A/N: Thank you to everyone who has been reading and reviewing, I really do appreciate it, and special thanks to Becks7 for her help and advice.

There's one more chapter to go but I have a feeling this is the one you've been waiting for? ;)


Chapter Nine - Long Before This Life of Mine, Long Before This Time

"You're giving up everything!" Gi protested as she watched her friend pack her things to join the other scientists in Russia.

Normally they wouldn't have accepted someone without the correct qualifications but as the Planeteers had discovered the Static Quantum Fibre, they'd allowed her initial involvement. Then when it became clear that she was not only capable of understanding the physics but of grasping concepts that were beyond them, they said 'well of course she was Russian' and started treating her like an equal.

Six months later she had announced that she was moving to the site permanently and returned her ring to Gaia.

"Nyet Gi, I am trying to get my everything back." She didn't meet her eyes but continued to place her clothes neatly in her bag.

"Do you think it's really possible?" her friend asked sadly, "To get him back, I mean."

Linka bowed her head to hide the tears that were pooling in her eyes, "It is the work of years, but I will not give up, I cannot."

The scene shifted and Linka found herself sitting alone in the clearing with the sun streaming through the trees. She went there alone whenever she had free time, wanting to spend every moment she could with Wheeler before winter made it impossible.

"They think I am crazy coming out here to talk to you, but I know that you are still here, in this place." She brushed away the tears that escaped down her cheeks. "I miss you…"


Linka's eyes opened to the interior of a small tent and she sighed, wiping both sleep and tears away. Her dreams were seldom pleasant these days, her guilt over leaving the Planeteers was mixed with the deep ache of her lost companion and it made for many an unsettled night.

It had been over a year since Wheeler disappeared and having gained government funding to renovate Skumm's facility, they were well on their way to establishing a permanent base. No matter how many times she told herself that this was now her life however, it never quite felt real.

Forcing herself out of the temporary bed and getting ready for the day, the ex-Planeteer turned her mind to the strange readings they'd been picking up for the last few days, the reason she and her team had been sent to New Zealand. They were almost positive that there was another fibre there but detecting it was proving to be something of a challenge.

Linka was heading for the commissary tent when a shout went up and she rushed to her colleague's side. "What's happening?"

"I'm not sure… I think," he began nodding excitedly, "Da, it is a Fibre, it is opening!"

The young woman quickly checked his findings and concurred as the area they had been monitoring began to shimmer. The other scientists drew closer in awe, though most had the presence of mind to make sure their electronic devices were recording the phenomenon.

Linka stepped towards it, drawn in by the wonder of it, until she was several yards in front of the others. "It is beautiful…"

None of them were expecting the figure that came hurtling out of it moments later and their cries of alarm were too late as it barrelled into Linka sending them both crashing to the ground.

Linka blinked up at him, not believing her own eyes, or even the weight that was pinning her to the ground.

Wheeler's face broke into his customary grin, "Hey Babe, miss me?"

He laughed when she just stared at him, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly parted, realising she was – for once – too stunned to speak. Taking full advantage of the moment he leant down and kissed her, slowly deepening it as he felt her respond.

When her arms slipped up around his neck bringing him closer the team of scientists began to laugh and applaud but it was still several moments before they finally broke for air.

"How?" Linka asked, still looking dazed and making no move to release him or get up.

"You. How else?" He grinned, "And your niece. I have instructions for you, don't worry she wrote it all down."

The lovely Russian started to laugh, feeling like she'd never been happy before, and ignoring the presence of their audience pulled him back down so that she could reclaim his lips.


"Linka? Gaia gave us your message, what's wrong?" Gi rushed towards her friend, who stood quickly, placing her new tablet on her chair and received the incoming embrace.

"Nothing…" she was trembling slightly as she hugged the two guys but Ma-Ti, who could sense her mood, was all smiles. "He… he is here. Wheeler found a way back to us."

The others gasped in shock and Gi demanded that she repeat it.

Linka nodded, "I do not understand it all yet, there is so much data to go through, but it seems that we succeeded in getting him out of the Fibre early and then used the same technology to put him in another Fibre, the one here, to send him back. I do not know how it is possible, but for once I do not care."

"Where is he?" Kwame wanted to know.

"They wanted him to undergo a medical exam," Linka shrugged, "He was not very happy about it but he went with them. I have been looking at the data they sent back with him, it is staggering, a lifetime's worth of research." She swallowed and added, "My lifetime."

