Written entirely because Ilexx and something she said- so thanks :) . The story is about pace. Oh and about Beka and Dylan. No, I don't own them or the rest of the Andromeda universe because otherwise it would totally have not ended nearly five years ago. Holla if there are any crazy spelling errors.


"It's not about going slow, Beka." Dylan said, his eyes glittering mischievously.

"So what is it about then, Captain?" Beka drawled out the last word, letting it roll of her tongue slowly, so he would catch the mockery it was meant to be. "Because fast and furious is not always the way to go... Sometimes there's just no pleasure in it all being over as soon as it's begun."

The tall paradine-man stepped up closer to his first officer and raised his eyebrows. His nose mere inches from her own, he almost let out a small chuckle as her bright eyes glared up at him. Defying him to move. Inches apart he spoke again, Beka could feel his breath on her face. It was almost too close.

"Well, Beka. I'd say it's all about giving them what they want, when they want it." He spoke languidly, bordering on lazy, his eyes never leaving hers. They continued staring each other out, attempting this flirting thing that so often happened between them, neither man or woman knowing what to say next.

The moment stretched out, neither knowing what to do the next. They both just stood facing the person they knew they would always be tied to: this game of flirtatious words, raised eyebrows and too many cold showers.

But one that would seemingly never change; he would always rescue and then screw some innocent, defenceless 'princess'. Whilst Beka would always fall too fast for some new, most likely Nietzschean, bad-boy.

Beka opened her mouth to speak again, glancing away and down from her captain.

"Slow is good, it allows you develop bonds, relationships. Instead of running straight into things and asking questions..."

"Never?" Dylan finished for her, a smirk gracing his handsome, if slightly aging features. "Which of course you never do?"

Beka let her nose crinkle up and she scowled again at Dylan.

"You never let me finish." She whined, before moving off and going to stand in front of the obs decks' universe viewing window.

"I do... Sometimes." He went and stood next to her, unwilling to give up this half-fight. But when Dylan finally reached her, he just stood and watched her as she surveyed everything she had helped save. Her recently altered dark brown hair framed her face; it made her stubborn, icy blue eyes look even more stunning. He was still covertly watching her when she turned to him, opened her broad mouth and let out a bemused laugh.

"What are you looking at?" Asked Beka.

"I uh, I just think your hair suits you darker. You look more... I don't know. Just ... It looks good." Dylan finished, wondering why he seemed to stutter those last few words. He was meant to be the most confident man in the galaxy. Aside from Harper after a few cans of spiked sparky cola, of course.

"Well thanks- I guess I just got bored of the blonde ya know? Also, did Harper ever tell you the old earth fable about the tortoise and the hare? I think that story proves my point very well." Beka added almost as an afterthought, a brilliant epiphany against the infuriating, beautiful man who she had made promise to always ride her.

"No Miss Valentine, all that proves is that you can be as fast as you like, just don't get cocky." Dylan replied, with that argument how could he not win this?

Beka's harsh laugh rang out around the deserted obs deck.

"This coming from you? You're about the cockiest guy I know. No- just face it Dylan, sometimes slower is so much better. Prolongs the enjoyment."

She laughed again and it became so infectious that he could only laugh too. These were the moment she enjoyed most; the ones where they could just be. No threat of doom hanging over their heads. No obligations or commonwealth orders. Nothing but the time to enjoy the company of a three hundred year old Vedran.

"You don't even agree that times like this would be better if they were slower?" Beka asked, her voice quieter than she would have liked. The insecurity and fear of being left behind again shone through her attempt at nonchalance.

Dylan glanced over at her. Then before she knew what had happened Beka was pressed up against Dylan's side, a warm arm settled comfortably around her shoulder.

"Times like these, Beka? I live for times like these." He said quietly before pressing his lips gently into her hair. "And now we have all the time in the world to enjoy it."

...

"So you agree that I'm right then? I win?" Beka suddenly asked, breaking the comfortable silence. "Because I can think of plenty of ways of uh, showing you that slow and steady will always come first..."

Dylan raised his eyebrows at the woman by his side.

"Well, Miss Valentine; if you have a way of a settling this once and for all who am I to deny you?"

Beka grinned and slipped out of his embrace. Slapping his butt playfully as she walked towards the door, she turned to him once more and winked. But Dylan didn't move, he only continued to stare out the window, watching the stars as they too winked back at him.

"Dylan? Are you coming?" Beka asked impatiently as she motioned frantically to unseen quarters.

"Yep, I just thought I'd take it easy. As you said Beka, speed is very much overrated."

Beka only shrugged; turning her back on Dylan she entered the corridor. He waited, watched her walk away with a smug look on his face, maybe he had won after all. That was when he heard her voice.

"Seriously Dylan, you wait too long and instead of a hot, hot night of passion all you'll get is me asleep and yourself running over your allotted amount of shower time. So get that cute butt moving."

"Yes ma'am." Dylan muttered to himself as he exited the obs deck. "Slower, my ass."


Thanks for reading (: