I just realized that I had posted several stories all at once with the last chapter... whoops! I'll be posting them all again seperately, to clear things up.

I've seen a lot about this topic, mostly in Ipod drabbles. I really liked the idea, so I took it and made it longer.

Enjoy!

Deryn holds her breath in anticipation. Alek pours over the maps she herself had been studying, sleepless but not set for a watch. She keeps hoping for the light to come into his face as he discovers it- but is disappointed when he simply shakes his head, small drops of water flinging themselves across the papers.

"I'm sorry. I just don't see it." He looks apologetic, but she's not entirely sure she believes it.

"Are you sure you aren't just saying that just because you're mad?"

He feigns surprise, and says (with more sarcasm than she had thought he could muster), "Why would I be mad? I generally greatly enjoy having a bucket of cold water dumped on my head while I'm asleep."

She grits her teeth, coming this close to letting him have it, but takes a deep breath, stopping herself. It won't do her any good if he's really mad at her.

"Look," she says, coming around to his side of the table, "we've been trying to find a way through here, right?"

She gestures to an area of the map, swarming with small dots marking military bases. He nods, then says, "It would be the fastest way through. Are you saying you found a-?"

"No," she said, grinning widely. "It's barking impossible. You couldn't put a hair in there without the Germans finding it."

Now he's just confused. "Then why-?"

"Just listen, OK?" He nods, slowly. He probably thinks she's lost it. She wouldn't be that surprised if she had. "We've been trying to get through here because it's the fastest way through, right?"

He nods again, wisely not saying anything.

"Is it really?"

He starts nodding again, then stops, furrowing his brow.

"Do you see it?"

"I think I do." He pauses, then, slowly, "We said it would be faster because it would be easier. This way-" he signals to a nearby part of the map "-would actually be more direct."

"It would be more difficult though, what with the mountains and other such clart. But there's only a few bases, and they're small at that."

"They must not think we'd chance it."

"Not too bright, are they?"

Alek shakes his head, partially in agreement, partially in amazement. "Where would we be without you?"

"Freezing your bums off on a glacier."

He laughs, slips an arm around her, and presses a kiss to her temple. "You're right- of course."