A/N: I had a feeling this story was not quite finished and some of my lovely readers confirmed just that (we had the same idea about NY! Great minds think alike!). So, just in time for Valentine's Day, here's the final addition, because let's face it, who doesn't love drama-free, pure L/W fluffiness? Hee hee, enjoy!
Epilogue
Linka finished the last sentence with a smile and turned to check Wheeler's reaction. One look at him confirmed he had not been listening to one word she had said, despite his absent-minded nod. He was piloting the Geo-cruiser with a solemn expression that seemed out of place on his happy-go-lucky face.
Linka undid her seat belt and turned to him.
"And that was what the pink elephant told me," she added, to further check if he was listening.
"Hmm," was his reply, his eyes never leaving the cloudless sky ahead of them, as if she had said nothing out of the ordinary.
"Wheeler! You are not listening!" Linka remarked, raising her tone of voice. This caused him to blink and turn to her.
"What, babe? Sorry, I wasn't listening," Wheeler spoke up, shaking his head as if to clear his thoughts.
"Well, duh!" Linka rolled her eyes, unable to keep a small smile out of her voice. She stood up and took place behind his seat, casually circling her arms around his neck. After kissing his cheek, she rested her chin on his shoulder and looked up at him.
"You have not said a word since we left Hope Island," she continued in a softer tone of voice. "What is on your mind?"
Wheeler sighed and reached to take her hand. "Going back home… I don't know, it always has this weird effect on me."
"Is it helping that I am coming along?" Linka inquired.
It had been nearly four months since their undercover high school days. The Planeteers had since moved on to other missions and life had returned to normal, except for the fact that the group was no longer made up of five friends. Now, there was a couple in the mix! Everyone from Gaia to the other members were very happy about this turn of events. Wheeler's mom was the most over the moon about it. She had made countless calls, begging Wheeler to come down for a weekend and bring Linka along.
Linka knew that Mrs. Sloane genuinely missed her, that she missed her son even more, and maybe hoped for him to test out the new situation at home. Wheeler's dad was attending a counseling program for his drinking problem, and from what she had told Wheeler, he had not been drinking in over a month.
"To tell you the truth, it makes me more anxious that you're coming."
Wheeler realized that Linka must have taken his comment the wrong way because her shoulders deflated, and he quickly added more to explain himself.
"Babe, you're the first girl I'm bringing home. Ever. It's a big deal. And it's you. I just… I don't know, a part of me is scared that you'll run for the hills. I don't even know what to expect with everything that's happening there these days."
Linka let her fingers intertwine with his. She found it every endearing that Wheeler could still be so concerned about the fit between his world and (what he thought to be) her ideals. Sometimes he thought it was possible that she could leave him. She could not even imagine it.
"There are no hills in Brooklyn," she teased close to his ear. The small smile playing at the corners of his mouth pleased her.
"Maybe you are worrying too much, nyet? I like your mother very much and I get along with your father. He and I started off on rocky ground, I must say, but we are on good terms now. He even has a nickname for me!"
Wheeler did not add anything but Linka could tell that she had calmed him down a little. Smiling, she placed a gentle kiss on the side of his neck, then another one below his ear.
"I love you and there is not a single thing in this world that can make me change my mind about that, Yankee."
"I am one step away from putting this thing on auto-pilot and ravishing you on the back seats, babe."
Linka laughed jovially and patted his head with approval before returning to her seat and fastening her seat belt.
Both the descent back to normality and Brooklyn were taking place.
~ / ~ / ~ /
Wheeler's mom was joyous to see Linka and immediately enveloped the Russian girl in a warm hug.
"Look at you!" she was beaming, seeming relaxed and younger in a pretty blouse and comfortable jeans.
"You get more beautiful every time I see you!"
Wheeler gave the blonde girl a look filled with pride and love, causing Linka to blush under all the attention.
Mrs. Sloane ushered them in and served them tea and home-made cookies. She informed them that Wheeler's dad was at his afternoon session and would join them just before dinner. They talked for an hour, mostly about the latest Planeteer adventures, which Wheeler's mom found very interesting and entertaining.
