'So,' Dylan suddenly felt shy sitting beside the woman he'd agreed to sleep with yet keep as a friend, 'how are we going to do this?'

'Your parents didn't tell you about the birds and the bees,' Kallan laughed at him. They'd sat and talked for an hour by the pond in Virgil Park. Named after one of the original members of the Thunderbirds, most of the population used the open space during daylight hours.

Giving her a look that said, that's not what I meant, Dylan found himself blushing. Normally he'd approach this subject with a smooth demeanour and even more charming words but Kallan's honesty unnerved him. 'I'm a little shocked at how open you are about sex,' he couldn't look her in the eye.

'I lived on a working farm all my life watching animals do it in the open paddocks,' reaching out a hand, Kallan rested it on his shoulder. He almost flinched, forcing her to remove her palm and wonder if she'd misread Dylan's easy acceptance of her offer. Beginning to question if his values were as open and casual as hers, Kallan continued in a quiet tone, 'Cathol and his girlfriend lost their virginity together in the hayshed at the age of fifteen. They didn't lock the door.'

'I though you said Irish Catholic,' brow furrowed, Dylan looked into Kallan's amused eyes. She didn't display an iota of the embarrassment he felt talking about this subject.

'Boys,' she winked, 'will be boys. They're allowed to try and girls have the right to say no.'

'What happened to your brother,' Dylan asked, attempting to process the way Kallan could discuss them so easily.

A pleasant laugh escaped her lips as she threw her head back. 'Dad gave him the lecture about hormones and protection, which he took to heart. Once Cathol's made his mind up about something, it's hard to change it. Stubborn Irish, that's what my Mother calls it. Anyway, both my brother and Ann intend to study medicine together, graduate, get married and settle back in our home town. I have every confidence they'll achieve their goal.'

'So what about you,' the question popped out before Dylan could stop it. Still the answer intrigued him.

'You'll know when it happens,' for the first time, Kallan seemed extremely shy and introverted.

'Kallan,' he all but whispered, his throat closing over with the enormity of her confession, 'I can't…'

'Then,' the young woman he knew emerged, 'walk away Dylan. No hurt, no repercussions, no blame. The friendship will still stand, nothing will change that.' Shrugging her shoulders, she suggested, 'It'll happen sometime. I think it'd be nice if it happened with you. You're not that hard to read, being so like my Brother in personality and morals. You're not out to hurt either yourself or me. You're not going to spread the fact you managed to get me into bed with everyone here. If anything,' she hesitated watching the very subtle play of emotions across his face, 'you'd do anything to keep your intimate life close, protecting the person you're involved with. Why do you think I've waited to find the right person?'

'You really mean it,' chocolate brown eyes questioned, 'don't you? If this interfered, you'd end it?'

'Life's too short,' Kallan answered sagely, determined in her own mind to find love when it suited her, 'to be hung up on inconsequential emotions. I've seen some of my friends fall in and out of love, one marrying a man because they had a child on the way before either of them finished school. They made mistakes I'm not willing to make. It's not what I want from my life. I might have been brought up Irish but that doesn't mean I'm a practicing Catholic.'

'My father rarely heaps praise on his children, but even he believes I have the ability to make it all the way to achieving my dream. The day before I left home,' a distant glaze covered her brown orbs, 'we discussed life and love and what happens next. Mum would have liked me to stay in Ireland, go to university and marry a local man producing multiple offspring. I'm a realist, not a romantic. That's not the life I want, at least not right now. Maybe one day, I'll fall in love. I don't have the time or energy to spare while staying at the top of the class. I'm not going to let anything come in the way of being the first female Thunderbird Captain.'

Slinging his arm around her shoulders, Dylan led them out of the small park. Suddenly he felt honoured by Kallan's offer of friendship. However he wondered if she understood the ramifications of a sexual relationship between them, especially the first. He questioned whether she'd be able to keep her emotional distance. Deciding only time would tell, Dylan pushed the thoughts aside.

'With determination like that,' he attempted to tease only it came out more serious than expected, 'I'll have to stay beside you just to keep up.'

'I don't know,' Kallan returned, 'I think we're pretty evenly matched, intellectually speaking. I'll reserve my opinion on everything else for a while.'

They walked back to the Academy in silence, both a little lost in thought. Rounding the final corner, Kallan stopped her companion. 'I'm not ashamed,' she managed to get the words out, 'but I don't think we should advertise this either. We both have too much to lose and I don't want anyone getting the wrong idea. I can take the gossip and innuendo, but,' pausing to look Dylan in the eye, 'if you do find someone, it'll be easier if this is just between us.'

Nodding, Dylan had been trying to find a way to say the same thing without hurting Kallan's feelings. Suddenly, the young cadet realised the level of his friend's general openness and how it would create even more of a bond between them. Once again grateful for the difference in their personalities, he dropped his arm from her shoulders.

'Tonight,' he felt embarrassed, yet Kallan showed remarkable restraint standing at his side, giving him time to work through his thoughts. Demonstrating his emotions never came easily to Dylan, unless it challenged his morality. 'Why don't you come to my quarters,' he finally suggested, 'my roommate has a weekend pass. We can talk for a while longer.'

'Just talk?' the question, accompanied with a suggestive expression coloured Dylan's cheeks. 'I didn't think so,' Kallan teased. 'Let's just take this one step at a time.'

