Disclaimer: I do not own or control Castle or Mass Effect at all.
SSV New York - in transit - Terminus Systems
Castle sits anxiously in the dark and waits. While he waits he thinks over the last couple of weeks and the change to his life that if someone had told him would happen he would have immediately laughed them off. He freely admits that the change is due to one person. The person he is waiting in the dark for….Kate Beckett.
Ever since that night in the crew lounge, when she'd told him of the tragic story of her mother and the devastating effect it had on both her and her father, they have become closer. Now when he turns up and presents her with the metal travel mug holding her morning vanilla latte he gets a smile from her and not the confused scowl that he'd received previously.
He has even been able to make her laugh on occasion. Usually after he has made some humorous observation on the bromance that is the relationship between the other members of their squad, Ryan and Esposito. They also have been spending more time together when she is off duty as well. The conversations they've had during their times together have varied from being light and funny to the occasional intimate and sobering as they have told each other of some of the more difficult times from their pasts.
Castle, about being the son of a single parent, sent to boarding schools while his hard working actress mother struggled to make ends meet. Boarding schools where he would stand out as the poor bastard son of an actress amongst the well to do offspring of CEO's, politicians and families with 'old money'. How he had developed his outer skin of casual boehme and irreverence as a cloak against the insults that would be directed at him because he was different and stood out so. Insults as cruel as only children can make them. Eventually he worked past this and found his place as the class clown and prankster and he played up to this image as a way to try and fit in and find his place amongst his peers. All the while finding refuge in his writing.
Beckett told of having to overcome the prejudices aimed at her during her time at the Alliance Academy where she was lumbered with the nickname the 'hot recruit'. That because of her looks and fairly well off and sheltered background that she wasn't taken seriously when she first started training. That many said behind her back and some to her face that she wouldn't be able to cut it as an Alliance soldier or that if she did make her way up the ranks that it would be on her back.
Such distasteful remarks and offhand dismissal of her abilities, coupled with her already simmering determination thanks to her mother's death only served to fuel her desire to be the best soldier she could be. All so that she could prove the nay-sayers, not to mention the niggling doubts in the back of her own mind, wrong. By the time she graduated from basic training she was top of her class though not without the guidance of a grisly Gunnery Sergeant that saw her potential and took her under his wing. Not only top of her class but she held most of the records for achievements like best marksmanship or hand to hand combat with only the legendary Commander Sheppard having scores that were close to hers. Records that she had bashfully but also prideful admitted to him that still stand to this day.
Yet again Castle marvels at the strength and integrity in the woman that he now freely admits to himself means more to him than just an inspiration for a new, successful, character or as a possible brief fling. No, he can see more of a future with Kate Beckett than he can now say he ever saw with his two previous wives put together.
Though her role as inspiration and muse, a term she has told him not to use on pain of her breaking his legs, remains significant. It was only yesterday that he got an email from Gina, surprisingly praising the first three chapters he had sent her with his new heroin, Nikki Heat. For his serious ex-wife the enthusiasm she had shown for the new character and the story he had supplied so far had almost boarded on giddy.
Of course his slave driver of a publisher had tempered the positivity of the email by demanding further chapters as soon as possible. Still he can't quite believe that the same woman that looks to be supplying him with the best character he has come up with yet is also starting to hold a place in his heart that he never thought would be occupied with anyone, other than Alexis.
It is because of the positive feedback from his publisher that he has invited Beckett here, to this darkened cargo hold, to celebrate and to have their first official date. Then the dark niggle that has been at the back of his mind for a while now reasserts itself as he recalls the other reason he has invited Beckett here. To tell her the one thing from his past that no one beside a very small few know. A thing that has his guts churning with apprehension as he contemplates Beckett's possible and probable reaction to such a revelation about him.
Part of him wants not to tell her. To keep this blossoming relationship between them going for as long as possible before he is forced to burst it's bubble. However another part of him, the responsible part that very few would credit him with, knows that it would not be fair to either of them to start a relationship with his secret hanging over them. If anything is sure to end them it would be the revealing of such a significant part of him, that Beckett has her own stated deep held attitudes about, after more time has passed and they have become more serious. No, he has to tell her and let her decide if she is willing to accept him and keep this thing between them going. One thing is for sure, if she does reject him as a result of what he is about to tell her, then he has resolved to bother her no longer. He'll end his 'shadowing' of her and her squad and, regretfully, bid her a fond farewell.