When Wheeler fetched his small luggage, which had been forgotten at the door, his mom helped him with Linka's bag. She placed it outside Wheeler's bedroom door and he did the same with his. With a smile, Mrs. Sloane explained her actions to Linka, who was just a few steps behind.
"I thought you might want to sleep together… ehrm, in the same room, I mean."
Linka's face turned strawberry-red and Wheeler pretended to cover up his laughter by coughing.
Mrs. Sloane quickly changed topic by suggesting that her son pick up his dad and surprise him.
"You know how he hates relying on public transportation," she was saying, and Linka knew that the woman wanted to give father and son a chance to be alone and catch up.
"I think that is a good idea," Linka chimed in, quickly nodding her approval. "He will appreciate that. Do you need any help with dinner, Mrs. Sloane?"
"That's Candy, darling, and yes, I would love some help. A nice change around here, let me tell you that!"
Wheeler rolled his eyes at his mom, and grabbed the car keys from the counter.
"You two try and get along while I'm gone," he teased, feeling high in spirits and grabbing his mom to plant a kiss on her cheek. "No showing her baby pictures of me, Ma."
"Don't worry, I'll save that for when you're here," she laughed in turn, pretending to shoo him away. "Now leave us to our kitchen work."
"Watch out, Ma," Wheeler grinned, nearing Linka now and carefully wrapping his arms around her. "Linka's a bit of a feminist."
"I find that a tad hard to believe since she's with you."
Linka laughed at Mrs. Sloane's comment and the older woman winked at her as she made her way to the kitchen.
"Your mom is right, you know," Linka smiled slyly as her arms went around his neck. "You have changed me. Now all I do is clean up after you, cook… you are turning me into a housewife, Yankee!"
Wheeler lowered his head to capture those beautiful lips that always seemed to be mesmerizing him. He lost his senses a bit each time he tasted her, and it took him a minute to readjust to the present.
"You like being domesticated," he teased her, gathering her hair in one hand and bringing it over her shoulder with a gentle movement. Linka shivered a little at his touch and, at the same time, felt her body on fire under his glance.
"Only because you are the one doing it," she remarked, saucily. She could not not kiss him. Although, moments later, Linka realized they were standing in the front room of his house, with his mom in the next room. Definitely not the right time or place for passionate embraces and soul-melting kisses. So she sent him off to complete his task and she, herself, joined Mrs. Sloane in the kitchen.
~ / ~ / ~ /
Wheeler drove around town slowly, collecting his thoughts as he did so. Different memories of his life in Brooklyn rushed over him, and he mused on how much his life had changed. Things seemed unaltered by time here, even the traffic was the same in certain areas.
After running an errand or two, Wheeler decided it was time to pick up his dad. He was waiting at the bus stop outside the hospital. Wheeler decided he looked better, healthier, and more alert than usual. They found things to talk about on the drive home and Wheeler felt a wave of alleviation upon hearing that the program was going well.
Wheeler could not explain why his stomach was in knots when they reached the apartment. He was placing a lot of trust in his father to not wreck the one thing in his life that was right - Linka - and trusting his dad with anything was… unfamiliar.
"If it isn't little Miss Russian Princess," Wheeler's dad greeted Linka with a sort of smile. He was not sure what else to do so he shook her hand awkwardly and Linka offered him a warm smile. Wheeler breathed a sigh of relief.
The rest of the evening went by more or less smoothly. Mr. Sloane did not say much at the dinner table, but Mrs. Sloane was chatty enough for the both of them. Wheeler saw that Linka was at ease and enjoying herself, and in his heart, he loved her even more that evening.
After a satisfying meal, Wheeler decided he was still feeling somewhat restless, despite the relaxed atmosphere. He told his parents he wanted to take Linka out for a drive, maybe to the local pub, and so the young couple bid farewell to Wheeler's parents for the evening.
