They didn't have another nightmare free night but the dreams were milder than they had been. Katrina woke several times shaking and sweating, but each time Tilly was there. When she woke up in the morning, Katrina found herself draped over the girl with their legs tangled together. Tilly was absently playing with Katrina's hair so she knew she was awake, but found she was too comfortable to move just yet. Instead she squeezed her tighter around the waist and felt Tilly's answering smile.

'Good morning. I was wondering when you were going to wake up.' Katrina frowned.

'Why, is it late?'

'Not really. Just later than the last couple of mornings. Rough night?'

'I've had worse. Thanks for looking after me.' Tilly squeezed her.

'You're welcome. How about I do another round of regen while you wake up?' Katrina still wasn't keen on moving but allowed Tilly to shift far enough to get the unit. Once she had started, Katrina snuggled back in.

'You're cuddly this morning,' Tilly chuckled. 'I like it.' She finished the regen then lay back down. Gently she ran her hand down the exposed skin she had just healed, stopping with it resting on Katrina's hip. 'Better?' Katrina's breath hitched.

'Yeah, thanks,' she managed. Tilly's thumb started stroking gently across her skin and Katrina broke.

'I hope you know what you're doing to me Tilly.' The girl's voice was low as she responded and sent shivers up Katrina's spine.

'Believe me Kat, I know exactly what I'm doing.'

She slid her hand around Katrina's waist, pulling Katrina towards her and pressing their mouths together. The kiss was gentle at first but quickly built in intensity as the two women tasted each other. When they pulled back, both were panting. Tilly's eyes were bright, her cheeks were flushed and her lips swollen and moist. Katrina thought she had never seen anything more tempting. Tilly leaned forward and captured her lips again, before moving downwards and kissing a trail down Katrina's neck. Katrina tensed and tried to pull back.

'Wait,' she gasped. Tilly stopped immediately, pulling back with an expression of concern.

'Sorry, did I go too far?'

'Just give me a minute.' Tilly nodded and waited, chewing her lip while Katrina caught her breath and her thoughts. 'First of all, before you start worrying, I definitely want this. You're beautiful, clever and you make me laugh. But I need to take this slowly. The last time I was with someone, it ended badly. After that, there was the Klingon ship. I don't want to rush into things and risk hurting either of us.' Tilly had blushed at the compliment but now she smiled as she laced her fingers with Katrina's.

'We'll go at your pace then. Just let me know.' Katrina responded by pulling her in for another kiss, sliding her tongue against Tilly's lips until they parted for her. She took her time exploring, licking, sucking and nipping gently at her until the girl was moaning and clutching at her, then she pulled back. 'Not fair,' Tilly whimpered.

'I never said I played fair,' Katrina smirked and Tilly moaned in response.

'Tease,' she whined.

'Yep,' replied Kat, totally unrepentant as she sat up. 'Let's get some breakfast.'

She threw a ration bar across the tent to land in Tilly's lap. The girl huffed but sat up and started unwrapping it.

'You do know I'm old enough to be your mother,' Katrina remarked casually while they ate. Tilly snorted.

'Gosh really, I hadn't noticed.' Katrina laughed and Tilly rolled her eyes. 'So you're a bit older than me, who cares?'

'I'm also a Vice Admiral and you're a Cadet,' she pointed out.

'We've still got a couple of days until we have to think about that. Right now, we're just Tilly and Kat.' When Katrina didn't respond, she continued. 'I like you, Kat. I mean, I really like you. You're strong, smart and sexy as hell. I don't care if you've got PTSD, you're older than me and an admiral to boot, I still fancy the pants off you.' Katrina laughed and Tilly smiled. 'That's better. Now let's finish this shitty breakfast and go do something.'

As they finished eating they heard a loud beeping noise coming from outside. The two women looked at each other.

'The beacon!' exclaimed Tilly, and Katrina felt her stomach lurch.

'Can you answer it? I don't want to talk to Gabriel - tell him I'm resting if he asks.' Tilly frowned but nodded and climbed out of the tent. Katrina followed as Tilly opened a channel.

'This is Cadet Tilly.'

'Good to hear your voice Cadet.' The voice of Captain Lorca issued from the beacon. 'Is Admiral Cornwell there with you?'

'Yes sir, she's resting at the moment though.' If Katrina noticed the slight waver in Tilly's voice for the lie, she doubted Gabriel would, especially at this distance.

'Glad you're both safe. We're on our way to get you – we'll be there in around 47 hours. We can't jump at the moment.'

'Is Lieutenant Stamets ok?'

'He's fine. You'll get the full update when you get back Cadet.'

'Understood sir. Tilly out.' Tilly sat back on her haunches and looked at Katrina intently. 'Ok, spill.'

