A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys. Probably only one more chapter to go, though they have a way of getting longer all by themselves.
Chapter Four – Support
It was lighter when the Yankee woke for the second time, and not so cold, but one thing was the same. He was alone.
Without looking, Wheeler felt the bed next to him, it wasn't very wide so knew he couldn't be mistaken, Linka was not there. I couldn't have dreamed it… could I?
Sounds of movement from the kitchen area forced him to open his eyes and sit up. I didn't dream it, but…
"Linka?" He said softly. He couldn't stop himself from wondering if she had changed her mind.
The Russian turned and flashed a brief smile at him before turning back to her preparations. "Good Morning Yankee. I hope you slept well?"
"Er, yeah?" He was stunned.
She continued, apparently oblivious. "I am boiling some water for drinking, but you can heat your own washing water, Da?"
"Er, yeah." He swallowed and forced himself out of bed, struggling to concentrate on finding his trainers.
"I hate sleeping in my clothes." She said cheerfully, turning to face him. "Come on Wheeler, get the iron out."
Not having been awake long didn't help – the American was never at his best when he'd just woken up – but he was still focused on the events of the night before and her comment just didn't makes sense to him. She's worrying about creases? Now?
"We have an iron? What is it, one of those old steam ones or something?" He'd reached the bathroom door and he could see that she was giving him a funny look, but mostly he just kept wishing that the beautiful blond would walk into his arms, and tell him that she meant what she had said during the night.
After a moment Linka laughed. "It is an expression, it means hurry up. I have not had a wash yet either, and we need to try calling Ma-Ti again. I thought that drinking water was a higher priority though, especially as it needs to cool again."
"Lead." He said, understanding bringing some relief to his feelings, in the form of amusement. "Get the lead out Babe."
Linka chuckled and shrugged her shoulders. "Whatever. Please throw the water out and heat some more for me when you are done."
"Okay." He didn't know what to think.
All the time he was in the bathroom he kept rehearsing how he would bring the subject of their relationship up, but when he was actually standing in front of her again, he couldn't find the words. Instead he just did as she had asked and provided her with clean washing water.
Wheeler sat on their small bed with his back against the headboard, staring out at the falling snow, and wondering what he should do. I could just ask her I guess… but I'm not sure I can take the answer right now and it's not like there's anywhere to go. If the others were here I'd probably just take off on my own, I'd find a way down somehow… I can't leave her here alone though.
"Yankee, is something wrong." Linka's voice asked softly as she approached from the direction of the bathroom.
He looked up at her. "No. You ready to call Ma-Ti?"
"Nyet." She replied, climbing onto the bed and kicking her shoes off. She settled herself between his knees and resting her hands on his side, leant against him. "We were going to talk about things Da?"
Wheeler sighed and put his arms around her. "I thought so… last night I thought…"
She pulled away to look at him, trying not to show her hurt. "You have had second thoughts."
"No!" The American exclaimed quickly, locking his arms so that she couldn't move further away. "It's not me… it's... Babe can't you see? You're all back to normal this morning… like last night, the things we said, never happened."
Linka shook her head. "I did not mean for you to think that I… I do not know how you want me to act! I told you there were differences between us… I warned you that it might not be enough for you."
Her boyfriend grimaced. "Oh Babe, it's not a matter of it being enough. I don't want you to do more than you're ready for, I just want you to do more of what you are ready for."
"Meaning?" She asked, still looking wary.
Wheeler smiled and tugged her back down against him. "Like waking me up before you get out of bed and giving me a good morning kiss and cuddle." He kissed her forehead and said softly. "You've back tracked too many times Babe, I'm gonna need a lot of reassuring."
Looking guilty the beautiful girl reached up to brush his hair from his face. "You could have come and kissed me good morning when you got up, I did wonder why you did not… you usually find a reason to put your arms around me. I thought perhaps you were not bothered so much now we are a couple."
The red-head groaned. "You're right Beautiful, we really need to make sure we're talkin' or we're gonna spend a lot of time miserable for nothing."
Linka nodded. "I am not used to initiating things, but I will remember to kiss you good morning in the future."
He didn't respond but after a few seconds raised his eyebrows. She laughed then as she realised what he wanted, and obediently lifted her mouth to his.
"Good Morning, Lyubov moy." She said happily when they parted for air, her lips still close enough to brush against his. "Better?"
"Much." He brought them back together, deepening the kiss and feeling quietly triumphant when she parted her lips to allow his tongue to tease hers.
Their mood turned playful and they began a tender exploration of each other's bodies. Wheeler was careful not to let his hands wander anywhere too private in case she felt pressured, and Linka's inexperience made her tentative and shy, but they both rejoiced in the comfort their contact brought.
