A/N: This ones a little shorter than my usual chapters but I think I made my point. Oh yes, there is actual plot in this one!

A big thank you to Whatshername for the review!

Chris was pulled from a dead sleep when he heard Merri gasp. It was the gasp that came right before the scream. Rolling over, he wrapped his arms around her shaking form and delicately kissed her temple.

"It's ok, I got ya." He whispered in her ear as he felt her start to relax. For the next couple of hours, he did nothing but hold her, keeping her wrapped in a safe cocoon of his embrace. He had to wonder how she was going to fair while he was gone. When he stopped to think about it, this would be the first time he would actually spend any real time away from her. Part of him wondered how she was going to handle it.

On the outside, she still presented a tough, confident, exterior, but once you peeled back the layers and the false self-assurance, she was still damaged from all of the torture that Fod had inflicted upon her. They both were.

"Good morning," she grinned sleepily, shifting in his arms so that she was facing him. Softly, she kissed him with slow, easy pecks. "How did you sleep?"

"Terrible," he grinned into her sleepy face.

"Sorry," she whispered as she felt something gritty on her legs. "Ugh, is that sand?"

Chris raised his eye brows as her irises came into view. "And that surprises ya?"

"No," she sighed, happily, but slightly embarrassed over last night's romp on the beach. For what it was worth they had given at least dozen other tourists a free show. For Brody it had been the recreation of a favorite movie scene, role play if you will; she and Chris in the wet sand with water slowly coming up around them.

For Chris, it had been an exercise in trying to maneuver with sand in his shorts. He was pretty sure he had abrasions in places where abrasions were never meant to be.

"So what do you want to do today?" Brody moved up a little higher on his chest, nipping at his jawline.

"I can't," he quipped grabbing her wrist as it slid down low onto his stomach. Spent, whipped, whatever you wanted to call it, he didn't have the energy to take her on again. At least not at the moment.

"But it's our last day. I want to be with you, she returned, suggestively throwing a leg over his thigh. She hated to sound like a pouty, love sick, teenager but she didn't know any other way to express it. Their time together was quickly coming to end. She felt the more that they connected physically, the more they would have to hold on to.

Chris clutched her face. "Maybe after lunch. There's somethin' I gotta do this morning." He knew he could pacify her by saying that he needed to meet with the Captain to go over some things before they deployed tomorrow, which was true. But in addition, he had a surprise for her.

Brody pulled her lips to one corner of her mouth. "So you're leavin' me huh?"

"Meb'be you can take in another one of those museums that ya wanted ta see?" Like most places, in Europe, Madrid was filled with a rich historical heritage. He knew how much she loved history and all of the cultural fascination that went along with exploring a new place.

"You just want to get out of taking me." She said, poking his side in a ticklish manner until he started to squirm.

"You'd better stop."

She tossed a leg over him, inching her way on top of him as she whispered into his lips with a seductive yearn to her voice. "So, what are you going to do on those long, lonely nights on that big ol submarine?"

"Dream about you," It was cliché, but it was also true. His hands started to roam down her back, prompting a purr from deep insider her throat. Her soft tender kisses teased him awaking his tired and recovering flesh.

Hands roaming freely, he outlined the shape of her soft slender form until he felt her start to inch down on him. "Stop," he said, playfully clutching ahold of her wrists.

"Make me." She whispered, pretending to dominate. She struggled briefly as he started to twist, further tangling them both into his sheets. Pulling back, as he shifted to the right, they both tumbled to the floor, taking the lamp from the night stand with them.

LaSalle groaned as he landed solidly on the plush carpet flooring with Brody still on top of him. Brody briefly thought about his back as they both burst into a fit of giggles.

"Well, this is a lovely way to start the day." Brody snorted softy trying to make headway with the sheet but only succeeded in tangling herself up further.

"Definitely, an eye opener," LaSalle hissed as Brody finally managed to roll off of him. For several moments, he just laid there as Brody padded around the broken pieces from ceramic from the lamp.

"Here, let me help you up." She giggled, holding the sheet with one hand while extending the other. He used her momentum to spring back to his feet, as tender nerve endings sent out a feeling of irritation.

"You okay?" she asked, with a hint of concern as he managed to straighten to his full height.

"Nothin' a good hot shower won't fix."

Brody looked at him mischievously as if she were offering a challenge. "Last one to the shower, buys breakfast!" LaSalle chased her through the modest sized hotel room and into the bathroom.

"I win," she grinned leaning up against the Plexiglas door to the shower.

"Then ya better come collect yer prize," Chris quipped, cupping her face. Brody smiled largely as she leaned into his awaiting kiss, allowing the sheet that was still wrapped around her to drop to the tiled floor.

She was going to miss this, she swallowed as the kiss broke and Chris snapped a towel from the rack up above the toilet.

"I'll be out in a few minutes and then we can continue this conversation." He grinned, kissing her softly before sidestepping to turn on the warm spray. "You can watch if ya like."

Brody rolled her eyes hiding the tightening sensation in her chest. She envied him for being able to use the shower like a normal person, where she could still only managed about five minutes. Conquering the shower was next on Doctor Sheridan's list, however Brody couldn't help but feel a little ill eased about it. With Chris gone, she wouldn't have anyone to cheer her on or to play little games with the timer.

Tears started to well up in her eyes as he disappeared under the warm droplets that were still paralyzing to her. She watched him through the Plexiglas as he leaned up against the shower wall, letting the water run down his muscular back.

What she was going to do without him? Swiping at her eyes, she reached for the shower door, her hand trembling. Willing herself, she tugged on it until it popped prompting Chris to look up at her in shock. Was she really coming into the shower?

"I don't want you to go," she sobbed leaning into the envelope of his arms as he attempted to shield her from the spray. They had tried this once before and it had turned out disastrous. Chris blew out an emotional sigh letting his chin rest upon her head as cried into his chest. He never quite knew what to do when women cried, but in this case he felt Brody's pain. A brief thought of resigning his position crossed his mind as he forced himself to swallow the lump that had gathered in his throat. Even though it was the emotion that was driving her, he was so damn proud of her for attempting to conquer her fear.

He blew out another sigh, attempting to fight back his own tears. "Ya want me ta get my timer?" he quipped as she looked up at him with a quivering lip.

Brody managed a slight smile as she started to tremble in his arms.

"Ya don't have to do this." he said dipping his chin to her as she snaked an arm around his neck and grabbed a hold of his manly flesh.