He grins ruefully to himself as he thinks how Beckett, when he first met her, would have gladly accepted such an outcome. Now he hopes that she won't just blindly reject him but will be prepared to give them a chance. He really hopes she will.
The sound of the large metal doors of the cargo bay opening draws him from his introspection and he looks up to see the very appealing silhouette of the woman he was just contemplating standing in the lit rectangle of the open hatchway. He watches as she takes a step forward into the room and her silhouette is gone as the doors close automatically behind her.
"Castle? Are you here?" Beckett calls into the darkness.
"I'm here, Kate," he replies and he turns on the light globe that is on the deck beside him.
The light from the globe isn't strong, only illuminating him and the immediate area around him, leaving the rest of the cargo bay in darkness. He hears the tread of her boots on the deck and like a mystical apparition of beauty she emerges out of the darkness as she gradually becomes visible as she enters the light and approaches him. Even dressed as she is in her normal blue and grey Alliance working jumpsuit his breath is still stolen from him at how beautiful she is.
Pulling himself together he pats the deck beside him and says, "Join me."
Again he watches her as she does that little nervous gesture of hers of tucking a strand of her lustrous chestnut hair behind an ear as she smiles slightly and sits down beside him, legs crossed like his. She looks at him and with a slightly teasing grin asks, "So this is your idea of a romantic date huh, Castle? Sitting is a dark cargo bay? I would have expected better from man of the galaxy like you."
"Well, we are several hundred lightyears from the usual three Michelin star restaurants on the Citadel that I would normally take you to so needs must," Castle responds playfully back at her. He then activates the Omni-tool implant on his left arm and taps a quick command as he continues, "Regardless I think you'll find the ambience here something none of those fancy places come close to having."
As he finishes there is a shimmering of the floor beneath them as the holographic field he'd arranged disengages. He hears a gasp of surprise and pleasure from Beckett as beneath them a field of stars comes into view and it appears as if they are sitting, suspended in space above them. Only the slight glow directly beneath them reveals that they are resting on the kinetic barrier that covers the open exterior cargo bay door that they are sitting on top of.
After taking a moment to look between her knees at the twinkling stars that are moving slowly beneath them, Beckett then looks up at him and with a wide smile that causes his heart to stutter at its sight. She then says earnestly, "This is beautiful."
He gives her a smile in return as he says, "Well I figured with the amount of space hours you've logged that you wouldn't suffer from vertigo so I was pretty safe doing this."
As she chuckles in response he turns slightly to pick up the two glasses of red wine he'd prepared before she arrived. Turning to face her again he passes one to her, taps their glasses together with a musical ting and says, "Cheers."
"Cheers," she responds and together they each take a sip of the rich and fruity liquid.
Caste reaches behind him again and pulls the plastic tub that is his makeshift picnic basket into view until it is resting between them. He then proceeds to pull out the simple but tasty meal that the chief cook prepared for him at the cost of two box seats to the Biotiball Championship game on Thessia in a few months.
Again they share a smile as he lays out the meal on plates between them and Beckett lets her appreciation of his efforts known as she exclaims, "Wow, Castle. You've gone all out. You really know how to treat a girl."
He shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly, "What can I say, I like to treat a woman the way they deserve to be treated. As it is you are not getting the full Richard Castle treatment. If we weren't in the depths of the Terminus Systems I would have had a bouquet of roses for you as well. As it is you'll just have to make do with this meal, the wine and me."
Beckett takes another sip of her wine and he can see her eyes sparkling in the light thrown by the light globe between them before she responds a little huskily, "Oh, I'm sure you'll do."
He returns the loaded look she gives him and finishes laying the food on her plate and presents it to her. They then spend their time happily eating the dinner of chicken Kiev and accompanying vegetables that the chief cook has prepared for them with the conversation flowing easily between them as they eat and drink.
It is as they are each having forkful of the large, single slice of Tiramisu for dessert they are sharing that an unpleasant feeling starts making its presence known in the pit of his stomach and he's pretty sure it's not food poisoning. No, the time is fast approaching for him to tell Beckett his secret. How she is going to react is turning the very pleasant meal they consumed into a lead ball in his guts as he contemplates all the worst case scenarios of her possible reaction.
