered to compensate him somehow but it turns out, the dude's a big time tree hugger. He said he was happy to do it as a thank you to us for being Planeteers!"
"Wheeler! Calling him a 'tree hugger' is not nice!"
"What? I wasn't saying it as an insult! Now hurry up and get ready."
A few hours later, we were at the check in desk of the hotel. Dan met us there and took us up to our room.
"I really appreciate this man. I hope it wasn't too much trouble," I say.
"Not at all. As I said before, I appreciate what you guys are doing for the planet. If I can do a favor for the Planeteers, I feel like I'm repaying you guys for all the good that you do. You deserve a break and a good time. Here you are."
"Is this what I think it is?" I ask.
"Yep," Dan replies.
"Aw man. This is great!"
"What?" Linka asks.
I stand behind her and put my hands over her eyes. As the doors of the elevator slide open, I bend down, place my lips against her ear, and say "Surprise" as I remove my hands.
"Oh…wow." Linka turns around and wraps her arms around my neck.
"I'll just put your bags in the bedroom," Dan says.
"I owe you big time. Seriously dude, you gotta at least let me take you and Valerie for a ride in the Geo Cruiser! No. Better yet, anytime you wanna go on a trip and don't feel like paying for a plane ticket, you let me know and I'll get you there on Air Wheeler!"
"I might take you up on that one. You two just enjoy yourselves and have a happy Valentine's Day!"
"Thanks," we say at the same time.
"Let's have a look around shall we? Linka...?" I'm too late though because Linka is already moving about, taking it all in.
"Look, we have a view of Times Square! There is a bottle of champagne in the ice bucket! Bozhe moy! There's a hot tub!"
"Are you hungry? Wanna order some lunch from room service?"
"Da. But first…" She runs towards me and throws her arms around me, almost knocking us both to the floor. I use her momentum to spin her around and when I set her down, she stands on her toes and gives me a kiss.
"This is amazing Yankee."
We order a light lunch consisting of a bowl of fruit and a chocolate fountain…that was Linka's idea. As soon as she saw it, that's what she wanted and today is all about giving her what she wants.
I open up the bottle of champagne and pour us each a glass.
"To Dan!"
"To Dan! And do not forget Kwame and Ma-Ti for getting the roses and dress into my room for you."
"Right, to Kwame and Ma-Ti!"
We eat the chocolate dipped fruit, sometimes feeding it to each other. She's really enjoying herself and I'm happy to see that she's happy. I smile at her and she smiles back.
"I feel bad," she says.
"Why's that?"
"You've done so much for me for Valentine's Day, and all I got you was a watch."
"But I love this watch, and what you had inscribed on it means so much. And you arranged a nice breakfast. Besides, this day isn't about who gives or does the most, it's about who you spend it with. Valentine's Day is a girl's holiday. A guy doesn't need chocolates or flowers. It's about making your girl feel special. And since this is our first Valentine's Day, I wanted it to be special and memorable. I'm going to have a hard time topping this one though, so don't expect it to be this good next year!"
"How about we take turns? Next year, I will plan our Valentine's Day."
"You think you'll put up with me for a whole year?"
"Da, I do."
"Ok then. It's a deal."
"I just feel as though you have done so much and I have done so little. I do not want you to think that this means I do not care about you as much as you care about me," she says sheepishly.
"Aww, Babe. I don't think that at all. I know how you feel. I don't need material things to reassure me of how you feel. You show me everyday when you laugh at my stupid jokes, the way you smile at me, when we kiss, and when you say you love me. It's the little things. I did all this for you because you're my Valentine. I wanted to make sure you know how I feel. I don't know if can you tell by the little things I do."
"I can tell."
"I'm just making sure. I know sometimes I come across as someone who is pretty carefree and doesn't take anything seriously, but you and me…I'm totally serious about. Nothing has ever been more important to me."
"Me neither."
"I know. Like I said, I see it in the way you act when you're with me."
"Let me show you some more." She stands up, grabs me by the shirt, drags me with her to the enormous bed, and pushes me down onto it. "Take this off and lay down. I will be right back."
Wow! She's never been one to take charge like this…I kinda like it. I do as I'm told and take off my shirt and lay on the bed. She returns with the room service cart.
"Mind if I ask what you're doing Babe?"
"Just showing you how much I appreciate this by bringing back some memories, but making them a little different." She then takes her finger, dips it in the chocolate fountain, and smears it on my neck.
"Hey!"
