A/N: I would like to extend a big giant "thank you" and a big sloppy kiss to all of you that have been reviewing. Zoe6, MissCallaLilly, and metube; I'm so humbled that you folks take the time to review, it makes my day. Also a big special thank you to Female Fogbank who is helping me over this writer's block, so an extra large smooch for you. I will also be on vacation for the next 2 weeks, so hopefully I will be nice and relaxed and inspired. No smoot in this chapter, but it's on the way.
Standing there in a skin tight blouse that left little to the imagination, Dr Cope merely smiled with a somewhat irritated twitch gracing her false smile. Wash could not hide the ire in her voice. "What do you want, Dr Cope?"
"Don't be daft Lieutenant. I'm here for Nathaniel, I've been worried sick." She lowered her voice "and Dear, sneering like that will give you wrinkles, you may want to try and limit that face you're making." Dr Cope waved her hand in front of Wash's face with a flourish before pushing her way into Taylor's home. In her other hand she held a casserole.
Setting down the food she rushed to Taylor throwing her arms around his neck. Wash saw the grimace on his face, not knowing if it was from irritation, the jarring of his shoulder, or both. Taylor held his hands out to the side as the woman clung to him. He opened his mouth to say something only to be silenced by Dr Cope's lips on his. Taylor's eyes went wide; he held still not knowing what to do. In his peripheral vision he could see the furious look on Wash's face; he hoped desperately that the look was more focused at the Paleobotanist rather than himself.
He finally pulled away, and cleared his throat. "Audrey, I appreciate your concern."
She gave him another swift kiss, this time on his cheek. "I've brought you something to eat." Not yet letting go of him, Wash wondered if she should find an implement to pry Dr Cope from her CO. Extracting herself at last, the doctor took him by the hand and attempted to pull him further into his home and out of earshot of Wash. "Now if you'll ask your good little soldier to leave, we'll have a nice quiet dinner and I will be sure to nurse you back to health." She leaned forward attempting to divert his eyes to her ample breasts.
Wash was growing frustrated with the fact that Taylor was not asking the woman to leave, so she took the opportunity to speak up. "As much as the Commander appreciates your offer" her eyes flicked towards Taylor, "we really should be getting back to colony business."
"Lieutenant, isn't it your job to run the colony when Nathaniel is ill or away? Maybe you should dash off to the command center, Honey, and get some of that work done leaving Nathaniel to rest." The botanist raised and eyebrow waiting for Wash to answer her question, sliding herself next to Taylor and tucking her arm into the crook of his elbow.
Before a volcano of fury burst forth from his second, Taylor at last chose to speak up. "As a condition of being released from the hospital, I agreed to have the Lieutenant monitor me until I've been medically cleared."
"Oh, Nathaniel, don't be silly, we have real doctors here." Before she had the opportunity to finish her sentence a vice-like grip took hold of her elbow.
Wash guided the woman none to gently towards the door. "You need to leave doctor; we have important work to do."
Seemingly unperturbed by being manhandled the doctor turned as she was being led away and blew a kiss to Taylor. "Nathaniel, I'll be back to check up on you soon."
"That won't be necessary, Audrey, I'm in good hands." Taylor offered as the two woman made their way to the door.
In a whisper only audible to the other woman Wash spoke, "Take a hint doctor, Nathaniel is blowing you off. Your 'services' will no longer be needed." Wash began to close the door only to have Dr Cope push it back open.
"Be careful Lieutenant. Imagine how the colony's opinion of you will change when rumors start flying that you spread your legs for your commander. An inappropriate relationship with your CO, that is generally frowned on Sweetie. Tsk, sleeping your way up the ladder, what will people think?" Without allowing a rebuttal, Dr Cope added one last sentiment. "And Sweetie, he will come back to me, he will have to." With that she turned on her heel and walked quickly away.
Wash stalked back to find Nathaniel absently staring at the casserole. "Wash?" he asked. "What were you and Audrey talking about at the door?"
She was still amped up from their interaction at the door. Shifting from foot to foot before beginning to pace, she spat out. "I told her she doesn't' need to come around anymore, and she threatened to spread rumors about our relationship."
Taylor blanched. "So she knows about us?"
"Not explicitly." Wash hesitated momentarily. "She may have jumped to some conclusions and I did not necessarily confirm or deny."
She had trepidation regarding Taylor's reaction; she expected anger or maybe disappointment. She knew that as a rule Commander Nathaniel Taylor kept his relationships under wraps.
"Wash, I'm okay with people knowing…. About us I mean. I love you and I don't care who knows it." He leaned towards her for a kiss only to be denied.