He doesn't want to spoil their evening let alone their possible future together but he owes it to her to be completely honest with her before they go any further. Hell, they haven't even had their first kiss yet and that's because, again, he didn't want to take that step before he had a chance to tell her everything about him.
As a result of his growing apprehension the conversation between them dries up as they finish their dessert. Castle can see Beckett looking at him curiously and he knows that she has picked up on his preoccupation.
Castle then busies himself putting their finished dishes back into the plastic tub in a vain attempt to delay the inevitable if only for a couple more moments. Beckett has other ideas as she obviously decides to call him on his seemingly sudden change of attitude and she asks, "What's the matter, Rick?"
With him currently turned away from her, his hands in the tub having placed the last of their dishes inside, he sighs deeply and his shoulders sag. He then steels himself and turns to face her.
The look she is giving him is full of curiosity and he sighs again as he gathers his courage to speak, "Kate, there's something I need to tell you."
Seeing how serious he now is Beckett sits up straight, folds her hands in her lap, looks him in the eye and says, "Ok, what is it?"
Castle takes a breath before continuing, "Kate, I…."
At that moment they are both startled by the loud blaring of the alarm klaxon from the PA system above. The intimate darkness of the cargo bay is broken as red lights start flashing on the walls around them. The romantic image of the stars beneath them then slowly disappears as with a deep rumble the large, exterior cargo bay door starts closing.
Then the urgent voice of Yeoman Ellis is heard over the sound of the alert klaxon, "All hands, all hands, set condition one throughout the ship. All hands, man your battle stations!"
The woman's voice has barely started repeating the announcement before Beckett has sprung to her feet and is already purposely striding towards the exit. Castle sits there stunned that the universe could be so cruel as to interrupt him just as he was about to bare his soul. As the cargo bay door beneath him clangs shut with a deep tremor that he feels through the still activated kinetic barrier he feels like a door just has large has slammed shut over his chance to tell her the truth.
Beckett has paused half way to the exit of the cargo bay and is looking back at him curiously and she asks, "You coming, Castle?"
He shakes off his chagrin at being interrupted as he replies quickly, "Um…oh…yeah, Beckett, right behind you."
Castle then springs to his feet and is hot on Beckett's heels as she strides quickly out of the cargo bay. He follows her down the corridor to the nearest lift all the while red lights flash about them, the alarm klaxon squawks above them and they dodge other crew members hurrying to their stations.
It is when they are in the lift on their way to CIC that Beckett turns to him and asks apologetically, "I'm sorry, Castle. You wanted to tell be something?"
Castle shakes his head while in his mind he resolves to tell her his secret as soon as whatever this current crisis is over. There is no way he is going to stand between her and her duty so what he was about to tell her can wait. He just promises himself that it won't wait much longer.
"No, it can wait. Let's just get through this and I'll tell you after," he tells her honestly and he gives her a sincere look to reinforce his words.
Beckett gives him a thoughtful look, then nods in acceptance saying, "Alright, if you're sure."
Nodding earnestly so that she will forget about what he was about to reveal and concentrate on the current alert he responds, "I'm sure."
"Ok then," she says in acceptance just as the lift doors open.
They then both walk side by side into the CIC. As a pair they walk up to Captain Montgomery who is standing next to the holographic galaxy map in the centre of the room and as they approach Castle can see two points flashing red on the map.
"What's up, sir?" Beckett asks as they join Roy at the map.
"It's bad, Beckett. We've received reports of two attacks happening simultaneously. One is here in the Eagle Nebula Cluster and the other is in the Shadow Sea Cluster," the Captain tells them pointing at the flashing indicators on the hologram. "One is an agricultural colony on the planet Imir. The other is another agricultural colony on the planet Horizon. Alliance Command has ordered us to go to Imir as we're closer to there than Horizon."
"What about Horizon?" Castle asks his friend.
"Command is sending the nearest ship that's on patrol in the Attican Traverse but it will be at least a day before they can get there," Montgomery shrugs his shoulders and gives him a regretful look. "Unfortunately we can't be in two places at once so Command chose to send us to the one that we can get to the quickest. As it is we are really close to Imir and we'll arrive there in approximately thirty minutes. We're just about to go through the relay that will take us straight to the system now."
"Whoever they are they probably planned these combined attacks for the very reason that we can't get to both," Castle reasons and he sees Beckett nodding in agreement.