Nodding his agreement, Kallan followed as Dylan lead them to the freshman floor. Male quarters took up most of the main hall. The female students had been relegated to the oldest area, at the very end of the south corridor. At least each accommodation boasted a private bathroom, unlike the men's communal washrooms. For the next year, Kallan's quarters, located directly opposite Dylan's door gave the young couple easy access to each other.

The long corridor remained empty as they transversed it. 'I guess almost everyone is at the welcome party,' Kallan remarked, covering her nervousness. 'Ryoko made it clear, if I came back before midnight, I'd be interrupting her entertainment for the weekend.'

'Despite popular belief,' Dylan remarked, opening his door, 'I've heard the guys talk in the gym and most of the conversation centres on who's doing who. Your roommate's reputation is growing.'

'What about mine,' Kallan dared to ask.

'Pristine,' Dylan returned, unwilling to say more.

Kallan didn't need to know she'd become a target to the less deserving of the male cadet population. Declining several dates only made her more attractive in some men's eyes. Turning to his companion, he noticed the uncertainty in her gaze as she stood beside him. Understanding she sensed some men wanted to score at her expense, Kallan didn't categorise Dylan in that number. A faint smile covered his lips. Her stoic façade was just that, a front. Finally he could see the apprehension in her facial features as he stood aside for her to enter his quarters.

'You sure travel light,' announced Kallan without thinking on entering the apartment.

Shrugging his shoulders, Dylan tried to put her at ease. 'Dad's position meant we moved every few years as the IRO stationed him around the world. I've kind of gotten used to being able to pack up and go on a moment's notice.'

Softness filling her green orbs, Kallan took his hand. She didn't understand the concept of constantly moving locations. Her family owned the same piece of land for generations. Leading him to one of the beds, Kallan knew it had to be Dylan's. Neatly made, picture of a woman and younger version of Dylan in a frame on the night stand, the area reflected his exacting personality

'Is this your brother?' she asked, picking up the photo. The normality of the conversation easing the tension she felt.

'Yes,' he smiled, 'Danny gave it to me so I wouldn't forget him.'

'It must be hard,' Kallan replaced the frame and pulled Dylan down to sit beside her, 'to leave your family….'

'I started high school in England,' Dylan looked down at his hands, 'we'd moved there after the Mount St Helen's eruption. With a burning desire to be a Thunderbird Captain, I knew I had to be the top of my class to get into the IROAcademy. Problem is, it's hard to stay there when you're changing schools every two years. Dad begged the IRO to allow the family some stability. They continued his position until I'd almost completed School. So I chose to live in.'

'You went to boarding school in England?'

'In my final year,' Dylan agreed, 'so moving to the academy, it's not much of a change. I go to where ever my family is stationed every chance I get. I love going home but I've gotten over the homesickness.'

'It explains a lot,' Kallan suddenly felt deflated, and sad. She missed her family and friends. Realising the conversation brought up feeling of loss, Dylan placed an arm around her shoulders. Pulling her into his body, he silent promised to be here for her.

It didn't take much from there to rearrange their positions. Dylan had enough experience to know when he could take advantage of a situation. Not that he wanted to, especially with Kallan. This relationship meant too much to him, both emotionally and mentally. They had a long way to travel together before reaching their ultimate goal. Unwilling to endanger that with a hasty action, Dylan coxed with slow gentle movements.

'It takes a while,' he soothed the woman now lying on his bed, wrapped in his arms. He hoped she'd continue to allow his comforting gesture, 'to really accept the change, especially when you come from a family as close as yours.'

'I have you,' she spoke slowly, 'which is a lot like having my brother here.'

'I hope not,' Dylan managed to inject some humour, 'I intend to do a lot of things with you,' he punctuated the words while rolling Kallan onto her back and leaning over her, 'that would be illegal if we were siblings.'

'Like what,' she requested, watching for a change in his expression. She had enough experience to know when a man prepared to make a move. Questioning Dylan's motivations, Kallan didn't see that spark of sexual attraction she expected and it confused her.

The kiss, when it came, gentle as a zephyr, bespoke respect and understanding. Dylan's lips didn't burn a trail to her mouth. They stayed platonically on her forehead. Tonight celebrated their pact, their unique understanding and future goals. Taking her earlier words into consideration, Dylan realised a physical relationship would happen sometime in the following months. For now they had a lot to learn about each other.

'I've…' Kallan found it hard getting the words out.

Smiling, Dylan knew what she attempted to say. 'It's different with every partner, Kallan. Whatever experience you've had isn't important. How close you got with your last boyfriend is irreverent. We'll take this as slow as you need.'

'Just hold me tonight, Dylan,' she pleaded, 'I didn't realise how much I'd miss my family until we started talking about them. I've tried to be brave.'

'I'll be here for as long as you need me,' he promised, settling back and scooping her into his warm embrace.

Kallan's last sentence summed her up in Dylan's newly formulated opinion. Brave on the outside, she held her insecurities ruthlessly packed away on the inside. Yet they drove her to passionately peruse her goals. For whatever reason, she'd chosen to share that vulnerability with him. It made Dylan feel honoured and yet like he'd taken on a huge responsibility. On the tail of that thought, he realised Kallan had every right to feel the same way.

Silence encompassed them. Comfortable enough neither felt the need for useless words. They'd revelled in the fact they'd travel this torturous self-chosen path with another at their side. Another who understood the very essence of the personalities that drove them to want what few could possibly obtain.