Chapter 2

"Good night, Jinpei!" called Jun, as the boy headed up the stairs to the living quarters above the Snack J.

"Are you sure you don't need any assistance cleaning up?" Ken asked, chuckling at the Swallow's rapid departure. "I know that Jinpei usually helps you with that."

"He deserves the break." Jun smiled, flipping the sign on the front door to read 'Closed', pulling down the blind and turning the lock. "He did a lot of homework this afternoon, when he could have been playing video games with Ryu."

"It's amazing what this break has done for him." Ken said, picking up a towel and wiping down one of the booths. "Having more than one or two consecutive days in school has really made him buckle down with his studies."

"I don't like it." Jun muttered to herself.

"What?" Ken exclaimed. "You don't like the break? It's been a whole two weeks since we've heard from Galactor."

"I know." Jun said, putting down the glass she had been washing and looking at Ken. "I just get the feeling that it's too good to be true."

"I understand how you feel." Ken sighed, walking across the room to approach Jun from behind and wrap his arms around her waist. She leaned her head back on his shoulder, a worried expression on her face.

"It's just so hard to get these glimpses of a 'normal' life, only to have it constantly snatched away from us." Jun said sadly. "I guess we'll never be free to live our lives, until Galactor is finally defeated."

"But until then, we have to make the most of what we have." Ken said, turning Jun around to face him. He looked into her eyes, seeing her need for reassurance… her need for hope.

Hope… how long had it been, since they had both quietly acknowledged the feelings that existed between them? It had happened that one evening, shortly after their first mission, when they had looked at each other and just known…. known that if it weren't for the war with Galactor, that they would be together. Neither of them had ever said anything to overtly acknowledge these feelings, and yet, every one of their actions reinforced the already strong emotions between them. Every time Ken chose Jun to accompany him on a mission, they knew it. Every time Jun was in distress and fled to his arms for comfort, they knew it. Every time the five Science Ninjas were together, and their eyes happened to meet, they knew it.

Damn it, how long did they have to wait? Why did their personal lives have to depend on Berg Katse's insanity?

Well, Berg Katse could just go to hell.

Hesitantly, Ken moved his right hand up from Jun's waist, lightly brushing her cheek with his fingertips. He heard her sharp intake of breath, and saw her expression of surprise. Her jasmine perfume filled the air, setting his senses reeling. Her emerald eyes widened, but she did not speak, for fear of spoiling the moment.

Jun's lips parted slightly, her cheeks flushing under Ken's intense scrutiny. She turned her hands slowly, until her palms were flat against his chest. Ken could feel her fingers through his t-shirt, and his heart began to beat faster as she moved closer, her right knee slipping between his thighs.

Unconsciously, Ken's left hand tightened its grip around Jun's waist, then slid up to her shoulder blades, until his entire upper arm was stretched across her back, deepening the intimacy of their embrace. He felt her soft breasts crushing against his ribs, and his body hardened in response.

His head bent closer to hers, until Ken felt Jun's warm breath on his cheek. Yet still, he could not bring himself to cross that line, to irrevocably admit that the relationship between them was more than that of Commander and Officer.

Jun's hands moved upward, slowly crossing his shoulders and moving behind his head, until her arms were entwined around Ken's neck. Their foreheads touched, and then the tips of their noses, but still, something held them back.

Ken's right hand cupped Jun's cheek, his fingers splayed in her hair, its silky softness like an intimate caress. His heart was pounding, his mind whirling with his proximity to the only woman he had ever wanted… and never been able to have.

"Jun…" he breathed, the word so soft that he wondered if it had even been spoken aloud. But the glimmer in her eyes told him that he had been heard.

Almost of its own accord, his mouth moved across the tiny space that remained between them, his lips brushing lightly against hers. Jun shivered, and in doing so, deepened the kiss between them. His mouth opened slightly, the open space welcoming one of Jun's lips, as the other pressed against him.

Jun sighed softly, causing Ken to pull her closer to him, his mouth fully joining with hers as they surrendered themselves to their intimate contact. The kiss between them was gentle, and full of promise. Jun's lips were tender and sweet, and Ken knew, deep in his heart, that this was what he had been waiting for all of his life.

Only, he didn't want to wait any more.

They stood in their embrace, sustaining their first kiss for a long moment, until Jun pulled away slightly, catching her breath and gazing up in awe at the man she felt like she had known forever.

"Ken, I…"

Beep!

No, not now!

But it was.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Their bracelets were lit up with an incoming communication that demanded their immediate attention. Frustration evident on his face, Ken moved quickly away from Jun, raising his wrist to speak.

"G1 here."

"G1, this is Nambu. Where is G3?"

"I'm here, Doctor." Jun replied into her own bracelet.

"I need to see both of you at ISO headquarters immediately." Nambu said.

"Now?" Ken asked, looking helplessly at Jun. "It's the middle of the night!"

"Now, G1." the Doctor's voice brooked no refusal.

"We're on our way, Doctor." Ken sighed.