"Burning the midnight oil again? This is getting to be a habit Sasha."
She hadn't heard him enter the conference room but she had been deep in her research. "I just... I feel like we're getting closer and I don't want to give that slimy bastard even the slightest chance to slip through our fingers again."
"None of us do but you won't be much good to us when we find him if you're running on empty."
"Save the well-being speech Tom, you don't exactly look a picture of health yourself."
She caught the momentary look of hurt as it passed across his features but he covered it quickly with a chuckle. "My excuse is my age, completely out of my control. Sleep on the other hand..."
"Okay, okay, I get it. Ten more minutes and I'll go to bed," he raised his eyebrow at her. "I promise! I just need to finish up here."
"Anything I can help with?"
"Maybe, but not now. Tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow it is."
He watched her return her attention to the papers in front of her on the table, knowing full well she would still be there in the morning. He was almost out the door when he heard her call his name. Without looking up from whatever she was writing, she told him "You're not old, not by a long shot."
He couldn't help but smile.
He thought he heard a banging on his door but it couldn't be, could it? Straining to open his eyes, the alarm clock by his bed red 3.23am.
He sat up in bed just as the knocking started up again but now he heard a voice too. Her voice.
So much for ten more minutes.
He swung his legs off the side of the bed and ran a hand through his bed hair. "Come in."
Sasha was through the door and standing in front of him in two seconds flat. "I've found it, Tom! I've found Vellek's lab."
Now she had his full attention as he looked up at her. "Where?" he asked simply, knowing instantly that she has what she said she had. No doubts.
"Based on the last communications from their vessel and some of the archived data in the files we got from Georgio's place it has to be here," she placed a map of the Med down on his desk and pointed to a spot. He stood and moved over to stand beside her identifying her chosen spot about ten nautical miles from their current position.
"Not far. Sasha, how-?"
"Tom, it doesn't matter, we found him. We need to go now!" She was already rolling up the map ready to move.
He grasped her free hand between both of his gently. She felt warm and smooth between his own rough palms. "Sasha, we need to be smart. It's the middle of the night, we have no plan and I doubt we'll be able to simply approach and walk on board even in the pitch dark."
He watched her take a deep breath and exhale. He could see some, a small amount, of tension leave her body.
He lifted one of his hands to cup her cheek and forced eye contact. "You did good Sasha, you may have saved the world with this. Now we need to play it smart."
Sasha felt like she'd had the wind blown out of her. In a good way, if that's possible. She'd been so wired only moments before, unable to quite believe she had found Vellek's hiding spot that she hadn't stopped to actually formulate a workable plan.
A hand on cheek and his eyes staring deep into her own was all it took for Tom Chandler to still her. She saw a mixture of admiration and concern in his eyes and wondered how it possible for someone to express both of those emotions at the same time.
She felt her heart racing as she noticed for the first time since she entered his cabin that he was bare-chested and wearing only a pair of black sweats. Her eyes drifted up to his head where he hair was all ruffled and sticking out at various angles. She liked it; the rough and ready look. She liked it lot.
"Tom-"
She felt cold the second he took his away from her cheek and took a step back. "First thing in the morning Sasha, let the crew get some rest. We'll convene in the conference room at 05.30."
She dropped her eyes to the floor and nodded, unable to stop the feeling of sadness and loss that swept over her body.
"Now get some rest." He cupped her chin with his finger and lifted her head so she was facing him once again. "Please Sasha."
He wanted to kiss her then more than he had wanted anything for a really, really long time.
She looked so conflicted; not the Sasha he knew and loved. He felt his heart break as he thought about that bastard Fletcher and more painfully, his own part in her unhappiness. She was the one person he hadn't wanted to taint but leaving had caused her more pain than he'd allowed himself to realise. She hadn't deserved any of it and he was determined to make it up to her, however long it took. If she'd let him.
"I just don't know how to switch off anymore," she admitted after a long pause. "I have so many thoughts running about in my head and it's like I can't shut them off."
She sounded more broken than he had ever heard her.
"I'm exhausted but the second I lie down my mind-"
The sound of her voice and the look of defeat in her eyes caused Tom to lose his already wavering restraint. He silenced her with a kiss, taking a step forward and catching her moving lips in his own. He felt her stiffen in shock for a second before she softened against his chest and snaked her arms around his neck. Her mouth was hot and she tasted of coffee as she moved to deepen the kiss, tongues snaking together as he placed his hands on her slim waist.
She could feel the heat from his bare chest as she pressed against him. God, she had missed this. Him.
After what seemed like hours she broke contact, gasping for air and placing her forehead against his. "Tom-"
He took a step back. "Sorry," he began. "I just… you were…"
She smiled at his adorably cute flailing. "I'm not," she took a step towards him and kissed him softly on the lips. "It's just, with the mission and… everything. I want this finished."
Tom sighed. "Me too."
It took every fibre of willpower in her body to take a couple of steps back towards the door. "See you at 5.30?"
He nodded. "I'll even wear a shirt for the special occasion."
"Shame," she teased playfully.
They both had grins the size of a Cheshire Cat's as she closed his door behind her.