A/N: Hey everyone sorry about taking so long to put out another chapter, I just started up the new semester of college again and have been thinking on what to write. Some ideas popped into my head and I'll try to integrate them as seamlessly as possible. I thank you all who have reviewed I love reading them. Kind of makes me feel like I'm writing for much more than my own amusement. For a better ambiance to reading I've been listening to some music while I write, I wrote this one on a few Seven Lions remixes, (Seven Lions & Echos- Cold Skin, Monstercat Release) give it a listen if you want full effect. Or the whole playlist on Youtube. This isn't a sponsor by the way I just really like their music.

Stardate 2260.9.12 Io Station, Primary Engineering Lab

The days following were slow. At any given point in time Khan was at April's side and visa versa, so it left little room for any of the other Agents to intervene much less interact with April. Any moment Brian Mackenzie tried to get April's attention she would be whisked away by Khan under the guise that they had a lot of work to do. Which wasn't false. With the manufacturing of weapons in mass quantities it left little room for social calls.

It was hard to set up a point in time however to open the window to start their grand plan. The more April sat on it the more it chilled her as having to damage someone the way she planned on damaging Brian. She wasn't a vindictive person by nature and he was just as much a pawn as she was. Khan however was right in that she would never be free. If it wasn't this mission it could be the next. Her life had been constantly lived by the seat of her pants and at what point will her life ever be her own again. You either die being a Section Agent or you retire but are never free. You become a permanent fixture until old age takes you or you meet the other end of a phaser. You are only useful until your uses run out and April felt that her uses were running out. Ask her to use brute force to get what is desired she could, ask her to do anything other than that and it wasn't in her realm of training.

"Stop." a deep voice said next to her as she felt a hand come over hers. Khan took the components from her hands and she looked up at him forgetting she was in the lab with him and they were working. Looking back down at her work she discovered the relays she had been fitting where incorrect and the moment she placed this one she could have ruined the whole thing. Or set off an explosion.

She stared at it and then looked back to Khan.

"Sorry."

"I don't want your apologies, but your focus." He sighed as he set it down and took up her hand in his. He held it and then placed his other hand over hers. His blue eyes gauged her as if reading her. "Have you been sleeping well still?"

"My mind has been active with thoughts."

"Do not go back on our plans now."

"No. Just doesn't mean I like it any more or less. I just wish there was other ways than crucifying someone who has been in my corner for years."

"Perhaps you should take a visit to Dr. Wright. She might be able to give you something for the stress." He gently let her hand down after having felt her pulse. It was abnormally high which was the whole display of taking it. She didn't look feverish but she did look on edge.

"I don't think a visit to the doctor will help. Maybe a walk."

"If it's what you need." he said. "I would rather you take some time for yourself than mix up a few simple relays. I would not like to have to rebuild this."

"I'll be back in an hour then. Do you want some tea?"

His expression seemed contemplative but his usual harsh look was rather soft as he thought. He then glanced at her before picking up the module she had been working on and placing it in front of him. His fingers skillfully began to work and the corners of his lips turned up a bit.

"That would be nice." he said calmly.

He had become so calm around her and it was something she noticed. It was genuine too. After their coordination in planning he had seemed to finally let down a fraction of his walls to her. This allowed her to see more of the man underneath the Augment. Underneath the anger, intelligence, deadly body and vendetta he was rather a serene being. Once one learned to be calm around him his presence had been soothing. Almost like a balm on a burn.

"Your usual then?"

"Yes, April." he chuckled and it made her smile a bit. She picked up her PADD from the table and turned and walked out. With a final glance back she saw he had looked back at her too and she smiled a bit before scurrying off towards the mess hall. Something so simple as getting him his tea was rather a nice break for her it gave her a different focus rather than the constant tasks at hand.

As she walked she managed to try and take a few breaths to calm her. It was the listlessness that made it shut her mind off for a moment.

That is until she saw Brian talking with Ramirez right outside the mess. Ramirez caught her eye and then smirked a bit before nudging Brian's arm. He turned and smiled as he waved April down and she walked forward and tried to put on her best demeanor.

"Working hard or hardly working Major?" Brian asked and she chuckled.

"Working. Thought a break might help. Lost a little focus earlier."

"You are looking a little out of shape." Ramirez said. "We where thinking about training later, like old times. You in?"

"Sloan coming too?" April asked.

"He said he might. We where thinking maybe you'd invite Commander Harrison? I hear he has advanced tac training."

"I don't think that's a good idea." April said slowly her gaze flitting between them both. She had to hide her nervousness at this present moment.

