Chapter 4

Princess took deep breaths, attempting to bring herself out off the condition she was in. If only she knew what was wrong with her! Her fever had returned, and every square inch of her skin felt itchy and tight. A sensation of restlessness permeated her body, but getting up and walking around the Phoenix Bridge had only made it worse.

Keyop and Tiny were starting to exchange nervous looks. Technically, with the Eagle and the Condor gone, the Swan was in command at this moment, but it was clear to the Swallow and the Owl that Princess was not in her usual frame of mind.

All three members of the G-Force Team sighed with relief when Tiny received Jason's call for a pickup. The mission was over, and they could go home now. Princess just wanted to crash into bed and sleep.

When Mark returned to the Phoenix, he looked over at Princess, his eyes full of concern.

"How are you feeling, Princess?" he asked kindly, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder.

But that simple contact was anything but. The small area where Mark's palm was in contact with her was like an electric jolt, despite the layers of both of their Birdstyles. For a moment, it seemed as if they were connected through that single touch, and Princess gasped with the enormity of the shock.

Marks' mouth fell open, as his hand felt as if it were suddenly on fire, yet at the same time being soothed by its contact with the Swan. But it wasn't enough. The Commander suddenly wanted… no… needed… to rip off his glove and press his burning flesh against Princess' cool skin. This yearning filled him, taking over his mind until…

With a violence he usually reserved for Spectran troops, the Eagle tore his hand away, forcibly removing it despite every nerve in his body screaming at him to leave it be.

The moment he had lifted his hand from her he felt a sense of loss consuming him, as if something vital had forcibly been taken away. He stared at his glove, flexing his fingers for a moment, attempting to come to grips with these unexpected sensations.

Princess gasped again as Mark removed his hand, the soft rush of air sounding almost like a sob as it left her lips. Pulling herself together as much as she could, the Swan mumbled what she desperately hoped was a coherent answer.

"I'm okay."

Of course, the Commander did not believe this for a second, but he nodded curtly, too overwhelmed with his own issues at the moment to refute the Swan's statement. The Eagle stumbled slightly, backing away and moving hurriedly to his own seat at the other end of the Bridge.

"Let's get out of here." he muttered to Tiny, who obligingly activated the Phoenix's controls, sending the ship back on a path toward Center Neptune.

Mark sighed, leaning back in his chair, his fingers rubbing at his temples. He had a terrible headache. Perhaps he needed to go to the Medical Bay as well.

But by the time the G-Force Team had returned to their base, the Commander was feeling more like his usual self, and he quickly decided that whatever had happened earlier had just been momentary… likely the result of exhaustion. He hurried off of the Phoenix, giving the Swan as wide a berth as possible.

Jason saw Mark rush off, and seized the opportunity he had been given.

"Is everything all right, Princess?" he asked her, not failing to notice her shapely legs as they were exposed from underneath her pink miniskirt.

"No… I…" Princess stumbled and fell forward as she tried to rise. Keyop and Tiny jumped up, concerned, even as Jason caught the Swan in his arms. Obviously something was seriously wrong.

"I'm taking you to Medical Bay." the Condor declared, lifting Princess up and holding her protectively against him. Despite her illness, the Condor was hard pressed to ignore the rush of arousal that coursed through him, as her body nestled itself against his. Gritting his teeth, Jason did his best to push those feeling aside, cradling Princess against his chest as he leapt off of the Phoenix and landed in the Docking Bay before walking to Medical, Keyop and Tiny close behind.

"What's wrong with Princess?" came Chief Anderson's worried voice.

Jason turned to see his foster father staring at him with a concerned expression.

"She's ill. I'm taking her to Medical Bay." Jason explained. "I don't think it's from the mission, because she stayed onboard the Phoenix the entire time."

Anderson nodded, digesting this information for a moment.

"Very well." he said. "You take Princess to Medical Bay, Jason. Keyop and Tiny, I need you with me for mission debriefing."

The Swallow and the Owl opened their mouths to protest, but the Chief, anticipating this response, cut them off.

"The Commander is already waiting for us." he informed them.

Keyop and Tiny reluctantly nodded, turning and following the Chief toward his office.

Princess barely heard the voices around her. All that mattered to the Swan at that moment was the feel of her body against Jason's, and the slight rocking motion he made as he carried her down the hallway. It was very soothing, and she began to relax. By the time they had reached the Medical Bay, Princess nearly felt like her usual self. The fever and dizziness were gone, replaced by the pleasant sensation of being cuddled against the Condor's muscular form. It was with some reluctance that she stepped away when he gently deposited her on the floor, after arriving at their destination.

"Will…" she swallowed nervously, then suddenly brightened with an impulsive smile.

"Will you wait for me?" she asked, staring up at Jason from beneath her thick, curly eyelashes.

The Condor looked at the Swan, enchanted by her vivid emerald eyes. His breath caught in his throat.

"As long as it takes." he replied smoothly, his eyes skimming over her lithe form. Jason winked at Princess, and was gratified to see her soft ruby lips curving up at him in return.

"Then, I'll try to hurry as fast as I can." she murmured, with more than a hint of promise.