Chapter 7: Trust

"I mean c'mon, you totally have a thing for him!" Alyssa urged.

"No, I don't," Temper insisted. Alyssa gave her a pointed look.

"It's been a year since you've gotten here, and looking at the way you two interact? There certainly isn't nothing going on."

Temper flipped through a few more pages of the file in front of her then closed it entirely, not able to focus on anything in it.

"And if I told you I may feel something for him? What would you do then?" Temper asked.

"It isn't like it's bad thing Temper, it's normal to fall in love with someone who you're growing close to."

"It's not like I can just tell him everything and hope for the best Striker, it just doesn't work that way."

"Temper, not all men are like Jason. You just have to give Snake Eyes a chance." The two girls looked at each other for a long while before the man of interest came into the rec room.

Hawk wants the both of us in his office, he informed her.

Temper gathered her belongings and Snake Eyes went to help her off the ground. Something that made Alyssa smirk and she tried to hide it as best she could.

Snake Eyes stopped Temper from walking any further when they got out of earshot from Alyssa. I want you to know that my apprentices are coming for a few weeks, he signed to her. They will be going on certain missions with the both of us.

"I'm sure you didn't stop me just for that," she replied.

He seemed to hesitate before signing again, I think it's best that you sleep in your room while they're here.

"Of course, I understand." Trying to mask the hurt in her voice could not have been any harder.

As they entered, Temper went to take a seat and Snake Eyes stood quietly behind her.

"So, what is it this time?" she asked. "Iran? China? Canada? Chile?"

"Vegas," Hawk stated.

"You enjoy tempting me, don't you?"

"Luckily for you, you get to explore your surroundings this time." Hawk suddenly turned serious, "As of now, everything is classified. For the books, both of you are taking personal leave. Temper, you're to give me an oral report when you get back. Overall this will only take a week, clothes will be provided for you. All I can tell you is that you are to meet a man named Lucas Sate. Temper, you're masquerading as his wife. Snake Eyes, you're their bodyguard. During the day and most nights you need to be presented as a normal, high class couple. At night, Temper, you and you alone, are to discuss with him, where the next Pit will be. It has become apparent that our location is becoming easier to find, after Cobra agents attacked and got away with the warheads. You are not to ask this man any questions, about his real name, his affiliations, nothing. Doing so will result in consequences that I am not cleared to know about. Am I understood?"

"Yes, sir," Temper responded, Snake Eyes merely nodded.

"You will leave at 200 hours. Dismissed."

The pair left and went their separate ways, later coming together for Ace to take them in a private plane to their destination. From where Ace dropped them off they took a cab to another airport and boarded another private plane that took them to Las Vegas.

Temper was sound asleep when Snake Eyes snuck into the bathroom and changed out of his normal attire, donning a suit and tie. When he woke her up, she was startled to say the least.

You should probably get dressed, we'll be there soon, he signed to her.

Slowly, she nodded and escaped to the bathroom, coming out in a white, one-shoulder dress that reached mid-thigh. She matched Snake Eyes' height with 5 inch black heels. She was adorned with gold jewelry, the only things that weren't gold were two silver rings on her left hand, an engagement ring and a wedding ring. An unexplained anger rose in him, but he quickly put those feelings away. We'll be arriving in a privately owned airport then take a car to the hotel we're to be staying at, he signed.

"Right." For a time she stayed quiet, he knew she wanted to say something.

Come out with it, he urged.

"I've checked the hotel we're staying at... we have two rooms, one bed for each-"

*Please buckle up and prepare for descent* a voice rang through the cabin. The two sat down as they were told and soon had their two feet on the ground.

Much to Temper's displeasure, Snake Eyes was the one who drove the Lamborghini Huracan LP610-4 which was given to them to accentuate their cover of being two high class people going on vacation with their bodyguard. As the two pulled into the car line in front of their hotel, Temper forgot all about the car.

Two glass buildings stood tall against the sky. Before Temper knew she was inside, looking at marble floors and indoor fountains as big as a pool. Quickly getting into character she straightened her posture, and held her chin high amongst 'fellow' upper class men and women dressed in designer clothing and jewelry that looked like it cost a small fortune. As she continued walking, taking a place in front of her 'bodyguard', she realized that both the men and women were staring at her for a reason she had yet to become aware of.

"May I help you?"

"Yes, I'm here to meet my husband, Lucas Sate," Temper replied. The woman at the desk typed away at her computer and handed her two keys.

"There you go ma'am. If you have any questions you can ask the concierge or any of the staff."

"Thank you."

The lobby might have been marble but any above was black and white paired with another color. The walls were white with translucent glass squares centered in the middle of the floor was an expensive looking black carpet. Snake Eyes quickly threw his stuff in his room and joined Temper in hers. The room had white glass walls, black carpet, and red furniture of many shades. A view of Las Vegas came from the wall of windows. A glass door led to the enormous bedroom with a huge bathroom. The kitchen was made of stainless steel and glass appliances.

"God forbid anybody break the glass," she murmured. "God forbid anybody touch the glass," she added. Setting her stuff down on the king sized bed she came out to see Snake Eyes and a handsome looking young man.

"You must be my wife," the man greeted, "I'm Lucas."

"Temper," she replied.

"I've heard much about you. In fact, I look forward to working with you. I understand why it might be confusing as to the reason we have to go to such elaborate measures in order for the mission. You see, when the Pit was entered so easily it raised a lot of red flags to the higher ups and they knew they couldn't have any meeting on a military owned facility. Next step was making sure we blended in and couldn't be traced or listened to. Since this was going to take a while we needed a cover story so the surrounding civilians didn't think anything suspicious whether they were affiliated with Cobra or not. As for the sleeping arrangements-"

She will be sleeping with me, Snake Eyes stated. Lucas raised his eyebrows but nodded.

"Shall we get started now? Or later?" Temper asked.

"The sooner the better," Lucas answered.

Later in the night Temper slipped into Snake Eyes' room right across the hall.

How did it go? he questioned.

"Well enough, we haven't done anything but disagree, but so far so good," she answered. "What have you been doing this entire time?"

Checking in with Hawk. Watching the cameras.

"Hawk? I thought we were suppose to be under radio silence?"

Radio silence for you. I have mandatory check in every day. The signal gets bounced from a remote area in Colorado.

"Why Colorado?"

Our cover story is that you and I took a leave of absence. Whether we went together or not depends entirely on how the person hears it. I wouldn't doubt some rumors will be flying around when we get back.

"It's not like they didn't expect it, the time we've been spending together has increased quite a lot." A silence pursued the both of them after her statement. He didn't sign anything and she didn't speak. It was the first time she really looked at his face now that he had no mask. His dark blue eyes looked into hers. A small scar ran under his cheekbone. Another started where the body and ramus of the mandible met and made its way to the collarbone.

Temper got up from her chair across from his bed, which he was sitting on, and put both hands on either side of his face. Without waiting another second she pressed her lips to his. For a moment he was still until he responded to her and laid back into the bed. She moved on top of him, straddling his stomach. Snake Eyes turned the tables and he was soon on top.

A knock came from the door, but the both of them were too preoccupied with each other to notice.

Eventually Snake Eyes got a hold of himself and pulled away from her. Temper looked up to the ceiling and didn't move as she heard the bathroom door slam shut. Her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath. She fell asleep by the time he came out and he adjusted her position on the bed so she was comfortable.

He may not have been sure about how he felt for her, but he loved her touch. Which is why, when he went to bed, he pulled her into his arms and fell asleep.

A/N: I hope you liked it! Please review!