Chapter 3 - The Agreement

"Good morning Beautiful." Wheeler said as he stepped up behind Linka late on the following morning. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he planted a kiss on her neck.

Not having heard him enter the kitchen, the wind planeteer jumped and spun around in the circle of his arms. Sighing as she realised who it was, Linka demanded "Wheeler, what do you think you are doing?"

The American raised his eyebrows and there was something odd in his voice as he answered. "Practising. I thought it would be a good idea, if we're supposed to have been together for a while."

Linka was sure she should be annoyed but the way he'd pulled her close again made it difficult. "I think that is an excuse." she teased, her hands resting lightly against his chest. The Russian hadn't missed the tone in his voice however so she asked, "What is the matter?" her blue eyes searching his for some explanation as to what might be wrong.

"I was going to ask you the same question." then seeing her look of confusion he explained, "You relaxed when you saw it was me. I was wondering who you were expecting?"

Linka looked blankly at the fire planeteer for a moment and then burst out laughing. "Gi, she is always doing that!" she joked and forgetting herself slipped her arms up around his neck and gave him a hug. "Silly Yankee, you made me jump, that is all."

Wheeler automatically hugged her back but he said, "I'm serious Babe, I know when something is bothering you."

"I was miles away..." Linka began, but seeing he wasn't going to drop it sighed, "I was thinking about Ilyanna's brother Sergey, he will be at the wedding, and he would always find reason's to do things like that." As Wheeler's expression darkened into a frown, she made haste to reassure him, "Nyet LyubOv. It was only kids stuff. He did not really do anything, he was just teasing me like you do, except that I did not like it."

"Does that mean you do like me doing stuff like this?" Wheeler asked, his brow clearing.

Again the Russian found it difficult not to smile. "Well it is okay to practice I guess." she replied noncommittally. "Actually we should probably agree on a history too, so that our stories match, in case anyone asks."

That wasn't the response Wheeler had been hoping for. At least she hasn't let go, but what if she's really just practising! He shrugged "It's your show Babe, you tell me and I'll go along with it."

Linka hesitated then began "Well... then we have been together since you stayed with me in Russia, when Grandmuska was sick and..."

Surprised, Wheeler interrupted "That was two years ago Lin! Surely you've spoken to them since? Wont they know we're not a couple?"

"Um, actually they just assumed that we are," she blushed and lowered her eyes "and I have not corrected them."

There was silence for a few moments and then the American started to laugh. He hugged her tightly and kissed her temple. "Classic, Babe!" Wheeler lowered his head to whisper in her ear, "Wish I'd known." before pressing his lips to her neck and making his way slowly downwards, his hand rubbing the small of her back.

Linka gasped at the feel of his mouth against her skin, "Yankee, this does not come under practising." She told her affectionate friend, though she neglected to pull away.

"Sure it does," he murmured against her between kisses.

The beautiful Russian closed her eyes and leant into his embrace, "Nyet, we only need to practice so that we will be comfortable in public." She nuzzled his neck in return, "We are not going to do this in public."

The fire planeteer chuckled and tugged the neck of her t-shirt aside so that he could give her a gentle bite where it wouldn't show.

Linka gasped again, her eyes opening wide and her body stiffening.

Feeling her change in mood, Wheeler moved to look at her face, "What's wrong Lin?"

"This is not appropriate, Wheeler we are not a couple!" Linka was clearly agitated.

The American groaned inwardly, I've done it again! Sighing, "Babe it was only..."

"It was not only anything!" Linka shook her head trying to clear it. Pulling away from him altogether, "It is my fault, this was a bad idea!" She put a hand up to forestall his argument, "I should be helping Gi." and without giving him a chance to reply, the beautiful Russian all but ran from the room, leaving her companion feeling very guilty.


It had been obvious to the water planeteer that her Russian friend was upset as soon as she'd joined her, but Linka had refused to discuss it. When they had finished checking and cataloguing the water samples they had collected on an alert earlier that week, Gi suggested a swim.

Linka had been quiet and thoughtful all afternoon, she'd even asked Gi to get lunch for them both to eat in the lab. "A swim?" she rubbed her shoulder absent-mindedly , "Nyet I cannot."

Gi rolled her eyes, "Okay, what did he do this time?"

"How did you... who do.. I do not know what you mean?" Linka replied, sounding lame even to her own ears.

Gi patiently explained, "You only get like this for two reasons and there haven't been any hopeless disasters lately. That means Wheeler upset you."

Looking like she might cry, the wind planeteer replied, "He always gets carried away... and I always over-react." she shook her head, "I should know better by now."

"So what did he do?" Gi asked again becoming frustrated. Linka told her, but the Asian still looked confused "And then what?"

"Then I left." Linka said as if it were obvious.

Gi closed her eyes, "Linka I know you said you over-reacted but... You're going to make the poor guy afraid to do anything at this rate."

"He should not..." Linka began but as Gi opened her eyes again to look at her, she shrugged. "It is the effect he has on me, I told you it would not work."

"Not if you keep walking out it wont." The Asian girl shook her head. "Seriously Linka, if you have issues with his behaviour you have to let him know, I don't suppose he has a clue why what he did was wrong... I'm not sure I do!"

"He had no right to take things so far." Linka insisted.

There was a pause "Linka... I very much doubt you're Wheeler's first girlfriend..." Gi began awkwardly.