Audrey's words were ringing in Alicia Washington's ears, setting off alarms. "Nathaniel, I care who knows. People will assume that I'm sleeping with you to further my career or to influence your decisions!" She was honestly terrified now that the threat was sinking in. Pacing furiously she was stopped by strong arms around her waist.
"Wash, calm down. Take a deep breath." He held her for a moment, while she steadied herself, leaning into him. "We'll figure this out. I want this to work between us, I'm not willing to let go of you."
Her words were muffled in his shoulder. "I love you Nathaniel. I'm just afraid she'll ruin things for us."
"I'll speak with her." He said.
"No, I don't want you alone with her. I don't trust her wandering hands and lips. I cannot believe you let her kiss you!" She said with a half grin.
"I didn't kiss her back!" He was indignant.
"Oh, so that's the rule now? I'm supposed to be okay with other women kissing you as long as you don't kiss them back?" She playfully slapped his uninjured shoulder.
"Yes, that's the new rule." He smiled cheekily back at her.
Wash looked back to the casserole that Taylor had been eyeing earlier. Now standing shoulder to shoulder they considered the dish. Wash reached to lift up the lid for closer inspection only to have her hand halted by Taylor's. Looking up to his eyes in confusion she saw what she can only conceive as mild fear bordering slight terror in the icy blue.
"Don't! That woman's cooking is abysmal. The last time I ate her cooking I spent 30 minutes forcing down bites whilst fighting the impending sense of vomit. She makes field rations seem like gourmet meals."
Wash laughed a briefly before covering her mouth to stifle the guffaw.
Taylor continued, "Actually, I'm not even sure I want that in the house. I feel as if it might infect the other food in the fridge."
She was unable to stifle the laugh anymore at his comments. It felt wonderful to be dealt some levity considering the events that had unfolded over the past several days.
Still holding her hand, he pulled her towards him again. "I like to hear you laugh, Wash." Holding her tightly, he graced her with feather light kisses to her lips and down her neck. Out of character she giggled. Leaning back with an eyebrow cocked. "Are you ticklish, Wash?" A devilish grin revealed his intentions. His hands slid up from her waist to her ribs. She struggled to contain the fit of giggles attempting to escape her lips. "You ARE ticklish." The mirth in his face and voice were unmistakable.
"Nathaniel, don't!" Her words were cut short as he attacked her sides with deft fingers. Between huffs, gasps, and a decidedly unladylike snort, she attempted to escape the onslaught. "I can't be held responsible for your injuries if you tickle me!" Fearing for his wellbeing he relented, settling instead for a tickle-free embrace.
"Oh, Wash, I'm going to have fun with this new found knowledge." With an over exaggerated eye roll, she extracted herself from his arms. With great pleasure, Wash gathered up the casserole to dispose of it. The odor reminded her of dirty laundry sautéed with garlic and a hint of skunk. Tauntingly she waved it in front of Nathaniel. "Are you sure you're not hungry?"
Shewing her and the offending dish away he quipped "Alicia, I am not up to being poisoned again."
Disposal complete, she re-entered the house to find Nathaniel back on the couch stifling a yawn. His energy was still depleted from his ordeal. Patting the couch next to himself indicating that she should join him. Settling in, she pulled up her legs under her body and rested her body into his.
Formulating a plan with regarding their current predicament she spoke up. "Maybe, I'll go talk to Dr Cope. Wait, before you say anything, listen to me. I figure that maybe I should try and be reasonable with her. Our interactions thus far have been… rather confrontational. I'll invite her for a drink, and we will chat, woman to woman. If that fails, I'll shove her OTG, problem solved."
Wash's sleep was restless. She played out the conversation in her head, several routes the conversation could take. On patrol the next day her mind wondered as well. Stopping in only briefly to check up on Taylor during his appointment with Doctor Shannon, he assured her that he would be alright for the night and that she should pursue her 'girl's night' with Dr Cope.
Finding the object of her ire tending to some new hybrid fruiting trees, she approached cautiously. "Dr Cope, can I talk with you for a moment." The doctor excused herself from the rest of her team. "Have you come to your senses Lieutenant?"
"Dr Cope…. Audrey." She attempted to use the woman's first name to make the interaction seem less official. "I think we need to talk, have a real conversation; an opportunity for us to talk about the current situation. Come with me to Boylan's at 0700, we'll have a couple of drinks and chat."
"Lieutenant…. Alicia." Cope mimicked Wash. "I think that's a brilliant idea, but unfortunately I'll have to pass on the drinks. I can't have alcohol in my condition." She rested a hand over her belly.