It was past midnight when they re-entered the apartment, which was, at that point, completely engulfed by darkness. All was silent except for the loud snoring sounds, courtesy of Wheeler's dad, coming from the bedroom.
Wheeler took Linka's hand and led her to his room. They made it without too many setbacks, except that Wheeler stubbed his toe on something. Linka giggled when he softly swore under his breath.
Upon turning on the lights, Wheeler silently thanked his mother for cleaning up his room and making it look more inviting than he ever could in the past. He closed the door and watched as Linka examined her surroundings. There was a shelf that contained his collection of comic books, another one for his CDs and records. There were still a couple of his favorite childhood toys on the desk, like the ever present Mr. Bear, which was still in surprisingly good condition given the tears he had cried on it and the number of times he had pulled on his ears. The walls were covered with old movie posters and vintage car sketches. Wheeler nearly laughed when he saw that his mom had taken down the calendar with sexy pin-up girls, for Linka's sake. He made a mental note to thank her for it in the morning.
"Very nice, Yankee," Linka smiled, decidedly, hands on hips.
"Not as disastrous as you expected, huh?" grinned Wheeler, making himself comfortable on the double bed. He propped the pillows up against his back and held out his hand for Linka.
"I am guessing your mom helped a little," she teased him, reaching to take his extended hand. Linka straddled his lap and felt his arms go around her waist to hold her in place.
"She and I are not much different, after all," were her musings as she ruffled his hair playfully. He responded by tickling her, then kissing her when she was breathless. Wheeler felt her ease up and melt into him. Her eyes were still closed and her breathing uneven when he pulled his lips away.
"Linka," he voiced softly, caressing her hair before his fingers traced invisible patterns on her cheek. Her emerald eyes were unblinking as they reflected into his, waiting silently for him to go on.
"I would never treat you the way he did with her."
Confusion dwelled inside Linka, before realizing he was talking about his parents. He seemed very concentrated so she did not add anything. His touch remained light and soothing on her skin, and when he newly met her eyes, she could see nothing but truth shining in his ocean-colored orbs.
"I would never yell at you or say things that tear down your honor. I don't ever want to see you crying because of me, or for you to feel abandoned and lose hope in us. I could never live with myself if I ever hurt you like that."
Wheeler had moved her with his words. Linka kissed him softly, a little to comfort him and a little to hide the moisture in her eyes. It continued to amaze her how Wheeler could take on the world with the strength of a superhero, then have extremely fragile moments like these. He had a lot of deep-rooted fears he never shared with anyone but her, and she was nothing but grateful that he trusted her enough to let her into his world.
"I know," she whispered against his lips, lightly caressing the back of his head. "I know all that about you. Even when we argue, you are the most rational one. I lose my temper with you way more than you do with me, wouldn't you say? And even when you do, I never feel like I should fear anything. I know you would never hurt me. I trust you, not out of my own graciousness, but because you keep proving to me that I can."
Wheeler pulled her closer to him and she rested her head on his chest.
"Jacob, your father is not a bad man," Linka said after a pause. "He made some bad choices in the past, I think we can all agree on that. But to do what he is doing now, to try and right his wrongs, well, that takes a lot of courage. I know how hard this must be on you, getting used to all these changes, and most of all, learning to trust him. But no one said it has to be done in a day, or a weekend for that matter. These things take time, my love."
Wheeler nodded and buried his face in her hair, drawing her closer to him still. Linka was always so sensible, not to mention perceptive. Attentive, understanding, reassuring. And his. He could hardly believe his good fortune. He continued to hold her in his arms silently before a smile found its way on his lips.
"You're the first girl that's been in this room, you know."
Linka chuckled and moved a little to look into his eyes.
"And I thought this was where all the magic happened," she bantered playfully, arching an eyebrow.
He laughed. "Well, that's what I want people to think."
Linka rolled her eyes at him. Then, she watched as he reached into the pocket of his discarded jacket to pull out something. A rectangular, narrow box materialized in his hand and he offered it to her.
"I got you a little something today."