"I am not his girlfriend at all Gi, that is the point." The wind planeteer put in quickly.

"Whatever you are, he probably didn't think it was so far... he's probably gone a lot further." The water planeteer sounded apologetic but as her friends face turned a deep shade of pink, continued. "The point is, that instead of just telling him to stop trying it on, you got mad..." she frowned as something occurred to her, "Did you think he wouldn't stop?"

"Nyet!" Linka replied quickly, shocked by her Asian friends suggestion "Wheeler would never do anything to hurt me, or anyone else!" Blushing again and lowering her head, "I am just not used to being touched that way... or feeling the way he makes me feel." She sighed looking unhappy, "I guess he will not want to go to the wedding with me now. We do not have enough time to just let this blow over and I cannot apologise because he will think he was right to act that way."

"Nonsense, you just have to go about it the right way." The dark haired said firmly.

Blushing Linka asked, "What do you suggest?"

Gi grinned.


Wheeler sat on the sofa in the common room trying to read but not having much luck. I suppose I'll have to beg her forgiveness, though why I should... Damn it, what choice have I got?

A voice at the back of his mind told him to just give up, but he pushed it away, unable to deal with the idea of a future that didn't involve Linka... a happy one anyway. The red headed American sighed, What if I've really convinced her it's a bad idea? What does she want anyway?

At this point the object of his musings entered, came across the room and sitting down close beside him on the sofa asked, "So, have you decided what you are going to wear for the wedding?"

Wheeler was astounded and his first thought was to ask her sarcastically if he was still invited, but then he saw that she was biting her bottom lip as she always did when she was nervous, and he decided not to hang out for an apology. The young man tucked his arm about his companion's shoulders and gave her a reassuring hug. "Nope. You wanna come pick something?"

The American had to stop himself from laughing as she visibly relaxed, but it was more relief than amusement. I guess she felt as bad as I did after all! This isn't going to be easy but I have to find a way to make it work between us...

Snuggling down and putting her arm around his waist she replied. "There is not a rush. I did not mean to disturb your reading."

Like I could concentrate on technobabble with you in my arms! "You're not disturbing me." he replied but after a moment added "Babe, I really think we should agree on some stuff." He continued quickly as she looked up, not giving her a chance to start an argument. "I mean obviously we think about things differently and I don't want to upset you over nothing, er, that is something that I think is nothing and you don't."

Linka nodded her agreement looking nervous, "You first."

Wheeler shrugged and tucked his other arm around her comfortably. Waggling his eyebrows, "There's nothing you can't do to me Babe."

The Russian chuckled and shook her head affectionately. "I want to know what you would expect of your girlfriend."

The fire planeteer sighed, "I don't expect anything, I don't want you to do something because you think you should. I'm happy to follow your lead..."

"Da but..." Linka looked upset at her inability to express herself. "What happened earlier, you thought that would be okay nyet?"

The American grimaced, "I wasn't thinking at all. I got carried away, you do that to me. Just tell me how you want me to behave."

Looking sad, his companion shook her head and then buried her face in his shoulder, but relaxed slightly as he tightened his embrace and gently pressed his lips to her temple.

They stayed like that for a few moments and then Linka looked up into his eyes once more. "Like this?" she said pleadingly. "For the wedding, while we are pretending, so that it is comfortable?"

Wheeler nodded, "Sure Lin." He wanted to ask her about after the wedding, when they weren't pretending anymore but he pushed his feelings aside and smiled. "I like it like this." he told her truthfully.

The beautiful girl returned his smile, clearly relieved. "So do I." She snuggled down against him again and Wheeler's smile widened as he realised that 'like this' started now.

They sat there for a while, enjoying each others presence, before the American decided to continue their conversation, "If I ask you something, will you promise to take it just as a question and not a bad pick up line or anything?"

Linka nodded, He is trying so hard to get this right. She thought. Gi is right, we must learn to listen to each other if we want a future together.

Wheeler licked his lips and began. "Okay, so back in Brooklyn, if we were dating for two years we'd probably be living together... or at least er... you know..." He looked uncomfortable and the lovely girl wondered if he thought she was going to storm out again.

"It is alright Yankee, you are right to ask, and as long as we are being serious, you can ask me anything." She smiled. "As far as Grandmuska and Mishka are concerned, we are definitely not. My town is very small and old fashioned. You saw how they clung to the mine? So while engaged couples might... erm... make love to each other, it is not spoken of and most single girls would not risk getting pregnant because of the way people would see them."

She blushed as she continued. "My friends... they will probably assume that we are living together, because we live here and have been together so long, but it is not something anyone should ask about..."

"Got it!" the fire planeteer assured her, "They ask, I'll give them a look." He demonstrated, making Linka giggle.

"Is there anything else you would like to ask me?" she enquired.

"Nope, not at the moment. You?" he asked.

The Russian shook her head, "But we should agree to remember to talk to each other if we need to. Promise?"

"Promise." Wheeler said, pressing another kiss to her temple.

Linka pulled away and stood up, and for a moment Wheeler thought he'd upset her again somehow, but then he saw she was smiling.

"Come on Yankee," she said, holding her hands out. "Let us go and see if you have anything suitable to wear."

Grinning from ear to ear, the American took her hands and got up holding them gently. "Whatever you say Babe."