"Hold still and be quiet!" She reiterates her demand for quiet by sticking a piece of cantaloupe in my mouth. She then pours a little bit of champagne on my stomach where it pools in my navel and abs...Which are damn near close to being washboard, I might add! I'm going nuts.
"Now you will see how it feels!" She says with a grin that is evil and sexy all at the same time. Holy crap! She's getting me back for the New Year's body shots, only this time, she's using chocolate and champagne.
"You're right. That was amazing," I say.
"That was delicious. I think I will have another."
She repeats the process several times until I decide that I wanna try it with the champagne. This is waaaaay classier than with tequila! After I take my turns, I notice that she has a little bit of chocolate on her chin. I try to resist the urge to kiss it off…I fail.
When we finish, Linka dips her finger in the chocolate and wipes it on my lips. I think you can probably figure out what happens next. When we break apart, I look at her and smile.
"We're a mess! I feel so sticky."
"Da, me too."
"Are you thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?"
"Hot tub!"
Once we're in the bathroom, I start sorting through the assortment of bath accessories.
"Hey Babe, bubbles, oil, or this salty fizzy stuff?"
"Bubbles AND fizzy stuff."
I start filling up the tub while Linka retrieves what's left of the champagne.
"Hop in Babe, it's perfect."
"Da. It is," she says as she climbs in. I know her meaning is deeper than just the water temperature.
She sits across from me, props her feet up next to where I'm sitting, picks up a handful of bubbles, and blows them out of her hand towards me. I pick up her feet, place them on my knee, and begin rubbing the soles of her feet.
"How's this feel? Worthy of the hardest working Planeteer?"
"Da, I think Kwame will love it…but should I be concerned that my boyfriend wants to give foot massages to another man?"
"You think Kwame works harder than Gi?"
This earns me a pretty big splash, right to the face. I duck underwater and resurface right in front of her. I shake my head to rid myself of the excess water and bubbles, but also to get her wet. She squeals and starts splashing me back, but I grab her hands and continue to get her wet by soaking my head and shaking it.
"STOP! WHEEL--!" I cut her off with a kiss and after a few seconds, she stops struggling and gives into the kiss. She's really into it too.
"Still want me to stop?" I ask against her lips.
"Nyet."
I let go of her hands and they go straight for my head. Her fingers intertwine roughly in my hair. It kinda hurts a little. Before I know it, my head is being pushed underwater. So while I'm underwater, I grab her around the waist and pull her off the ledge she's perched on so she also gets dunked too.
We both re-emerge at the same time and begin laughing. We look ridiculous with our hair plastered to our heads and covered in bubbles. Linka takes it upon herself to style my hair. It's due for a cut so it's longer and more unruly than usual. It goes from spiky, to a mohawk, to slicked back as Linka plays with it.
"Sorry Babe, I shoulda got a hair cut before our big night so I'd look more presentable."
"Nyet. I like it as it is. It gives me something to play with."
Once again, she's got her fingers laced through my hair as we kiss, but I'm more guarded against any sudden attempts to drown me. She seems to be less interested in trying to soak me and more interested in driving me crazy. She pushes me back so that we're no longer in the middle of the tub, and I've now got my back against the edge. She grabs a wash cloth and scrubs off some dried on chocolate that has yet to come off in the water.
"Have I told you recently how much I love this?" She asks.
"Not in the last 20 minutes."
"Well I do. And I love you."
"And I love you right back," I say.
"What time do we have to leave for the boat ride?" She asks.
"I'd say between 5 and 5:30, closer to 5 though."
"Anything planned for the time in between?"
"Nope. That's up to you. Shopping, walking around, staying in…Whatever you wanna do Babe."
"Excellent answer. Maybe we should get out of here before we turn into raisins."
"And where do you suggest we go?"
She pulls me out of the tub, draws me towards her for a kiss, and walks backwards into the bedroom, never breaking contact until we fall onto the bed. Getting away from the island has been good for Linka. She's way less reserved…I guess there's no reason to keep quiet when you've got a whole penthouse suite to yourself. She's laughing louder when I run my fingers along her ribcage to tickle her and she's humming with every kiss. She's definitely in control and I'm more than happy to let her take the lead.
Three hours later, I wake up when I feel her kissing my neck and working her way up to my ear.
"Wake up sleeping head," she whispers.
"Hey, that tickles…and it's 'sleepy' head. And it's your fault I fell asleep. You wore me out. How long was I out?"
"Only about 20 minutes, but I got lonely and bored so I woke you up. It is not right that you fall asleep in the middle of Valentine's Day."
"Sorry. Will you forgive me?"
