A/N Thank you to everyone who reviewed/favored/alerted! I really wasn't expecting all of that awesomeness. Not entirely happy with this chapter, but I figured I'd stop trying to make it better cuz it was just getting worse.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, if I did Wash and Taylor would have been caught making out in the Eye.

Chapter Two

Taylor was still there when Wash woke up the next morning. They were both cramped, not unhappily mind you, on her small couch with her lying on top of his chest. He had managed to cover them with the blanket that had been on the back of the sofa after she had fallen asleep.

It should have been completely awkward, dare she say it, snuggling with her commanding officer. However, it felt completely natural and she found herself wrapping an arm around his torso, pressing her face in the nook of his neck. A pang of guilt hit her, but she tried the best she could to brush it off. Ayani would want them both to be happy, but Wash doubted this was what her sister had meant when she told her to look after Nathaniel.

But you haven't done anything, Wash reminded herself. Nothing had happened, they were both still fully dressed, no kissing or anything of the kind went on the evening before. For the most part they hadn't even spoken; simply relishing in the fact that they were both alive and together.

He must have gotten a shower in before interrupting hers because he most certainly didn't smell like he'd been out in the jungle for the last few days. Wash smiled, breathing in deep the scent of his masculine soap. She let her own pride dwindle for a moment as she enjoyed how wonderful she felt being trapped in his muscled arms. There was more than enough proof that he would protect her from everything he possibly could (some long since healed scars proved it). For the first time in days and no matter how illogical it was; she felt safe.

"You do know I'm a highly trained military officer," Taylor mumbled, eyes still closed, "I'm aware that you're awake."

"So." Was her clever remark.

His chest vibrated with his laughter, "Who would have ever thought Lieutenant Alicia Washington likes to cuddle."

"I may be a soldier, but I am still a woman," she retorted, "And most women like to cuddle so deal with it."

"I wasn't complaining."

Wash smiled, twisting her head to meet his blue eyes. The sight sent a chill through her remembering the last words she had spoken to her nephew. You have your fathers' eyes.

"You alright?" he asked.

She nodded, "Want some breakfast? I can make us some eggs or something."

"You rest, I'll cook," he made a move to get up, but she held him down.

"Absolutely not. You are good a lot of things, but cooking is not one of them."

"I'm not that bad," he pressed.

"The one time you tried to cook me dinner you burned it, and you made pasta! How is burning pasta even possible considering you boil it in water?"

A genuine confused expression appeared on his face, "You boil it?"

Wash rolled her eyes and slid off of him, "Listen, you go home and get ready for the day. When you get back breakfast should be about ready."

Taylor raised his hands in surrender leaving Wash alone. Changing into a pair of black jeans and a fresh tank top, she ran a brush through her hair leaving it down for the time being.

She had just poured her beaten eggs in to the pan when Taylor returned.

"How can I help?" he asked, watching her stick bread in the toaster.

She pointed to the kitchen table, "Sit down and stay out."

"But I want to help."

Wash sighed, "Fine, pick a piece of fruit out of the bowl for us and cut it up." He gave her a pointed 'that's not really cooking' look, but did as she requested. Once the eggs, toast, coffee and the somewhat irregularly shaped cut up fruit were all on the table, they ate in compatible silence. Again, like it had with waking up next to him, it felt so normal. Wash was surprised that she wasn't surprised at how comfortable they sat there at her table eating like any of the other families.

Finishing his plate, Taylor stood and grabbed hers and sat them both in the sink. Wash took another sip of her coffee before standing as well knowing they both needed to head out.

"Alicia?"

He was staring at her intently, like he was trying to memorize every last feature of her face. The look his eyes held was one she hadn't seen for a long time and never thought a man, let alone him, would direct that kind of gaze toward her. Female soldiers tended to be intimidating and she wasn't an exception.

Leaning in slightly he stopped, asking with his eyes if it was alright to continue. Wash nodded taking an awkward step closer. Raising a hand to her cheek he brushed the hair away from her face before gaining his courage and swooping down and capturing her lips with his. The kiss didn't last for more than a few seconds, and was more of a confirmation than a kiss. A step to show that there was something, always had been, between them.

"I've wanted to do that for a long time," he whispered, "I don't want something to happen and-"

Leaning up quickly she silenced him with another kiss, desperation and hope lingering in the contact. "Me too. Not telling you how I felt sooner was the only life regret that came to mind when the Phoenix group caught me as the Shannon's were escaping."

"Have I ever told you that you are the bravest woman I have ever met?" he asked, running his fingers through her hair.

Turing away from him she handed over the hair band from her wrist and he laughed taking it and did his best to pull her dark strands into a respectable pony tail. "I have to be brave to be your lieutenant. With all the crazy places you've taken me. So I'm hoping that you'll keep that in mind when I tell you that I really need to go OTG to Outpost 1."

He spun her back toward him, "Excuse me? You're not going anywhere. I haven't gotten my fill of seeing you alive just yet."

Wash took his face in her hands, "The outposts are under my responsibilities and I need to get 1 back online, all I need to do is reconnect the main cables and I'm done. We need to take advantage of our resources while we still have them. Which means you should really start the production of manual weaponry. It's not even klick out I'll be back in hour. I'll take Guzman with me, how about that?"

Although not happy, she knew he wouldn't baby her. "You have one hour."

A/N You may have noticed that I made Ayani Wash's sister and I have a reason for it. In the episode What Remains and Wash is trying to calm Taylor down and she says "Ayani's gone, Nathaniel." Well, in my mind it held a lot of deeper meaning then it might have if Ayani had meant little to Wash. Plus this is the only time I remember her using his name, so I thought the tragedy had connected them in some way. Anyway, that's my reasoning.