Before they could answer a familiar voice called out to them and Linka looked suddenly radiant. "Long time, no see!"

The Planeteers moved as one to greet their friend with Linka standing beside them laughing, but as soon as he was free he moved over to her side and tucked an arm around her. "Well, I've been given a clean bill of health and it looks like our ride is here, so whaddaya say we go home?"

Linka hesitated, raising a pair of worried eyes to his. "I… this is my home, well not here, but I have left the Planeteers and there is so much to do, especially now."

"You are still a Planeteer my friend," Kwame interrupted, "Your ring is waiting for you."

"I cannot just leave, I owe them. Besides, obviously this is what I am meant to be doing if it is me that sends Wheeler back." She sounded so unhappy the American tightened his hold on her.

He kissed her head and said, "It's ok Babe, we'll work something out. You don't have to decide right away and I think there's suggestions in that stuff I brought back. You and Tanya weren't leaving anything to chance."

Linka nodded, "You can go home if you want to? You do not have to wait for me."

"Does that mean I can stay with you if I want to? 'Cos you know, I've been waiting for you for years." he countered.

She went red but laughed along with the others, and then nodded, "If they will not let you stay at the facility we can always go to my family… we need some time to talk."

They were interrupted again by one of the Russian scientists, coming up to them in a hurry, "Linka, they want you and those devices back at base as soon as possible. We are looking into flights and you need to pack."

"We can take her?" Gi offered, "It'd be quicker and cheaper and that way we don't have to cut our visit short."

Her offer was speedily accepted they were soon on their way to Russia.

Wheeler and Linka sat beside each other in the Geo-cruiser but though she held his hand her attention was on the data pad she carried. The others were filling him in on what he'd missed in the last year and he was content to chat with them but the Russian's inattention began to irritate him and at last he said, "Is it really that interesting?"

Linka looked up with a start, "Nyet… da… I am reading the scenarios Tanya and I ran for what to do about the future, I am worried they are going to take this away from me. If we are not careful it will cause a paradox and…"

"Yep, I've had that conversation already." He gave her hand a squeeze.

"Da but she was the head of the research facility, she could do whatever she wanted. Jason I am there due to the good will of my government, I have no say in what happens and if I cannot make the senior scientists understand that this is not just a personal request…"

"You'll convince them Babe, you know your stuff." He gave her a look of such confidence that it took her breath away, "It is a personal request but if they want to keep that data they'd better find a way to close the paradox. If I can understand that, so will they."

"Do not put yourself down, besides you listen, even when you do not like the answer."

Wheeler leant forward to kiss the hand that was joined with his, "I'll be right there with you, you're not alone in this."

"Not anymore." She acknowledged. It was exactly what she'd needed to hear.


Linka's superiors had been more understanding than she gave them credit for.

Once she and Wheeler had explained the situation and the importance of the data he'd brought back, they agreed that steps would have to be taken in the future to ensure that those events were not interfered with. Wheeler also convinced them that since it was Linka's work, she should receive the credit she was due and be allowed to continue to share in the discoveries, which as long as they had access to the data they were happy with because they weren't ruling out her making further progress.

It was arranged that Linka would continue to work for them, studying the data and having access to their facilities to carry out research when needed, but that the majority of her time could be spent on Hope Island, as a Planeteer. She also had the option to return there full time in the future if she chose.

The Russian girl had been trying very hard not to appear too excited by the prospect of going home in case it offended anyone but the thought of returning to her life with Wheeler made her heart race. She'd been very impressed with the calm way he'd handled the situation, and when she'd told him so he'd kissed her and said that after the past year he doubted anything would ever worry him again. She thought that was overly optimistic but she liked the change it had brought about in him... and the kiss.

Hours later, after a warm welcome from Gaia and an impromptu celebratory party with the other Planeteers, Linka and Wheeler found themselves alone in the common room. Wheeler hadn't let go of his beautiful companion for more than a few minutes at a time and now they were alone she cuddled into his side while they chatted, as if she'd always done so.

"At least you have a head start on the research this time," Wheeler pointed out, after she had commented that there was still a lot they didn't know about the Fibres.

"Da…"

"What's wrong?" He kissed her head, automatically offering comfort.

Linka hesitated then said, "The step up in scientific knowledge is amazing, but now I know more than I should do about my future… like my not getting married, it is not a good thing to know."

Wheeler gave her a squeeze, "That future is not going to happen, we changed things, you're going to make different choices."