"If we kiss Good Morning like this everyday," Linka commented after a while. "We will never be able to get out of bed."
"Yep, no downsides." He agreed, making her laugh.
The lovely Russian pulled back to look into his eyes. "Promise me something?"
"Anything." He replied in surprise.
"When we are working I tend to be very focused on the mission…" She began.
Wheeler interrupted her. "I know, I know. You want me to behave myself right? I'll try."
"Nyet… I wanted you to promise that you will not get worried about it." She ran her hand through his soft red hair and pressed another brief kiss to his lips. "I do not want to draw attention to our relationship when we are working, but there will be no more back tracking, and if you need to… to hold my hand or give me a hug or something, that will be fine… I do not want you to second guess yourself, just forgive me if I forget."
The American laughed softly but there was trouble in his eyes. "I'll try, but I can't help the way I feel… I don't think I could be so pre-occupied that I'd forget you."
Shaking her head vigorously Linka denied the charge. "Not forget you. Bozhe moy, how do I explain?"
"It's okay." He replied quickly, "Take your time… I have a feeling we're gonna need a lot of these little chats."
Linka nodded and relaxed a little, taking a minute to order her thoughts. "When you are not with me I spend far more time than I should, wondering where you are and what you are doing. I worry about you even when I know you are perfectly safe. When we are together, and we are not arguing, everything is okay… I am always very aware of you but I can focus on what I am supposed to be doing."
She looked up at him. "Ask Kwame if you do not believe me, he has commented on it more than once."
"So you're saying you only need me to be there, when I'm not?" He said, trying to work it out.
"Nyet, I am saying that I need you to be there all of the time, I only show it when you are not." She shrugged apologetically. "I will not forget that I love you, but I might forget to show it."
The warmth in Wheeler's eyes burned into her. "Say that again."
"I will not forget that I love you," she was interrupted by a more passionate embrace than she had yet experienced.
Wheeler's stomach rumbled.
"We have not had breakfast." Linka pointed out, tracing the pattern on her boyfriends t-shirt but making no move to get up.
The Americans fears had eased since their impromptu make-out session. He'd been amazed at how affectionate she could be, but mostly it had just been emphasising the words he'd waited so long to hear, and he was sure she didn't know just how much they'd meant to him.
She was still touching him lovingly, running her fingers over his chest and arms, sometimes reaching up to stroke his cheek or hair. He would run his fingers through her hair too, or trail them along her arm to play with hers. They would kiss and talk quietly about nothing in particular, completely at ease in each other's arms.
Wheeler had a feeling her shyness would return once they parted for any reason, but that was ok now because he knew that was all it was.
"We should try calling Ma-Ti again first." He suggested.
Linka smiled mischievously. "Because if he cannot hear our thoughts he may be able to hear your tummy rumble?"
"Hey!" He ran a finger down the centre of her back, making her squirm. "Maybe I'll just keep you here until your tummy rumbles."
"If the blizzard does not stop soon we are both going to go hungry." She said, unable to hide the worry in her eyes. "We might have to try to get down to the village whatever happens then."
Wheeler kissed her head and held it gently against him. "It'll be okay, we'll think of something."
The Russian smiled. "Ever the optimist Yankee?"
"I can't say I'm exactly sorry we got stuck here." He told her.
"Neither am I." She kissed him and then sat up, pulling out of the warmth of his arms but turning to face him, still kneeling between his legs.
Linka held her hands out and explained. "To call Ma-Ti."
"What's wrong with the position we were in?" He complained in response, giving her his hands anyway.
"We need to concentrate." She giggled. "And not on each other."
They closed their eyes and activated their rings, they were still smiling when they began, but their expressions soon changed to one's of concentration, and then frustration.
Linka hung her head. "What if they are in real trouble Wheeler? And we are here… enjoying ourselves."
Her companion swallowed hard. He'd been having the same kind of thoughts but he did his best to reassure her anyway. "We'd know if there was something wrong Babe, I'm sure we would… besides it's not like we have a choice… I mean we can't get down safely so either we do something really stupid, which they wouldn't want us to do, or we sit here."
"Da, I know but…" she raised her eyes from their contemplation of their linked hands. "I have not been thinking about them very much and I do not think you have either."
"If worrying would help them…" He shook his head, and tugged on her hands to pull her back into his arms. "They'll be fine Sweetheart, you'll see, and they wouldn't begrudge us comforting each other."
Linka chuckled, feeling better in her boyfriends embrace. "Your mind has not just been on comfort Yankee moy."
He blushed slightly making her giggle even more, and said. "I guess it depends on what you find comforting."
Wheelers stomach rumbled again, a little louder this time.
"Breakfast!" They cried in unison.