"Maaaaaybe," she says as she uses her finger to trace imaginary designs on my chest.
"What are you doing?" I ask.
"What do you think?"
"Seriously? Again?!"
"What's wrong? Can't keep up Yankee?"
"Of course I can!" And to prove my point, I quickly roll over, pinning her underneath me. "We've got an hour before we need to start getting ready."
"Do you want to take a nap?" She asks.
"Does this answer your question?" I say as I…eh, use your imagination! A/N: Seriously. Use your imagination. I can't think of anything else and still keep it PG!
An hour later, we force ourselves to extricate ourselves from each other's arms and the tangled bed sheets to get ready for our night out.
"You go ahead and get your shower first Babe."
"I will try and save you some hot water."
"Or I could join you and we could conserve water!" I joke.
"Ok."
What?! I was not expecting that answer at all!
"But we must hurry. It will take me awhile to fix my hair," she continues.
Within ten minutes, we were showered and went about getting ready. After I brushed my teeth and shaved, I let Linka have the bathroom to herself to do her hair and makeup. I ironed my suit, got dressed, and waited. I heard the bathroom door open and looked up to see Linka emerging. She takes my breath away. The dress fits perfectly. Better than perfect. I stand up, but can't think of anything to say, so I just gawk with my mouth hanging open.
"I take that to mean you like it?" She asks.
"Yeah."
"You have good taste Yankee."
"I sure do." I pull her against me and am about to kiss her when she pushes me away and says,
"Ah ah ah, you'll ruin my lipstick."
"You look like a Russian princess Babe."
"Russia is not a monarchy Yankee, we do not have princesses."
"Well maybe they should, because you'd make a perfect one. You look like Cinderella, only prettier. And the good news is, when midnight strikes, if you revert back to your usual self, you'll still be beautiful."
"Thank you. You clean up nicely as well."
"Thanks. Shall we?" I hold out her coat for her to slip into and offer her my arm.
We head to the elevator and to the lobby. I called the front desk earlier and asked them to call a taxi for us. When we get there, Dan looks up from behind the desk and waves.
"Hey guys. Ready to go?" he asks.
"Yeah. Do we go outside and wait for our cab?"
"Cab? Who takes their date to dinner in a cab? You mean Limo…right?" Dan says with a wink.
"Uh yeah…right…Limo. That's what I meant." I stammer.
"This is my friend Steve. He'll be your driver for the evening. Where ever you wanna go, he'll take you there."
"Hi Steve." I turn to Dan and whisper, "I can't afford a limo, man."
"Relax Wheeler. A limo is cheaper than a cab ride these days! Besides, this ride is on Steve. He's kinda a big time tree hugger. When I mentioned we had two Planeteers staying with us, he was more than happy to volunteer his services."
"Wow. If I'd have known sooner that being a Planeteer gets you so many favors, I'd have started name droppin' alot sooner!" I admit.
We follow Steve out to the Limo where he opens the door and waits for Linka and me to climb in. "Where will I be dropping you off first?" He asks.
"Chelsea Piers."
"I have never been in a limo before. We may not have princesses in Russia, but you are certainly making me feel like one tonight Wheeler."
"Like I said, I wanted this to be special and memorable for you…for both of us. This is my first limo ride too!"
"There are drinks in the mini fridge and that control panel next to you operates the moon roof, music, lighting, and privacy screen," Steve says from the front.
"Thanks man."
We arrive at the piers shortly afterwards and tell our driver that we'll be back at ten. We board the ship and find a table for two by the windows so we have a great view of the city. The waiter comes and asks if we'd like anything to drink or an appetizer while we wait for the rest of the passengers to board. We look at the menu and decide on shrimp cocktail for our appetizer. When the waiter brings our appetizer, we place our dinner order.
The ship leaves the dock and soft dinner music begins to play. One of the songs was a piano piece and Linka was able to play along by drumming her fingers on the table in time with the music.
"You know this song Babe?"
"Da, it is Opus 40 by Tchaikovsky."
"From the looks of your fingers, it seems like you'd be able to play it too."
"I can."
The waiter brings our main course out as we continue our conversation.
"You'll have to play it for me sometime when we get home."
"Wheeler, I know you are not interested in this sort of music. You do not have to pretend for my sake."
"I'm not pretending! If it's important to you, then it's important to me. Besides, this sounds kinda relaxing and soothing."
"It is. I play to calm my nerves. Sometimes playing is a good way to express your emotions, there are happy songs, sad songs, and angry songs where you get to pound on the keys and vent frustrations," she explains.