Montgomery also nods in agreement, "You're probably right, Castle. Plus I don't like how we are conveniently close to one planet but too far from the other to help. It's almost as if they want us to go to Imir. It's why I've sent us to battle stations now. I want us to be ready for anything." He then turns to Beckett and says, "That said, Beckett, I want you to muster both squads on the flight deck, fully geared up and ready for immediate drop onto the colony when we get there."
"Aye aye, Captain," acknowledges Beckett coming to quick attention before turning on her heels and striding back towards the lift.
Castle quickly follows her and together they ride the lift down to the flight deck and as they do so Castle tries to tamp down the rising apprehension that this situation is causing in the pit of his stomach. He hopes that the New York, its crew and both Beckett and he can handle what they are going to find at Imir.
Soon all feelings of apprehension are banished from his mind, at least temporarily, as he concentrates on donning his armour and reading his weapon, along with all the marines, in the armoury in a corner of the flight deck. The deck is full of noise as shuttles and fighters are being fuelled, armed and moved into launch positions. He is even distracted briefly from strapping on his thigh plate as a deep rumble nearby announces that the ship's six wheeled, armoured fighting vehicle, the M35 Mako, has been started up and is being moved into position to be attached to the base of one of the shuttles for drop onto the planet.
As the marines about him busy themselves with their last minute checks he looks around until he can catch the eye of Beckett. She returns his look and they hold eye contact for a long moment before she gives him an encouraging nod. He returns her nod and then gets back to putting on his armour.
He is just securing his helmet into place when Castle hears the reassuringly calm voice of his daughter come over the PA announcing, "All hands prepare for relay transition in three….two….one!"
There is a brief movement beneath his feet as even the inertial dampening field of the mass effect core cannot totally mitigate the effect of the ship being hurled at greater than light speeds from one mass relay to another, dozens of light years away, in the blink of an eye. Barely three seconds later, there is a much more violent and pronounced bucking of the deck beneath him that brings a couple of the marines around him to their knees.
Through the audio pick-ups in his helmet he hears a load clang, like the ringing of a large bell and he looks over at the helmeted head of Beckett to see her reaction. She is looking up at the deck above as she says, "We've been hit."
Outside, in the blackness of space surrounding the gigantic hollow device with its two spinning rings of metal at its centre that is the Mass Relay, the New York staggers as it recovers from the glancing blow the bright beam of yellow energy that had been aimed at it dissipates. If it wasn't for the quick reflexes of its pilot, Alexis Castle, who saw the menacing shape of the cylindrical alien ship just as they reverted back to normal space and was able to side-slip the ship out of the way, they would have been hit with the beam of energy full on. Even with the New York's advanced shields and armour plating it is doubtful they would have survived a direct hit from such a powerful weapon.
As Alexis sets the ship is a constantly moving, random pattern of manoeuvres to avoid any further fire, there is distinct scoring on the port side of the ship but fortunately no breach of the hull as the advanced shields and armour were able, at least, to absorb a glancing hit. GUARDIAN defence lasers along the same side of the ship immediately start opening fire on the enemy vessel and their impacts can be seen striking the shields of the enemy in several places but with no discernible effect.
The New York is soon able to put some distance between it and the slowly turning vessel and it is apparent that the Alliance cruiser has the advantage of speed and manoeuvrability. It is again due to the ships' agility that Alexis is again able to dodge out of the way of another powerful burst of yellow energy from the front of the enemy ship as it orientates itself towards the evading New York.
A barrage of missiles are launched from the aft tubes of the New York and they speed at the enemy ship. However, before the missiles can find their target several small devices or probes, about half the size of a fighter, are launched from the alien ship and proceed to shoot down the missiles with beams of red energy.
In response Captain Montgomery orders their own fighters to be launched and the first one is catapulted from the launch bay and straight into the fight.
Castle whips around in time to see the second of the New York's four Trident fighters hurtle down the flight deck on its mass driver catapult, engines screaming and leaving blue fire in its wake. The ship is flung through the kinetic barrier covering the open hatchway at the other end of the flight deck and into the blackness of space beyond, disappearing as it makes a sudden turn once it is clear of the flight deck.
As the third Trident follows close behind and the fourth positions itself on the other catapult he turns his attention back to those standing around just as there is a sustained shudder in the deck beneath him and the voice of Captain Montgomery comes over the comms in his helmet.