Katrina sighed. 'I should have known better than to think I'd get away with that one. Ok, come here.' Tilly sat next to her and Katrina stared into the fire as she talked. 'This is all confidential – you're not to repeat any of this, but I owe you the truth before we go any further. Gabriel and I have known each other a long time. You've already heard my stories about what we got up to when we were young.' She smiled briefly, then sighed. 'The last time I saw Gabriel was when I came to Discovery. I was concerned about some of the decisions he'd been making and wanted to see how he was. He told me off for being too Starfleet, we had a drink and afterwards we went to bed. After, when he was sleeping, I touched him and he rolled over and aimed a phaser at me.' Tilly inhaled sharply.

'Jesus!' Katrina nodded and continued.

'I told him that wasn't normal behaviour and he was clearly ill and would have to give up command. He begged me to reconsider but I walked out.' Katrina took a deep breath. 'The next thing I know, he's recommended me to take Sarek's place, I've walked straight into a Klingon trap and spent the next few weeks being tortured.'

'Oh, Kat,' breathed Tilly, pulling her into a hug. 'I don't know what to say,' she admitted. Katrina pulled back.

'Let's go for a walk.' Tilly studied her for a minute, then nodded.

'Ok.'

They walked in the opposite direction from the previous day, and Katrina's mood gradually got better as they walked. Tilly seemed happy to walk in silence until Katrina was ready, for which she was grateful. She soon found her thoughts drifting back to the younger woman, and surreptitiously watched her as they walked. The way Tilly started walking with a bounce in her step soon after made her think that maybe she'd been less subtle than she thought.

'You know, if it wasn't for the PTSD, this could almost pass for a holiday,' she remarked, and Tilly grimaced.

'Eww, really?'

'What, you don't like going for long romantic walks?'

'Hmm, my idea of a nice romantic holiday involves a posh hotel with a huuuge bed.' Katrina grasped Tilly by the hand and pulled her to a stop in front of her. She raised an eyebrow.

'Oh really?'

'Definitely. Maybe I'll show you sometime.'

Tilly stepped closer and moved her hand up to cup Katrina's jaw. Katrina leaned in and their lips met, sliding together easily. The kiss was slower this time, a lazy exploration rather than anything more needy. Eventually they pulled apart.

'We should start heading back to camp or we'll end up lost,' Katrina said. Tilly smiled.

'Somehow I can't imagine you ever being lost.'

They walked more slowly back to their campsite, sometimes holding hands, sometimes stopping to exchange kisses. They reached the clearing just as night started to fall and spent a few minutes topping up the fire and collecting more wood before sitting down to eat some rations. Tilly eyed the bar with distaste.

'You know, I'm really looking forward to eating something with a bit of texture when we get back.'

'Beats the hell out of having to forage for food,' Katrina remarked. 'If you hadn't managed to grab those bags we'd have been in a very different situation.'

'Wanna show me how grateful you are?' asked Tilly with a waggle of her eyebrows. Katrina raised hers in response and stood up. She walked purposefully across to where Tilly was sitting and lowered herself slowly so she was straddling the girl's lap. Tilly's eyes had gone wide and she swallowed, her gaze flicking down to Katrina's lips and back up again. Katrina leaned forward and kissed her, rocking her body forwards into Tilly's as she did so. She could feel the heat coming off the girl and feel her breasts pressed against her. She rocked her hips again and was rewarded with a whimper from Tilly. She pulled back and unzipped the redhead's jacket, pulling it open and latching onto the bare skin at Tilly's neck with her mouth. Tilly gasped and leaned her head back, one hand running through Katrina's hair and the other clutching tightly at her hip. Katrina angled her body slightly to the side and slipped a hand between them, running it up under Tilly's shirt until she found a nipple.

'Kat,' Tilly moaned as Katrina brushed it lightly with her thumb. She stayed there for a minute, exploring with her fingers and enjoying the reactions her touch elicited. She repeated the same attentions to the other side before trailing her hand downwards. Shifting backwards on Tilly's lap, she moved her mouth to the girl's breasts as she slipped her hand under the waistband of her trousers and between her legs. Tilly whimpered and spread them wider. Katrina stroked her gently at first, then faster as Tilly's whimpers got louder and turned into full throated moans and begging. 'God yes Kat, please, don't stop!' Her hand fisted in Katrina's hair as Katrina slid her fingers inside her while continuing to stroke with her thumb. Tilly's words became less and less coherent as she rutted against Katrina's hand, desperately seeking her release. Katrina hummed around the nipple she was sucking as she twisted her fingers and Tilly came, her body arching as she gasped Katrina's name. Katrina held her as she came down, then returned the languid kisses Tilly gave her.

'That,' she whispered shakily, 'was fucking incredible.' Katrina chuckled and leaned in to kiss her again. 'Let me return the favour?' Katrina shook her head and pulled back.

'Not tonight,' she replied. 'It was enough to make you feel good tonight.' Tilly chuckled slightly.

'Well you certainly did that. Bed?' Katrina nodded and got to her feet, holding out a hand to help Tilly up. The girl took it and pulled herself up, taking another kiss when she was level with Katrina. They settled themselves into their tent, climbing under the blankets and pulling each other close for a few more kisses before falling asleep in each other's arms.