(This is pure Wheeler-Linka indulgence. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. As always, I do not own these characters nor do I make any profit from writing these stories. I'd love to know what you think, so please review. Thanks!)

The cold Seattle wind whipped Linka's blonde hair across her face, and she shivered.

"Remind you of home, Babeoushka?" said Wheeler, rubbing her arms briskly.

"Da," Linka laughed. "And you?"

"Yeah, it's quite nice," said Wheeler. "I used to love winter as a kid. But it is friggin' cold, even for me – I think I've acclimatized to Hope Island."

"We're doing better than Kwame and Ma-Ti," Linka pointed out. They turned to look at the pair, who were huddled in a corner of the boat's deck. Kwame was wearing a woolly hat with earflaps, but his teeth were still chattering.

"How much longer can this sightseeing cruise last?" he called out.

"What's the matter? Not enjoying it?" Wheeler laughed.

"It's too cold to be out on the water!" Ma-Ti responded.

"We're almost back at the pier," comforted Linka. Her cheeks were pink from the cold, and her eyes sparkled. "Gi said she would meet us at the Aquarium."

"Cool. So remind me – what's she doing there again?" Wheeler asked.

"Wheeler, I've told you three times already! Pontus is working there at the moment," said Linka. "She's visiting him. Apparently he has something to do with a new family of sea otters they have acquired."

"Nice." Wheeler leaned his elbows on the rail and gazed down at the steely grey water. "And to think he once said he'd never leave the underwater city."

Gi had met Pontus in an underwater dome she had discovered a few years ago, in their early days as Planeteers. The city was a secret from the outside world, and as far as they knew, Pontus was the only inhabitant in hundreds of years who had ventured out into the surface world. There had been an immediate attraction between the young man and Gi – both marine biologists passionate about ocean life, they had a lot in common.

"I wonder if something will happen between them on this trip," Linka said thoughtfully. She zipped her jacket up to her neck and rested on the railing next to Wheeler.

"God knows, she deserves a little fun," Wheeler responded. "We all do. This holiday couldn't have come at a better time. I'm wiped out."

"Me too," Linka nodded. This was a rare admission for the reserved Russian, who usually relished her strict work ethic.

Wheeler put an arm around her shoulders, drawing her in a little closer. She didn't pull away, and he took advantage of the moment to bury his nose in her blonde hair and inhale her sweet, floral scent. Their always tumultuous relationship had calmed down a little away from the pressures of work.

"There's the pier," said Linka, pointing.

"Thank god," came Ma-Ti's heartfelt voice from behind. "We need to find a café before we do anything else."

"Hot chocolate!" cried Kwame. "Anything hot!"

"You up for that, babe?" said Wheeler, smiling down at the young Russian who remained in his arms. She looked up with a twinkle in her green eyes.

"Up for what, exactly?"

Wheeler whistled. "This cold weather is good for you, babe. I should freeze your ass off more often."

Linka chuckled. "Why – am I being nice to you?"

"You're being very nice to me." Wheeler leaned in closer, smiling a little mischievously. "But you could be nicer."

"Chill down, Yankee!"

"That's chill out. Or do you mean cool down?"

"We're here!" came a relieved cry from behind. Ma-Ti and Kwame were already heading down the stairs. "Come on, guys!"

Wheeler and Linka exchanged amused glances, then followed.

XXXXXXX

The Seattle skyline was crisp against a bright blue sky. A few high, scudding clouds showed on the horizon, and Mt Rainier was crystal clear. The Planeteers argued for a minute about whether to go straight to the Aquarium or stop for a drink, and compromised by grabbing takeaway coffees.

"I've got our cups here," said Ma-Ti, fishing out chrome flasks from his rucksack. "The last thing we need is polystyrene to recycle."

"Good planning," Wheeler laughed. The barista making their coffees looked a little nonplussed when faced with four metal flasks to fill, but rose to the occasion.

"You guys work for an environmental organization?" he asked, seeing the Planeteer logo.

"Something like that," Kwame smiled.