"Ground assault is off, Beckett. Two of these probe things got in under our shields and hit us two compartments forward of the engine room on deck seven. They've managed to breach the hull but the emergency barriers are up so the breach is contained. The fighters just took the probes responsible out. I need you to get there and take command of damage control. Copy?"
Beckett touches the side of her helmet near her ear as she replies, "Copy, sir." She then turns to Esposito and says, "Espo, take command of the squads and assume space combat stations. Be prepared to repel boarders if there is any attempt to board."
Once the major has nodded his head in acknowledgement Beckett is off towards the lift at the end of the flight deck at a half jog. Thinking that his place is by Beckett's side, Castle follows close behind her and joins her in the lift just as the doors close.
"Where are you going, Castle?" Beckett's inquiring voice sounds in his helmet.
"I'm shadowing you remember, Beckett. Where you go I go," he responds matter-of-factly, hoping he is leaving no room for argument.
There is a pause and just as the door of the lift opens onto deck seven Beckett nods her head once and says, "Ok then, but stay close and do everything I say."
He follows her onto the deck and down the corridor and responds, "Of course, don't I always." He immediately holds up an armoured hand and says, "Don't answer that."
Before long they arrive at the sight of the hull breach. This time it is far from a romantic sight for Castle to see the stars through the shimmering haze of the emergency kinetic barrier that has been thrown up in place over the jagged hole, the size of a person, that is in the side of the corridor. Broken conduits spark at the edges of the breach as a damage control party of four crew members try manoeuvring a large metal plate over it as a temporary patch.
Beckett and Castle quickly add their shoulders to help and with their aid the plate is soon in place over the breach and two of the damage control party are welding the patch in place.
Beckett then turns to the petty officer in charge of the party and says, "Report?"
The man turns his head inside the combat environment suit he is wearing and says brusquely, "Just this breach so far, Commander. We should have it sealed in two minutes. Atmosphere was lost in the corridor for five seconds before the barrier went up."
"Was anyone in the corridor at the time?" Castle asks over Beckett's shoulder.
The twenty something Caucasian man grimaces at Castle's question, "Internal sensors recorded that Crewmen Habib and Walsh were in the corridor at the time. Both were blown out into space before the barrier went up."
There is a grim silence for a moment as they consider the terrible fate of the two crew members before Beckett says determinedly, "As soon as this is over we'll send out every shuttle we have to recover their bodies."
Then over the PA comes the calm voice of Captain Montgomery, "All hands brace for main weapon discharge."
After avoiding several more blasts from the enemy ships' main weapon Alexis has finally been able to bring the New York's bow to bear on the alien vessel so that they can return the favour. At the nose of the cruiser two round ports, side by side, open and a red glow builds in the black holes left by the open ports as the New York's main armament, the Thanix Cannon, prepares to fire.
The Thanix Cannon is yet another piece of experimental technology that is a part of the New York's design. The weapon is of Turian design, based on technology salvaged by Turian volunteers during the clean-up after the Battle of the Citadel.
During the clean-up of the battle ravaged Citadel the Turians recovered the main weapon from the wreckage of the sentient, enemy dreadnought, Sovereign. From the weapon Turian scientists were able to develop the Thanix.
At the weapon's core is a liquid alloy of iron, uranium and tungsten suspended in an electrometric field powered by element zero. The molten metal, accelerated to a significant fraction of the speed of light, solidifies into a projectile as it is fired, hitting targets with enough force to pierce any known shield or armour. Because of the velocity at which the projectile is traveling at it looks like a beam of energy is emitting from the weapon when in fact what the observer is seeing in the glowing projectile streaking across space at incomprehensible speed.
At first the Turians started small with their designs, making versions capable of being fitted to a fighter and then a frigate giving both firepower rivalling a dreadnought. The twin cannons in the bow of the New York are the largest version yet and mark the first time the weapon has been mounted on a capital ship.
At Captain Montgomery's command two apparent beams of red light leap from the front of the New York towards the enemy vessel. Despite its lack of manoeuvrability the large enemy ship, at least twenty times the size of the human cruiser, manages to turn and move out of the way of the incoming fire enough so that only one of the red beams of light hits it near one edge towards the front of the ship.