"I am not sure of that, we still need some things to happen for you to get back here." She said sadly.

"You just have to make sure you pull me out at the right time, explain everything and send me back in the other fibre, no problem."

Linka laughed at how simple he made it sound, "There is more to it than that, getting you back has to be my priority."

"You'd better marry me then." He told her.

She looked up at him, clearly startled. "What? …Marry you just to avoid being an old maid?"

He raised an eyebrow, "You're really gonna do this? We both just faced a future where we knew we'd be alone forever, and you're gonna pretend it was about the miracles of science?"

"You would not have been alone," She began, averting her gaze though wanting him to persuade her.

"You're wrong. I finally convinced you of that in the future and I'm going to do it again, we were made for each other and you know it, you're just being stubborn."

Linka pulled away and crossed her arms, though she didn't move completely out of his arms. "You are impossible Yankee."

Her words reminded him of another conversation. "I kissed you, in the future. I don't know why she wanted me to tell you that but she said I should so…"

"Yankee that is disgusting I was eighty years old!" The Russian exclaimed, "I must have been grey and wrinkly, not even you can be so…"

"Eighty four," he corrected her with a shrug, "and you were beautiful."

"I have joked about you going after anything female that breathes but I never thought you would go after the elderly, I would not have left you alone with my grandmother!"

Wheeler huffed with annoyance, "Geez Linka, I don't have some sort of fetish for Christ's sake, it wasn't some random granny, it was you! I was saying goodbye and the truth is I didn't really know if Tanya's gadget was going to work, I could've ended up in the dark ages and then I really wouldn't have got to see you again. So yeah I kissed you, so what?"

An arrested expression crept across her face, "You really did not care what I looked like?"

"No?" He answered, genuinely confused.

"And you did not… get involved with my niece?" she pursued.

"God no!" And then wanting to provoke her for all the questions, "I didn't even sleep with her."

Linka slapped one of the arms that was still wound around her and he responded by pulling her back to him and asking softly, "What's this about?"

She wouldn't meet his eyes as she answered, "I always thought I was just another pretty face in a long line to you, one that you kept coming back to because I was here and did not give in…"

"You were never just anything Babe, you're everything. When I thought you were gone I was lost, I could have taken losing everything else if you'd been with me. Then I found out you were still alive and I was desperate to spend time with you, I won't lie and say that it didn't hurt too… the time we'd lost, the changes, I'd missed so much. But I didn't care about your youth because of how you looked, just that we didn't have a future, kids and stuff." Wheeler sighed. "There was no one else, there never would have been… I love you, you have to believe that!"

Linka was crying but managed to say, "I do. I needed to hear you say it but I would never have given up on you either."

"I know, first hand." He grinned and cupped her face in his palm, wiping away her tears with this thumb.

She smiled, recovering a little, "So where does that leave us?"

"I asked you a question," Linka looked blank so he reminded her, "Will you marry me?"

"That is really what you want?" she asked, unable to hide her happiness at the suggestion, "Because I did not expect you to ask me that, I mean I assumed you would want us to be together but I might have to go back to Russia at some point anyway and…"

He silenced her with a kiss, "It's really what I want Babe, I don't care where we live, I'll follow you anywhere. I just don't want us to waste even more time when we don't have to… we don't do we?"

Linka stood up, pulling out of his arms but holding out a hand, "Nyet, we are not going to waste any more time."

He rose but then released her hand to lift her into his arms, and when she wound her arms around his neck, kissed her again. "I missed you more than you'll ever know."

"I think I do know, I felt it every moment." she lifted her mouth to his.

Linka didn't remember the trip to her room, and shedding their clothes was a blur, but the love in his eyes was seared into her memory.


Somewhere at the edge of her consciousness, Linka felt her lover's weight collapsing onto her but it wasn't until he withdrew that her eyes fluttered open.

Wheeler gathered her to him, cradling her against him because he couldn't bear to be parted from her, as well as to keep her warm since they'd neglected to get under the covers. "It's ok Babe, I've got you." He said when he felt her stiffen slightly and was relieved when she sighed against him and relaxed again. "You're amazing, you know that?"

She smiled dreamily up at him, "I love you."

"Yeah?" He stroked her hair, "So, have I convinced you that you want me for a husband yet?"

Linka chuckled, her eyes coming back into focus, "You have convinced me that I am very lucky... but I would have married you anyway."

To be continued…