Major Beck walked through the dusk into base camp. He was exhausted, although that was nothing new. He couldn't remember not being tired. He stopped at the mess tent and got something to eat; what he got, what it tasted like, didn't even register as he sat down and ate it. His mind wandered about, too tired to control its path.
Not surprisingly, it ended up on Heather.
He hadn't thought he was ready to move on, that he could look at another woman after losing his family. He hadn't even entertained the notion. But the day of the bombing – they had ended up in each other's arms, grateful to be alive. Grateful that they hadn't lost each other. They still might not have realized there was anything more there if it hadn't been for the looks they'd gotten. Some of his staff simply raised their eyebrows at them; others had given a satisfied smirk.
Once he and Heather had gotten over their initial shock, they found they couldn't go back. But they hadn't had much chance to go forward either. Too much was happening; there was hardly a moment to spare for anything other than surviving. Ninety-five percent of their time together since the bombing had been in the office. The other, precious, five percent had been at Bailey's, stolen in the pursuit of a quick lunch. Those lunches, the brief escapes, the laughing smiles, the fleeting kisses, never lasted long enough. He wanted more. He wished this damn war was over already, so he could court her properly.
He became aware that he was bringing an empty fork to his lips. He'd finished. Sighing, he returned his tray and trudged back to his tent.
He hung his helmet in its place by the door before he became aware of a presence in his tent. Looking up, he saw Heather waiting for him, and the look on her face made his breath catch. He turned, exhaustion forgotten, and crossed the tent in two strides. He kissed her hungrily, feeling her respond in kind. He wrapped his arms around her, clinging to her. He was surprised when she pushed him away, though she didn't break the kiss. When he felt her hands move over his body armor, looking for an opening, he grinned through the kiss and unfastened the armor. He pulled it off and her against him, wanting her closer, finding it still wasn't close enough. They broke the fierce embrace again to work on the next layer of clothing.
"Beck!"
Jake's voice interrupted them. Beck closed his eyes in frustration and considered ignoring him, but Jake was likely to enter the tent if he did, and that was something he did not want right about now.
"Jake, unless this is a matter of life and death, we'll discuss this in the morning."
"Major!" Jake's voice held a whiny note. Beck rolled his eyes, looking at Heather as she sighed in exasperation.
Beck was unable to keep his annoyance out of his voice when he spoke, something he had trained himself to do well through the course of his career. But this was too much for him to take.
"We'll talk tomorrow. I'm busy right now."
"Doing what?" Jake's voice was suddenly suspicious at Beck's clipped tone.
"Me!" Heather snapped. "Now get lost!"
They heard a jaw click shut and shuffling footsteps as Jake made a hasty retreat.
Beck looked at Heather, surprised at her bluntness and impressed at her results. He spoke softly to her.
"Has anyone ever told you that you have an excellent command voice?"
"No." She smiled at him, and a mischievous look came over her face as she gave her next order. "As you were, soldier. As you were."
He felt a grin split his face as he complied.
"Yes, Ma'am."