Regardless the ship staggers in space as it is hit and debris forms a slowly expanding cloud around its front at the gaping, glowing hole left behind by one of the Thanix. The alien ship continues its turn and soon is pointing straight at the nearby Mass Relay.
On the flying bridge, as she moves the New York to try and keep the bow pointed at the enemy so that they can fire the Thanix again once it is rearmed, Alexis sees through the view port in front of her station large electrical discharges arc between the Relay and the alien ship. She mutters to Flight Ensign Bicks, her co-pilot in the seat next to her, "Looks like their trying to make a run for it."
Then on the small tactical hologram projected between their stations she sees the random red dots that are the surviving probes that were launched by the enemy ship all make abrupt turns and start converging on the green icon at the centre of the projection that represents the New York. A few of the red dots wink out as their fighters shoot them down and the defence lasers on the flanks of the cruiser also start taking them out. The remaining dots all pick up speed and Alexis' fingers are flying over the controls to try and get the ship out of the way of the blatant kamikaze runs of the probes.
As the dots get closer and closer from different directions it is plain that no matter the efforts of their fighters, defence batteries or he own fancy flying they are going to be hit by at least some of the probes. Sweat pouring off her brow her hands are a blur over the controls as she tries to coax the last scraps of speed and agility from the New York.
She cringes as the remaining three dots get closer and closer to the icon that is the New York and she hears Captain Montgomery's voice over the PA say, "All hands brace for impact."
"All hands brace for impact," hears Castle from the comms in his helmet as he and Beckett stand with the damage control party as it finishes its work patching the hull breach.
Not two seconds later there is an explosion and rending crash of metal at the far end of the corridor where they are standing and they are all thrown to the deck. From his prone position Castle sees that another breach has been torn into the side of the ship about ten meters down the corridor from where they are. Atmosphere and loose items in the corridor are being blown out of the breach in the hull and into the dark space he can see in the gaping hole that is about four meters across.
He can feel the tug of the rushing atmosphere on himself but fortunately he has been able to desperately hook his fingers into the grating of the deck plate and brace a leg against a support beam protruding from the side of the corridor to stop following the rushing air into the vacuum outside. He looks around for Beckett and the others and is relieved to see Beckett holding on grimly to another support beam on the other side of the corridor. The rest of the members of the damage control party have also been able to secure themselves by griping onto protruding parts of the corridor.
Even as wonders why the emergency barrier hasn't gone up yet there is a snap audible over his audio pick-ups and the hand rail that the petty officer in charge of the party was holding onto fails. The man yells fearfully as he starts tumbling towards the hull breach. As he passes Beckett, arms flailing, she reached out to grab him with one hand. She succeeds but the man has too much momentum which is too much for her grip on the support beam and so she loses her anchor and joins the man in being blown towards the gaping hole in the side of the ship.
"Beckett, No!" Castle yells with anguish at the sight of her tumbling towards her doom.
Without thought he releases his finger holds on the deck plate and before he can follow in the wake of Beckett and the Petty Officer he extends his hands towards the breach. Using every ounce of desperation fuelled adrenalin he wills the most powerful biotic field he can at the breach. Just like that the rushing air stops and Beckett and the Petty Officer halt their seemingly inevitable rush towards certain death.
Castle is on his knees, his arms are shaking and sweat is pouring from his brow with the effort of maintaining a biotic barrier over the breach for so long that is capable of keeping the atmosphere in. His vision is getting cloudy and pain sears at the base of his skull as he uses all the reserves of energy he has to maintain the barrier but he can still just manage to feel some relief at the sight of Beckett slowing getting to her feet and looking at him.
He needs to hold on until Beckett and the others can get out but he knows he won't be able to hold it for too much longer. He can feel his energy draining and just as he is about to pass out the lights in the corridor that had gone out when the hull was breached come back on. He can just make out through his fatigued haze the shimmering light of an emergency kinetic barrier appearing over his biotic one to seal the breach.
Relieved Castle drops his hands and the biotic barrier disappears as he lets the darkness of exhaustion claim him and he falls to the deck unconscious.
A/N: So Castle is a secret biotic. How will this affect the burgeoning relationship with Beckett? All I'll say is that I will never write a story where Beckett and Castle aren't together so have no fear that while this will add some drama between them the ultimate goal is for them to be together.
Thank you to everyone that is reading this story.