Title: Raindrops Fall
Category: Terra Nova
Ship: Maddy Shannon/Mark Reynolds
Genre: Romance
Rated: G
Word Count: 954
Summary: Maddy Shannon is twirling, her arms spread out in the rain.
… … …
It's midday and Terra Nova is busy with activity, but for Sergeant Mark Reynolds who has been on duty through most of the night and morning, it's past time to make it back to the barracks and to his bed. He's making his way through a trail when he feels the first drop on his face, then another and another and another. He doesn't get a chance to look up at the sky when it opens and it starts pouring.
He watches as the people around him start walking faster, some running into their homes for cover from the downpour. He doesn't speed up his pace; too worn-out to do so and just lets the warm rain fall over him. He continues making his way but stops short at the sight a few feet away from him. A smile taking over his tired face as he takes in the scene before him. Maddy Shannon is twirling, her arms spread out in the rain. Forgetting his exhaustion, he starts to walk to her, instead of turning left into the soldiers' units.
"You know most people take cover when it rains!" He calls out to her, smiling when she lets out a happy laugh even when her cheeks are taking a pink hue at being caught. He likes to think that it's him that flusters her.
"It's so clean!" Maddy Shannon exclaims as she holds out her hands to capture the droplets. "And so much! I've never seen it rain so much."
He watches as she does another little spin. "It makes you happy?" He asks, not really understanding.
Maddy faces him as he gets closer to her, the rain coming down harder. "How long have you've been in Terra Nova?"
"A long time." Mark answers, watching the way her pretty dark hair is now plastered against her bronzed skin and tries to ignore the way her wet clothes now cling to her curves or his reaction to them. "I was really little when we crossed over."
"So you don't remember much of the way the world is?"
Mark shakes his head, he remembers so very little of the world in the twenty-second century; fact is all he knows is Terra Nova.
"It doesn't rain often; sometimes months go by without a single drop." She says in a quiet far-off voice as she tilts her head up to the sky, her eyes closed. "Not that it matters 'cause when it does rain, the water coming down is so polluted it's not safe to be caught in it. The streets are so dirty and the water makes it worse, rain is supposed to cleanse, but there it doesn't."
She looks at him with a sad smile that slowly clears into a small happier one. "I use to watch old movies from the twenty-first century archives. People used to twirl in the rain, danced in the rain, and even had those great romantic kisses in the rain." She twirls once more. "I figured one out of three isn't bad."
Mark looks at her silently, taking her in. She's gorgeous; he noticed the moment he first saw her and his head hasn't let him forget it in the time she's been there.
"Two out of three is better." He answers taking her hand; he pulls her into his arms. She gives him a surprised look before she relaxes and steps closer, their bodies pressed against each other as they take small circular steps, swaying to nonexistent music as the rain continues to fall on them.
"I've never danced before." She whispers as her cheek rest against his wet shirt, one of her hands is resting against his neck, her fingers running over the hair at his nape.
He smiles into her hair, pulling her closer as he breath in her scent, something flowery and sweet. "Me either."
Maddy looks up at him with a soft expression that causes his body to clench at the sweetness and hopefulness he finds in her big brown eyes.
"Maddy?" He whispers, his mouth inches away from hers.
He watches as she swallows nervously, her eyes straying to his mouth causing his lips to quirk upward and propel him forward. "Yes?"
He lifts his hand to push her hair behind her ears. "Let's go for broke and go for three."
His smile grows as she nods and he can feel her shudder breath against his lips a second before he covers her mouth with his. Her lips are soft like the rest of Maddy and he has to remind himself that he's older and should go slow even when the taste of her makes him want to drown in her until all he knows and sees is Maddy Shannon, with her beautiful smiles, pretty blushes and raven black hair. He keeps it light, his heart doing a little jump in his chest when one of her small hands tentatively touches his cheek. He breaks the kiss slowly and pulls back enough to look at her: her mouth is shiny, pink and slightly open, her eyes are still closed.
As they flutter open, she gives him a blinding smile. "That was my first kiss." She says with a dream-like voice as she gives him a shy look.
His heart does another somersault and as he pulls her close again, her arms circling around his waist as his hands go up and down her arms. He decides that if he's not already half in love with her he will be soon.
He presses his lips against her forehead. "So," he starts, his lips never leaving her skin. "Better than the movies?"
He grins against her skin as she lets out a laugh.
"So much better!"