"Why not?" Brian asked. "It'll even up the people."

Maybe this was their opportunity.

"I'll...let him know about it. It's honestly up to him." she muttered. "I have forty minutes left before I have to get back, I'll talk to you both later."

"Don't skip out on us!" Ramirez called as she entered the mess hall. She went up to the synthesizer and procured a cup before settling it on the platform.

"Black Tea no creme or sugar." she said to it and it began to produce steaming hot tea. She stared at the stream as it began to fill the cup the contents swirling. Much like her mind. God she wanted to just take the next transport off this rock and go somewhere far into the cosmos.

1922 Training Facility, Io Station

Once April came back with Khan's tea she told him about the invite for some training with Ramirez and Brian. As he took the tea and took a sip of it he rose a brow and then looked at her with disinterest but she could see the wheels turning behind his gaze.

"I suppose this would be as good an opportunity as any." he said. "Only if you wish me to go."

"I don't know. I don't know if we will get another opportunity but, yes I do want you to go." her voice said a bit quiet. Khan had set down his tea as he took a step to her and took her face in his hands before placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"Be strong. For the both of us."

So now April and Khan were walking into the Training Facility to see MACO's training and Ramirez and Brian there. The two had already been sparring with one another as the two of them faced off and Ramirez took his arm as he went in for a punch and effectively threw him over her shoulder onto the mat. After she helped the Sargent up the two of them noticed that April had arrived and in tow with their invited guest. The minute Brian and Khan locked eyes the blondes face hardened. It was as if he was sizing up Khan in a rather typical hot blooded male way.

"The lady of the evening arrives." Ramirez teased as she walked up, scooping up her towel on a bench and wiping the sweat from her face. "Commander Harrison good to see you decided to come train with us too."

"April made a rather convincing argument that I should." he said casually.

"Why don't you two get prepped and meet us on the mat." She turned back around and walked back up to Brian as she turned him by the shoulder and lightly pushed him back so the two could talk.

April dropped her bag with a sigh and faced Khan. She produced a roll of tape and began to tape her fingers and hands before holding it out to him.

"I don't require that." he said with a raised brow and she threw the same look back at him.

"Do it for the show, Commander." she muttered.

With an eye roll he snatched it from her grasp and began to do the same as he taped his long fingers skillfully and then wrapped them around his whole hand, down the palm and to the wrist. She walked up and checked his hands and gave a rather impressed sound in the back of her throat. Tossing the roll back in her bag she motioned for him to follow.

The two walked up to Ramirez and Brian and the two Section Agents faced off with April and Khan.

"So how are we gonna do this?" April asked.

"Was thinking you and I would spar and Mackenzie and the Commander could have a go at it, then switch off."

"Start with you and I then?" April added and Ramirez nodded.

The two men took the nearest bench, sitting on completely opposite ends of it as to avoid being close to one another. This didn't miss April's notice as her and Ramirez took the mat. April stretched her arms and neck from side to side before placing her hands up in a formal boxing stance. Ramirez took the same stance as the two began. It wasn't like fighting with other MACO's as Ramirez was trained much like she was. Ramirez relied on her legs a lot to get her where she had the advantage where April used others force against them. It wasn't until Ramirez landed a rather hard kick to the side of her head that she felt her arm being taken and her feet about to leave the ground. It was a seconds choice but April grabbed onto Ramirez's arm to the hand that was on her upper and twisted her body as she went down on the mat to bring Ramirez with her. Taking her own legs she wrapped them around Ramirez's arm and with her wrist in her hands, arm between her thighs and ankles around her throat she thrust her core up bending the arm the opposite way.

Ramirez let out a cry as she tapped out on the mat and April let her go as she quickly got back up to her feet. She reached out helping Ramirez up and the other woman was red faced and breathing heavily.

"Fucking forgot you are quick." she said between heavy breaths.

"Best two out of three then." April smacked her shoulder a bit and took her stance up again as she took a few paces backwards in distance.

Their sparring didn't last long as both changed up their styles of fighting to better subdue the other but in the end April got Ramirez down on the mat both times. They both walked off it and up the bench and to the men.

"You turn." Ramirez panted as she sat down between them. Brian stood up as he brushed by April and took the mat and Khan stood as he looked at April.

"A good luck kiss?" he mused in an almost teasing manner.

"I don't think with all these people looking at us that would be wise." April said and folded her arms. Khan smirked as he then bent down as he took her by the nape of her neck and pulling her into him.