"Well, I'd rather you take out your frustrations on the piano than on me! But I know what you mean. I used to do the same thing with my guitar."
"I did not know you played the guitar!"
"I taught myself a little before I joined the Planeteers. I haven't played much since. No time, and I've forgotten most of what I learned. It was just a good reason to stay in my room and avoid my old man. Plus I heard chicks dig guitar players!"
"Da, we do. If you ever feel like picking it up again, I'd be happy to teach you the basics of music," she offers.
"Alright! Free guitar lessons…another Valentine's Day present...So, this Tchaikovsky guy, he's Russian right?"
"Da. He composed all sorts of music, not just piano pieces."
"Do you only play Russian composers, or can you do others like Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms, Chopin, and Debussy?"
"Nyet, I do not just play Russians, I play the others that you mentioned, which by the way is very impressive that you knew, and I compose my own."
"No kiddin'?! Now those, I'd really love to hear sometime!" I say.
"Really?"
"Of course."
"Well it will be nice to share my music with someone other than my feathered friends."
Our conversation continues through dinner. When we finish, the captain announces that the dance floor is waiting for everyone to get out there and work up an appetite for dessert. I stand up and offer Linka my hand, which she takes, and we head for the dance floor. We start out with some slow songs, which I prefer to fast songs. Fast songs are ok when you're out clubbing, but when you're out with a beautiful girl, you'll use any excuse to hold her close. Linka doesn't seem to mind what kind of music that's playing, she just loves to dance. I soon realize that just because a song isn't slow, doesn't mean you can't be close. There are some couples out here that look like they need to get a room!
After we return to our table and have dessert, we take a walk on the deck.
"What a beautiful view," she says.
"Sure is," I say as I wrap my arms around her from behind.
"I mean the skyline!"
"What skyline?" I murmur against her neck.
She turns in my arms and lifts my chin upwards so that my gaze is directed at the city.
"Oooh, THAT skyline. Yeah, I've seen it before. I prefer this view," I say as I return my attention to her.
"I should not have left my coat inside," she says as she shivers in my arms.
"Here ya go Babe," I say as I offer her my jacket.
"Thank you."
"We should go back inside."
I lead her back inside to our table where we find an ice bucket and a small bottle of champagne waiting for us.
"Ready for some more champagne Babe?"
"Da."
I pour our drinks and raise my glass,
"Well, we've toasted Gi for breakfast, Kwame and Ma-Ti for their help, Dan for the accommodations, so who else is left?" I ask.
"Steve?" She jokes?
"Yep, good ol' Steve…I feel like I'm forgetting someone…"
"To us?"
"Exactly. Here's to you and me and this good thing we've got goin'. Cheers," I say.
"Cheers" We touch glasses and take a sip.
"Wanna dance some more?"
"Da."
As if on cue, the first song that we ever danced to came on. Is it fate? Nah, it's one of the most popular songs out right now, it's a love song, AND it's Valentine's Day. In a fairytale world, I'd say it's fate, but when you see all the horrible things I've seen as a Planeteer, you know that there's no such thing as fairytales and people don't always get happy endings…even the people that deserve them. But tonight's not about endings, it's about beginnings, and as I look down at Linka, who's resting her head on my shoulder, I'd say we're off to a pretty good start.
All too soon the boat has docked and we begin our departure from the ship. We find Steve waiting for us and get in the limo.
"Did you have a nice time?" He asks?
"Da, it was wonderful."
"I definitely recommend it if you've got a girl you wanna woo, right Linka?"
"I do not know what this 'woo' is, but if it means make her feel like she's the luckiest girl in the world, then yes. I would highly recommend it," she says with an appreciative grin.
We arrive back and the hotel and head up to our room. The first thing Linka does is kick off her shoes.
"Ahh, that feels much better. They might look nice, but shoes like that hurt like hell."
It's not often that I hear Linka swear, and when she does, it's usually in Russian. I scoop her up in my arms and carry her over to the couch where I lay her down, sit at the opposite end, and place her feet on my lap so I can rub them for her.
"How's that Princess?" I ask after a while.
"Feels wonderful…Prince Charming!"
"Nah, I'm no Prince, just your humble servant."
"Well in that case, I command that you get over here and give me a kiss," she says.
"Yes ma'am!"
I support most of my own weight as I hover above her and lean down to kiss her, just like she asked.
"Satisfied?" I ask.
"Nyet."
"Let's see what I can do about that." I stand up, bringing her with me and resume our kiss.
I turn my attention to that spot on her neck that I know drives her nuts. As my hands move up her back, I find the zipper to her dress and tug at it.
"You know Babe, this dress looks great on you, but it'll look even better balled up on the floor!"
"WHEELER!" she exclaims as she smacks my arm. "What a crude thing to say! After such a wonderful, romantic day, you want to end it like that? Reverting to childish, vulgar barroom pick up lines? I thought you knew better by now."
"I'm sorry. I was only joking. I know those lines never worked with you before. Forget I said it, and let me try again…Please?"
"Ok, just do not talk!"
So I picked up where I left off, minus the lame line, and used my lips for more useful things than talking.
When we wake up the next morning, I'm kinda disappointed that Valentine's Day had come to an end. I still have one more surprise left though, and it's waiting for Linka back at Hope Island, as long as Kwame and Ma-Ti remembered to pick it up.
"Got everything Babe?"
"Da. I am just sorry that it is over."
"Yeah, me too, time to get back to reality. I'm glad that we had no eco-emergencies to interrupt our day though."
"Da."
We saw Dan at the front desk when we were checking out and thanked him as we said goodbye.
A few hours later, we were back on Hope Island. Gi, Kwame, and Ma-Ti were in the kitchen making lunch when we arrive.
"Hey you two! You're just in time for lunch. Would you like some?" Gi offers.
"Sure. I'm starving," I say.
"Good. I am glad you are joining us. How was your trip?" Kwame asks.
"It was fantastic! Wheeler really out did himself and I understand he had a little help from you two when it came to getting the roses and gift into my room."
"We were happy to help," Ma-Ti says.
"And thank you Gi for the breakfast yesterday morning. It was delicious! And it was really cool how you took the time to cut the pancakes into hearts!"
"I'm glad you liked it. And like Ma-Ti said, I was happy to help too."
We eat our lunch and chat with the others for a bit. While Linka is telling Gi about our limo ride, I take the opportunity to ask Kwame and Ma-Ti if my final surprise is ready. Once they tell me that everything is in place, I set the plan in motion.
"Well Linka, how about we take our things back to our rooms and unpack?" I ask as I pick up our bags.
"Da, ok. I can carry my bag, you do not have to."
"No, I insist."
We drop my bag off first and then go to her room. I follow her inside and place her bag on the bed.
"What is that?" She asks as she points to the square shaped object that is covered by a sheet, which is sitting next to her window.
"I don't know, maybe you should uncover it and find out?"
"Wheeler…is this another one of your surprises? I swear Yankee; you are going to run out of ideas for gifts."
"Just uncover it."
She pulls the cover off and gasps!
"Bozhe Moy! How cute! Agapornis roseicollis!!!"
"WHAT?! No! They were supposed to be Lovebirds!"
"They ARE Lovebirds Yankee. Peach-faced Lovebirds to be exact. Agapornis roseicollis is the scientific name for them from the Greek word Agape, which means love, and Ornis, which means bird."
"Oh. Ok. What d'ya think? Like 'em?"
"I love them!" She says as she wraps her arms around my neck.
Now that the sheet is removed, they begin to sing and chirp.
"I know how much you love birds, so I wanted to get you one as a pet. When I started looking into it, I thought lovebirds would be appropriate…and of course I had to get two."
"What should I name them Yankee?"
"I'll leave that up to you Babe."
"That is it! I will call her Babe, and him Yankee!"
"Perfect. Hey, can lovebirds learn to talk?"
"Da, they can learn to mimic sounds and phrases."
"Awesome." I kneel down to talk to the birds "Listen up Yankee, there's one very important phrase you need to learn. You gotta remember to say it to your girl every day, every chance you get. Ready for you first lesson? Alright birdy, repeat after me 'I love you Babe.' Go ahead, say it to her. C'mon. SAY IT!" The bird is just staring at me like I'm an idiot and I'm losing my patience with it.
"It does not work like that Wheeler. They do not learn it after just hearing it once. They have to keep hearing it."
"Oh. Well in that case, pay attention Little Yankee and learn from the master." I stand up and pull Linka into my arms. "I love you Babe. I love you Babe. I love you Babe."
"And I love you Yankee. Thank you for all the wonderful things you did to make our first Valentine's Day so special."
"And thank you for FINALLY being my Valentine. I hope this is the first of many Valentine's Days we have together."
"Da, me too. I cannot wait for our NEXT first holiday together."
The End….
And I think the next holiday coming up for our favorite couple is Easter so we'll see if I'm able to come up with anything. No promises though. Easter's not really a 'couple' kind of holiday. We'll see.