A/N - So, I wanted to try something a little bit different (style wise, etc) and this is what I came up with. I really hope it's okay and in character because if i'm being entirely honest, this drove me absolutely crackers & I just wanted to get it done. So, as a result, this might be a bit of a mess...
The first thing Abby hears when she comes to is the soft patter of rain. It drums against the canvas of the tent in somewhat soothing motions and has her blinking away the sleep in her eyes. Her vision is blurry, foggy even and it takes a few seconds to adjust to the sunlight pouring into the tent. It takes her just as long to remember that underneath a large blanket, she is completely naked.
She can feel the warmth and solid feel of a body pushed up against her back; bare skin on skin and an arm curled protectively around her waist, holding her tight as if she'd slip away. A larger hand is entwined with her much smaller one, fitting together as if they'd been made for each other.
She turns her body slowly, as if not to wake him just yet, and is met with a still and sleeping Marcus. For a second, she finds the situation almost laughable. This was the very same man who had tried to float her numerous times; who had her shock lashed in front of their people in order to keep the camp in line. And yet here she was, lying naked underneath a fleet of blankets with him, a couple of hours after finally giving into the sexual tension that had been building up for months.
She felt a small smile blossom as she thought about the previous night and the way he'd grabbed her face; rough hands against soft skin, stepped into her personal space just as he'd been doing the past few months and captured her lips in a passionate kiss. The gentle, loving touches down her side as he'd peppered open-mouthed kisses down her neck, across her chest and stomach, drawing moans of pleasure from her throat. The way his body enveloped hers, hot and heavy against her smaller frame, consuming her completely. It hadn't been just sex for her, something quick and meaningless. It'd been more than that. It'd been slow and loving and everything she hadn't expected it to be.
She lifts her hand to brush a strand of dark hair from his forehead, something she'd wanted to do so many times, but had always deemed inappropriate. Just as she'd done so, he shifts slightly, his arm tightening around her waist, pressing their bodies even closer together.
His eyes slowly blink open and for a moment, Abby feels nerves bubble in her stomach and doubt ploughing her. It wasn't often that things went right for her and Marcus meant a lot to her, more than she thought he had. What if she was wrong and he didn't feel the way she thought he did? What if this had been a mistake?
Almost all of her doubts went out of the window when she saw his mouth lift into a shy smile and his eyes shine with adoration as soon as he saw her curled around him.
"Good morning." He murmurs, just low enough to send shivers up her spine. She feels his fingers crawl from her waist to gently trail up her spine, tracing random patterns over her skin. The action relaxes her a little, causing her to let out a small sigh and chasing away the rest of her fears.
Abby nudges closer into his warmth, craving his touch. Now that they had gotten to this point, she found that she couldn't get close enough. That just acknowledging his presence wasn't enough anymore; not without some form of contact to reassure her that he was there.
She brushes her fingers from his forehead and down his neck until her hand is resting against his chest, the pace of his heart increasing under her touch.
"Morning." She smiles softly before leaning in to cover his mouth with hers. His lips part almost instantly and she takes it as an invitation to deepen the kiss. She revels in the softness of his mouth against hers; at how right everything feels. At how right they feel.
His fingers trail up to tangle in her hair, drawing a sigh from her throat. Abby moves to hover over him slightly, causing the blanket to fall around her, exposing her bare chest. She uses her elbow to steady herself as she moves her mouth from his to trail kisses along his jaw.
"Abby." His voice is husky, filled with lust as she continues down to his neck, vibrating under her mouth. She nips gently at the soft skin, causing him to let out a groan. "Abby, we really should talk about this."
"There's nothing to talk about, Marcus." She lifts her head, leaning back to look into his eyes. He's wearing a serious expression; one he would normally wear at council meetings, but she can see the conflict of emotions in his dark eyes; lust and hesitation battling together for domination. "I know what this meant for you."
Abby watches in anticipation as he hesitates slightly, fear pooling in the pit of her stomach and crawling up to her throat, preventing any words from making their way out.
"No," Marcus moves his fingers from her hair to brush a stray strand from her face, his touch light against her skin. His voice drops down to a low whisper, but still loud enough for her to make out. "I don't think you do."
At his declaration, Abby feels her chest tighten and all the doubts she had hits her like a ton of bricks, knocking the air from her lungs. She averts her eyes from his and moves out of his warm embrace, not even bothering to take the blanket with her. The cold air hits her almost instantly as she stands and begins searching frantically for her clothing.
"Abby, wait…"
"It's okay, Marcus." She pulls on her jeans and takes a quick look at his face. He's sitting up now and the blanket has fallen to his waist, hiding the lower reigns of his body. He watches with worry in his eyes as she gathers up her shirt and quickly pulls it over her head. She ignores the fact it's the wrong way around in a hurried attempt to leave; to forget everything that happened a couple of hours ago. "We don't need to mention this again."
"Abby," He groans in frustration, running a hand through his hair. "I didn't mean…"
"I have patients to attend to." She interrupts curtly, almost wincing at the sound of her own voice. She barely takes a step forward towards the entrance of the tent when she feels his hand latch onto hers. Electricity shoots up her arm at his touch and she has to take a deep breath to calm the pounding of her heart; to ignore the way his hand feels around hers. "Let go of me, Marcus."
"Abby…" She hears him take a deep breath.
"That's an order." Her voice is neutral, but her eyes flash dangerously when she turns to face him, staring him down in the way she used to back on the ARK when he'd gotten under her skin.
"That's an order I can't follow." Marcus pushes the blankets away, taking his jeans and quickly stepping into them. His voice has raised an octave and she can hear the frustration lacing his tone. He takes a few steps closer, until he's almost invading her personal space. Abby feels her breath hitch as he stares into her eyes. "Damn it, Abby, do you have any idea how infuriating you are?"
She scoffs; rolling her eyes and takes a step towards him, leaving barely any distance between them. The air vibrates with tension as she stares into his eyes with determination. "If you're just going to…"
Her voice trails off, muffled by the sudden feel of his mouth on hers. His kiss is hot, filled with passion and a burning desire that already feels familiar. Her whole body freezes for a second before her lips part subconsciously underneath his, kissing him back with equal passion. His hands move from her face to grasp her hips, her entire body coming to life as he pulls her closer. She trails her own up his chest, one hand settling on his shoulder while the other tugs at the hair at the nape of his neck.
After a few seconds, Marcus pulls away slowly and Abby opens her eyes to find him breathing just as heavily as she is. The air is thick with tension and he's staring at her with a mixture of both adoration and lust; their stance mirroring that of last night. Confusion rushes through her, her head a hazy mess as she tries to make sense of everything. Last night, his words, and the kiss.
As if he'd sensed her confusion, his hands move to cup her face and his eyes bore into hers intensely. "Last night wasn't just nothing to me, Abby." He whispers. His breathing is still heavy, but on the verge of steadying a little. "It meant something. You mean something to me."
You mean something to me.
His words echo in her head, causing her stomach to twist into knots. It's a far cry from "I love you," but she knows the hidden meaning behind his words, the emotions he's trying to convey. She steps into his space; keeping their eyes locked and a small smile blossoms on her face; her breathing still a little heavy.
"You mean something to me too."