It was such a quick display but his lips met hers. The shock had her eyes wide open as she stared at him. His eyes were open but they weren't looking at her but rather over her. At Brian. The heat swelled inside of her at sheer embarrassment of being used as a tool to make another man jealous but wasn't that the point of it all? But all of that got pushed to the back of her mind as her eyes fluttered close and she let herself feel his lips, the smell of him, and how nice it was overall. She hadn't been kissed in so long.

When his lips left hers he brushed by her leaving her frozen and when she looked at Ramirez the woman was leaning back on the bench with a rather amused smirk.

"Ow, Ow." she called out as April sat down. This cat call had only made April push Ramirez and almost knocking her out of her seated position and onto the floor. "Brian doesn't look too happy."

"No shit." April said as she watched Khan's much larger frame walk towards Brian.

The two faced off and Brian raised his fists taking his stance. Khan however didn't look like he was taking this rather seriously at all. He stood there looking rather bored but Brian took that as a sign of defeat and went in. Brian relied heavily on boxing techniques so he didn't pay much mind to his legs. He was strong and he knew it so when he punched he put his body behind it and used the rotation of his hips to follow through.

Khan merely dodged each punch with a simple step or turn of his body.

"Oh come now that surely can't be the best you have to offer." April heard Khan goad. Brian's face set as he charged and in that moment landed a deft blow to Khan's face. Khan's hair fell forward and it did seem to turn his head a bit. Khan took his wrist and bent it back and with a punch of his own sent Brian flying backwards and onto the mat. April made to stand up and intervene but she felt Ramirez's hand on her shoulder holding her down.

"Just let the two fight it out, it'll be good for them." she said seriously without any teasing.

It didn't make April any less agitated as she watched Brian get back up.

Twenty minutes passed as Brian didn't seem to want to give up even though he was smacked down into the mat numerous times. It only seemed to fuel his rage more and Khan seemed rather unimpressed and hadn't broken a sweat. Khan had become rougher, dealing back jabs of his own even though April knew he was pulling his punches. It didn't seem like there was any end in sight.

"You don't deserve her." she heard Brian mutter and Khan's smirk grew ugly.

"So the truth comes out now." his baritone full of mirth. "You just can't stand that I have what you want the most."

"She doesn't like you, she only is with you because of orders."

"Careful Sargent or I might think that you're revealing sensitive information. Your Admiral wouldn't want his dog running around telling others about his dirty little secrets."

"I know what you are. What you're capable of." Brian growled as he reached up behind him. Pulling out a knife from under his shirt where a holster had been he held it in his hand. Khan raised a brow at it and this is when April stood up.

"That is enough!" April bellowed but Brian didn't look at her or seem to really hear anything. His gaze fixated on Khan like a dog with a bone and he stepped forward with said knife and began his assault. Khan dodged it, pushing Brian's wrists anytime it got close to him to deflect the sharp object.

April darted forward as she made for Brian. But all this earned her was a kick and sent her to the ground. With a groan she got up as she jumped on Brian's back and tried to choke hold him down but that didn't work well in his raged state. Though the diversion got enough time for Khan to take the knife from him and toss it to the side. April felt Brian's hands on her arms as he thrust her forward and over him and she landed on her back between the two men. She pushed herself back up quickly to press her hands on Brian's chest.

"You have to stop! Look there are others here watching you, what are you thinking!?" she said and he just glared at her with gritted teeth.

"You protect him." he said accusingly.

"Please stop." she whispered and he just pushed her off of him.

"His kind doesn't deserve to live and you know it." Brian said lowly to her and walked off the mat as he snatched up his belongings and left through the training bay doors.

Ramirez looked at them both before she nodded to April and jogged out after Brian. This left Khan and April and the surrounding prying eyes staring at them and the aftermath of that display.

April closed her eyes and clenched her jaw and fists. She felt hands on her arms and she opened them to see Khan standing before her.

"It's done. Let's go." he said and she allowed him to guide her to her things and he picked up her bag for her. His arm was around her guiding her through the maze so she didn't have to exactly look where she was walking.

It was true. Their plan had been set into motion as that exact moment Brian Mackenzie was ripping apart his room with Ramirez trying to calm him down. His voice loud as he vowed to rip Khan apart for even touching April. For even to think that April belonged to him in any fashion. The anger that boiled in him was raw and passionate as he grabbed onto Ramirez's arms and bared down on her.

And so years of friendship and trust was broken in a moment and all in a display of violence.

Stage One: Break Sargent Brian Mackenzie was a Success