XXXXXXX

The four friends strolled down towards the Aquarium. It wasn't a long walk.

"This is nice," sighed Ma-Ti. "No eco-villains to fight, no work to do …"

"I can't remember the last time we hung out together like this," Wheeler agreed. "I guess it was back in the summer when we went to Mexico …"

"Da, but we ended up having to work," said Linka. She was wearing high-heeled boots and jeans, and her heels made a decisive click on the sidewalk.

"There's no work to do here," said Wheeler, waving a hand. "I've never seen a place so clean. Except maybe Disneyland. And there's bins everywhere."

"It's good," said Kwame. "Although this is one of the main tourist areas. Perhaps in other parts of the city it's not quite as pristine."

"Not our problem – at least not today," said Wheeler carelessly. The quietly-spoken young African smiled and shook his head at his friend's insouciance.

XXXXXXX

They had reached the Aquarium, and Gi was waiting outside with Pontus. Her face was glowing, and she stood hand in hand with the young man. Wheeler and Linka exchanged knowing smiles.

"I let her know we were on our way," said Ma-Ti, who ran to greet them.

"Hi guys!" Gi said, giving Ma-Ti a hug. "You're just in time to see the sea otters being fed. Come on."

XXXXXXX

The otters were acrobatic little creatures, turning underwater somersaults and jumping up for fish. Glass walls meant that the Planeteers could see them even when they ducked beneath the surface.

"They're like underwater cats," Wheeler commented as one swam past, its beady eyes wide open and staring at the visitors.

"They are cute!" Linka exclaimed, clapping her gloved hands together. Wheeler smiled at her, amused.

"Would you like one?"

"No! They seem very happy here. I think they are in good hands."

They watched the otters for a while, then wandered through the rest of the facility. It was a fascinating place, and Pontus was an excellent guide.

"Check this out," said Wheeler, stopping at one tank. "You can pet the starfish."

"Go on then," teased Linka.

"Are they going to be slimy?"

"Why don't you find out?" smiled Gi. "Go on, Wheeler. They don't bite."

Wheeler took off his glove and lowered his hand into the water, a pained expression on his face. Linka couldn't help laughing.

"Aargh!" he pulled his hand out.

"What?" Linka wanted to know.

"It's totally not what I expected. They're rough and kind of scaly. It was just weird," said the American defensively.

"Did the little starfish scare you?" said Kwame, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Cute, Kwame. Very cute."

"We should probably head off if we want to get some dinner," said Gi. "The Aquarium will be closed to the public soon."

"Is it evening already?" said Linka in surprise.

"I knew I was hungry for a reason," said Wheeler.

"You are always hungry, Yankee."

"Growing boy!" he defended himself.

"I know a great place where growing boys can get a good steak, a good glass of wine and some excellent jazz," said Pontus. "In fact, I've already made us a booking." The Planeteers looked at him in astonishment, and he raised his hands. "Hey, I've been here for three weeks. Even someone from an underwater city can hunt out the best restaurants in three weeks."

XXXXXXX

The place was the Belltown Bistro – a warm, red-brick restaurant where waitresses in black served carafes of rich red wine. The Planeteers felt themselves unwinding as the evening wore on and the music got gradually louder.

"That was an awesome meal," said Wheeler, leaning back in his chair and throwing his napkin onto his plate. "I'm stuffed."

"Me too," Gi groaned. "I couldn't eat another bite."

"How are you guys feeling?" Pontus asked. He had kept his hair long even after leaving the underwater dome, and he reached up to tie it back. "Do you want to go back to your hotel, or do you feel like going for a few drinks somewhere?"

"I'm definitely up for it," said Wheeler. "The night is young."

"I'm sorry, friends," said Kwame, "but I'm still exhausted after flying the cruiser here yesterday. I'm going to have an early night."

"Me too," said Ma-Ti. "And I want to check on Suchi."

"Party poopers," Wheeler commented. "How about you girls?"

"Oh, I'm keen to keep going for a while," said Gi, smiling into Pontus's eyes. The two had been holding hands throughout a lot of the meal.

"Yeah, I'm sure you are," Wheeler laughed. "Linka?" He spoke casually, but his eyes were hopeful.

"I think I would like to stay out for a while," said Linka. She had relaxed even further during the meal, laughing louder and longer than she usually did, and her cheeks were prettily flushed in the candlelight.

"Excellent," said Pontus, smiling. "Well, I guess we should part ways."

XXXXXXX

Kwame and Ma-Ti said their goodbyes and headed back to the hotel.

"Don't stay out too late!" said Kwame jokingly, patting Wheeler on the back.

"Don't wait up," Wheeler responded.

"Sleep well, Kwame," said Linka, giving him a hug. She was very close to the young African – they both took their work very seriously, and were more reserved than the outgoing Gi and Wheeler. Kwame hugged her back, and whispered in her ear, "Keep an eye on Gi, won't you?"

"Do you think she needs watching?" Linka laughed.

"I'm sure she can take care of herself," said Kwame, "but all the same."

He and Ma-Ti departed.

XXXXXXX

"Well guys," said Wheeler. "The grown-ups have gone to bed …"

There was a roguish twinkle in his blue eyes.

"I know a great place just around the corner," said Pontus, putting an arm around Gi and drawing her in close.

"Let us go," said Linka. She linked arms with Wheeler, and the foursome walked down the brightly-lit street. It was freezing, but light spilled onto the sidewalk from the restaurants and bars that lined it, and the sound of laughter and jazz and the scent of coffee made the street seem warm and alive.

Wheeler glanced at Linka. She looked beautiful (as always, he thought); her blonde hair loose and shining on her shoulders, a scarf knotted around her throat. She was laughing, and her breath showed as a frosty cloud in the cold air.

If he had only known it, Linka was thinking almost the same thing about him. It was good to be away from Hope Island and all the stresses of their jobs as Planeteers, much as they loved them, she thought. Spending time with Wheeler outside of work showed a different side of him – he was more relaxed, and his constant joking didn't irritate her as it did when they were in the middle of an eco-crisis. She found herself looking at his profile – his dark-red hair, his blue eyes, the determined set of his chin – and seeing him as if for the first time. He turned and caught her eye.

"You okay, babe?"

Though she'd never admit it to his face, Linka found his Brooklyn accent very attractive. "Da, I am fine. Looking forward to getting inside again, where it is warm!"

"Well, looks like we're here." The American smiled. Pontus was leading Gi into the depths of a nightclub, pulsing with music. Wheeler and Linka followed them in.

"Can I get you a drink, babe?" Wheeler shouted above the music.

"Thank you!" Linka shouted back. She watched his tall figure weave through the crowd, then return with two glasses. Pontus and Gi had disappeared.

"They're probably in a dark corner somewhere," said Wheeler with a wink as he sat down.

Linka lifted her glass to her lips. "What is this?"

"Vodka and orange. You know, the lifeblood of your homeland."

Linka punched him lightly on the shoulder. "Don't be silly, Yankee!"

"Oh, I can be much sillier than this," said Wheeler, leaning in a little closer.

Linka closed her eyes and downed her drink in one gulp, then opened her eyes again to see Wheeler staring at her in astonishment.

"What?" she said, laughing. "Did you think I was an innocent girl who couldn't hold my drink?"

"Well, I stand corrected," said Wheeler, his eyes alight with mischief. "Can I get you another?"

"Thank you," said Linka primly. "That would be nice."

XXXXXXX

Almost two hours and many drinks later, Linka's speech wasn't quite as precise as usual, and her English was slipping too. Wheeler's head was spinning a little.

"You bad Yankee," Linka said, wagging a finger at him. "Are you trying to get me … get me drunk?"

"You know, I think your accent is getting stronger the more you drink," Wheeler laughed.

"You haven't answered my question!"

"In answer to your question, Linka, no – I am not trying to get you drunk."

"Why not?" She gazed at him, her eyes wide. "Don't you want to take advantage of me?"

Wheeler shifted in his seat uncomfortably. "Are you kidding?"

"Yes!" Linka leant forward, her chin in her hand. Wheeler couldn't help laughing.

"I have to say, I've never seen you like this before, babe. It suits you."

"Really?" Linka smiled flirtatiously, and traced his jacket collar with her finger. "So you think I am not always this much fun?"

Wheeler knew when he was walking into a trap. "I didn't say that … just that you're a little more … um … relaxed than usual."

"I feel relaxed!" Linka leaned back in her chair and made a wild gesture with her hand, almost knocking over her glass, which was empty. She noticed, and gazed down at it mournfully.

"Wheeler, I have no more vodka. That is very un … how you say … unpatriotic of me. Like you said, it is my national drink."

"Are you sure you want another one?"

"Yes I am sure! Please?" She looked up pleadingly.

"All right, fine. But last one, you hear?"

"Thank you, Yankee." She smiled at him prettily. When he returned with her drink, she was almost lying down, waving one finger in the air in time to the music.

"Here you go, babe." He handed her the glass.

"Aren't you having another one?"

"No – one of us needs to be capable of walking."

Pontus and Gi emerged from the crowd of dancers and approached the table. Gi's eyes were sparkling, and her walk was a little unsteady.

"Hi guys!" She gave them both lopsided hugs. "Sorry we haven't caught up with you for a bit."

"That's cool, I guessed you were busy," laughed Wheeler.

"We're heading off to another club," said Pontus. "Want to come?"

"I like it here," said Linka.

"Well, you heard the lady," said Wheeler. "I think we'll chill out here for a bit. We'll meet up later."

"Okay." Gi smiled. "See you guys later!"

She and Pontus fought their way out onto the street again. Linka turned to Wheeler with a purr in her voice. "So, Yankee … we are alone."

Wheeler raised an eyebrow. "I've got to say, you're really surprising me tonight, babe."

"What can I say?" Linka shrugged theatrically. "Sometimes, da, I find you very irritating and I am not nice to you and say you to go away."

"Tell me," Wheeler corrected automatically.

"Yes, tell you to go away. But all the time I am thinking, yes, this American he drives me crazy but also I think he is very good-looking and makes me feel all kinds of things. So it is nice to be with you like this." Her Russian accent was growing more and more pronounced. Wheeler noticed that the top button of her shirt had come undone, and he swallowed.

"Like … what kinds of things?" he ventured.

Linka looked down and traced a pattern on the table with her finger. "Oh … things." She was not looking at him, but he could tell she was smiling.

"You know, Linka, we've had quite a few moments over the years … "

"Da." She looked up and laughed. "You could put it that way."

"And usually someone interrupts at the last minute, or we start fighting for some reason …"

"We do fight a lot," she agreed. "But I would much rather be fighting with you than not fighting not with you."

Wheeler tried to unscramble this in his head, with little success. "Well, no one's going to interrupt us now …"

"What are you saying, Yankee?" Linka sounded outraged, and sat bolt upright. "I knew it! You are going to take advantage of me!"

"No, no!" Wheeler sounded horrified, his blue eyes wide. "Hey, I thought you wanted …"

Linka started to giggle. "I'm sorry. I couldn't resist it."

Wheeler slumped in his seat with a sigh of relief. "Phew! Don't scare me like that, babe …"

"But I do think," said Linka, leaning in closer, "that I should take advantage of you, da?"

Wheeler said nothing, all traces of laughter gone from his face. "I would like that, babe, I really would."

"Okay then." Linka kissed him lightly on the nose. "I will cast my inhibitions away and be a bold woman." She ran a hand through his hair. Wheeler had almost stopped breathing.

"Starting with this," she said, and kissed him. Wheeler's heart was beating so loudly in his ears that it almost drowned out the thump, thump of the music. The kiss was long, and it was a very eventful few minutes before Linka lifted her head and smiled into his eyes.

"That was nice," she said.

"Mmm," said Wheeler, almost incapable of speech. "And no interruptions."

"Shall we do it again?"

"I think so …"

XXXXXXX

The hotel corridors were quiet, and the rattle of Linka's key in her door sounded very loud.

"Shhhh!" she put a finger to her lips. "Be quiet!"

"Linka, you're talking to a door. I hate to break it to you, but I don't think it understands…"

"Shhh, Yankee!" She kissed him firmly on the lips, both arms around his neck.

"Doing that really doesn't give me any incentive to stop talking," he smiled.

"I can do much worse things."

"I'd really like to see them."

Linka laughed and turned back to the lock. After further struggle, it opened and she almost fell into the room.

"Bozhe moy!"

Wheeler caught her round the waist, laughing. "Careful, babe! You almost took that lamp out."

"I am quite fine," she said with great dignity.

"Sure you are." Wheeler stepped into the middle of the room and looked around. Linka went to the fridge and started rummaging.

"What are you looking for, babe?"

"Ah, here we are!" She lifted a bottle of Champagne in triumph. "And some glasses …"

She found some above the sink. "And now, Yankee, we have a little party."

Wheeler took off his jacket and sat on the bed. "Okay. Hey, is Gi next door?"

"Yes, but I don't think she will be in yet." Linka sat next to Wheeler on the bed, tucking her legs under her. She had kicked off her boots. "What do you say when you clink glasses in America?"

"We say 'cheers'," said Wheeler, smiling.

"Cheers, then."

They clinked glasses and drank. Then Linka carefully put hers down on the carpet and removed Wheeler's from his hand.

"Hey, I wasn't finished with that!"

"Yes you were." Linka pushed him backwards purposefully.

"Are you proposing to take advantage of me, Linka?"

"I thought I had made that clear," she smiled. "Do you really need this shirt? It is warm in here."

Wheeler shook his head, laughing. "I can't believe you're the same girl. Uh, no, I guess I don't need this."

"Good." Linka removed it expertly. "And you're still wearing shoes!"

"I'll take them off." Wheeler unlaced his shoes and chucked them into a corner. "There. Is that more like it?"
Linka was eyeing his tanned chest with appreciation. "Da." She reached out for him.

"Wait a sec – I'm just going to the bathroom. Stay right there, exactly where you are, okay?"

"Of course," said Linka. She rolled over onto her stomach, propping her chin up on one hand and swinging her legs back and forth. "I will get into something a little more comfortable."

"Okay. I'll be right back." Wheeler took a good, long look at the gorgeous blonde girl stretched out on the king-size hotel bed, then headed into the bathroom, closing the door.

XXXXXXX

He splashed a little water on his face, and looked at himself in the mirror. Of all the things I could have imagined happening tonight, he thought, this is the least likely. Although of course he had imagined it, hundreds of times.

He took a deep breath.

"Okay."

He pushed open the door again, and went into the bedroom. Linka was still lying there, but …

"Linka?"

There was no response.

"Linka?"

Wheeler sat on the edge of the bed and shook her softly. "Hey, babe, you in there?"

Her face was peaceful, her long lashes sweeping her cheeks and her golden hair spread over the covers. She was deeply asleep.

"Oh man." Wheeler laughed ruefully. "Okay, babe. Let's get you into bed."

He moved her very gently, pulling the covers back, and tucked her in. He lifted her head and arranged a couple of pillows beneath it.

"That comfy?"

She was still wearing her shirt, but had taken off her jeans before falling asleep. Wheeler considered putting her into a nightshirt, but thought he'd get into trouble for it in the morning.

He stood for a moment in indecision, then kicked off his own jeans and climbed into the other side of the enormous bed. He didn't want to be away from her tonight. He rolled over and stroked her cheek, brushing a strand of hair away from her ear.

"Night, sweetheart. See you in the morning. Hope you remember enough so you don't get too much of a shock."

He kissed her gently, then switched off the light. He lay in the dark for a moment, listening to her breathing. Of all the ironic things … but it had been a wonderful night and he knew, now, that it would only be a matter of time.

Within seconds, he had fallen asleep too.