"Well, go on then. What is it you want to say." Miranda's gaze pierced through the captain.
"I.. I'd like to apologize..." Rip took a cautious step forward. "You're an excellent lieutenant and a valuable asset and..." He looked down at his feet. "Please, accept my apology."
Miranda reached up and took his hand in hers. "Thank you, Captain." She laced her fingers between his and stepped forward, closing the gap between them.
Rip looked up to see her holding his hand. The mere thought of Miranda touching him was exciting. She was electric. He could somehow feel her boundless energy surging through him at the slightest brush of their fingertips.
"I'll forgive you if you forgive me." Miranda smiled. "You're right, I do enjoy getting a rise out of you."
Rip felt himself leaning into her. It seemed out of his control, like a magnetism pulling him in. Miranda moved toward him too, knowing full well what was happening. Their lips met and Rip's hands moved up to her hips. He pinned Miranda against the door as she grabbed his shirt in her fists to draw him in further. But Rip suddenly came to his senses and quickly moved her hands away. "I'm so sorry..." His lips trembled. "Miranda, I.." Captain Hunter was interrupted by the signal indicating that they had landed. "This isn't over, Lieutenant."
"I sure hope not." Miranda bit her lip excitedly.
"Ssshh." Rip found himself chuckling.
Miranda briskly walked past him towards the ship's exit. But Rip suddenly felt fear as he walked out of the Waverider, straight unadulterated fear. This was the beginning of something he knew he couldn't turn back from. He couldn't feel the way he felt for her and just ignore it now that they've kissed.
The next night, Rip went to speak with Miranda in hopes of straightening out their situation. Miranda opened the door in her robe and invited him in. She had a fire going in the living room and a toothbrush in her hand. "Do come in, Captain." She closed the door behind him. "To what do I owe the surprise visit?"
Rip suddenly wished he'd chosen this conversation in a less intimate setting. "About yesterday... What do we do now?"
"It'll have to be our little secret." Miranda walked to the bathroom and squeezed a blob of toothpaste on her toothbrush. "We're Time Masters, we're good at secrets, right?"
Rip shook his head yes as he stood in the bathroom doorway, watching Miranda brush her teeth. "Right, and that'll never happen again." He replied.
"Just a minor hiccup." Miranda spoke with her toothbrush hanging from her mouth.
"Exactly." Rip watched her rinse and spit. "A minor hiccup."
Miranda dabbed her lips on a washcloth and looked at Rip staring at her from the doorway. She smiled. "You want to kiss me again, don't you?"
"God, yes." Rip went in for another kiss, this time without either of them holding back. That night turned into a mad blur. He woke up the next morning in Miranda's bed. He could hear the shower running in the bathroom. Rip put his clothes on in a panic and ran into the bathroom. "Major hiccup!"
Miranda laughed and poked her head out of the shower curtain. "Morning, sunshine." She reached for a towel and stepped out of the shower. Rip quickly turned around. "It seems I haven't much left to hide from you, Captain." Miranda replied as she walked past him, now wrapped in her towel.
"I'm sorry I've complicated everything. I have to go. I... I'll see you at work." Rip quickly left Miranda's flat and ran back to headquarters. The head of the Time Council, Decklin, greeted him at the hanger with information on their next mission.
"It would seem Lieutenant Coburn is running late." Decklin raised an eyebrow.
"Strange, isn't it?" Rip replied as he looked over the details of their mission. "Don't worry, sir. I'll give it to her when she arrives... The intel, that is... for the mission."
Miranda arrived in a rush some seconds later. "Sorry I'm late, Captain." She spoke slightly out of breath. "Had a hard time sleeping last night."
Rip coughed nervously. Decklin gave the Captain a strange look. "You alright, Captain?"
"I might be coming down with something." Rip cleared his throat. They quickly said their goodbyes and jumped into the Waverider. "For God's sake, Miranda." Rip raised his voice as he entered the coordinates on the console. "That was too close."
"Sorry." Miranda replied. "Won't happen again, right?"
"Never again." Rip agreed and strapped himself into his seat.
Miranda strapped herself in as well. "No one hiccups."
"Exactly.." Rip hit the throttle and lifted off. After a stint in 1941 to check in on the scientists behind the Manhattan Project, Rip and Miranda headed back to the hotel room they were sharing undercover as Mr. and Mrs. Hunter.
"You want to do something fun before he head back to the Waverider?" Miranda asked as she sat down on the edge of the bed. Rip stood frozen in place, unable to answer. Miranda suddenly realized the implication and jumped up. "I meant like seeing a movie or checking out a record store or something."
"Oh, that would be nice." Rip chuckled, relieving some tension between them. After sharing a popcorn over The Maltese Falcon, they checked out of the hotel and headed back to the Waverider. Which was camouflaged in the roof of the hotel the whole time. Rip put his latest record on the record player and hung his hat on the coat rack in his office.
Billie Holiday's Love Me Or Leave Me began to play as Miranda walked in and extended her hand. "Care to dance, Mr. Hunter?"
Rip smiled and took Miranda's hand in his. He slowly placed his other hand on the small of her back as they began to sway. "Why did you decide to join the Time Masters?" He asked.
"For the adventure, of course." Miranda smiled. "What about you?"
"There's no calling more important than securing the safety of the human race." Rip replied.
Miranda rolled her eyes. "And you love to feel important, right?"
"You always have to undercut everything I say." Rip shot back.
"I'm sorry, you're right. Let's not talk anymore." Miranda rested her head softly on Captain Hunter's chest. The record had finished playing but they continued to sway to the hum of the Waverider's going into autopilot.