"Ohhh, what is it, Yankee?"
Wheeler would have fallen madly for her right then, if he had not already done so long ago. She was breathlessly beautiful with that glow in her eyes that resembled diamonds, not to mention the smile that could light up a small town in case of a power failure.
"Open it," he instructed, sneaking in a kiss on her lips before she could follow his directive.
Her expression was one of delight when she found nestled inside the small box a necklace with a heart pendant. It was made of white gold, the delicate chain catching glints of the light as she picked it up in her hand.
"It is gorgeous," Linka voiced, admiring the small row of diamonds lining the outside curve of the heart. She was turning it delicately in her hands when she caught a glimpse of the inscription on the back.
I love you, too.
Linka's eyes met his and a slow smile spread on her lips.
"Well, I had to reply, didn't I?" mused Wheeler, holding up his hand to show the ring she had given him, which had been faithfully worn since that day.
"Spasiba, Jacob," she cooed, feeling her insides go weak at all his considerations.
Before falling in love with Wheeler, Linka had come to the sad conclusion (as most women do in the course of their lifetime) that men like the ones in her dreams did not really exist. Passionate, romantic, concerned about her happiness and feelings, strong, solid. Yet, Wheeler continued to surpass all her desires. Sometimes, it felt like she could just burst with happiness whenever he did things like hold her, kiss her, or whisper his love for her in the darkness, long after everyone else had fallen asleep…
"Here, let me help you put it on," Wheeler was saying, breaking through her daydreams. Linka blinked up at him, then handed him the necklace before gathering her hair in her hands and holding it up.
The desire Wheeler felt for her was forever present inside him, and against his will, he had learned to tame it a little (at least in public). But with Linka that close to him, sitting on his lap, in the confines of his old bedroom, Wheeler was not sure how long he could keep his cool. One look at her eyes told him Linka was already aware of his current internal battle.
"Now, I'm no expert on necklaces," he spoke slowly, his eyes moving over her before carefully reaching to undo the top button on her silky blouse. "But I think they are best viewed on bare skin."
The drumming of her heart was echoing in Linka's ears as his fingers undid all the buttons on the front of her top. Familiar warmness crept over her body as she watched his glance linger on her now exposed, lacy, black bra. Her hair fell over her shoulders as she let her arms fall to her sides. She was helped out of her top before Wheeler placed the necklace around her neck. His hands then caressed the bare skin they encountered and Linka doubted that the cool metal of the necklace would stay that way for long, for she felt on fire. When they kissed, Linka lost all inhibitions as per usual, and she was soon pulling at his shirt to get it off. She needed to feel his skin against hers, even if it meant temporarily breaking the kiss. Once that task was checked off, Wheeler went for her neck instead. He loved the sounds he could draw out of her; they were soft, feminine, and incredibly arousing to him. He cupped her generous breasts in his hands and immediately felt her move against him. Her head was thrown back, her long hair pooling behind her like a satin curtain.
"You're making it very difficult for me to resist you, babe," Wheeler whispered, his lips finding the sensitive spot behind her ear. She moaned out in response, then proceeded to kiss his mouth with a passion that made him weak.
"Then, do not resist, nyet?"
"Babe, you know I have the ability to delete that word from my vocabulary when it comes to you," remarked Wheeler, meeting her eyes. "But my parents are practically across the hall and they're gonna hear us."
Linka shook her head a little and kissed him more delicately this time. She rolled on her back and brought Wheeler with her so that he was on top of her.
"We can be quiet," she suggested in between kisses.
Linka felt him grin widely against her lips.
"Well, I know I can."
"Yankeeeeeee!" she whined, pouting at him while he laughed in the crook of her neck. "That is not fair."
"Hey, don't blame me! It was Ma-Ti who said he could hear you all the way from his hut."
Wheeler remembered how Linka had not been able to look at her Planeteer friends in the eye for days after that. Her cheeks had been perpetually stained pink.
"What does Ma-Ti know about these things, anyway?" Linka complained, causing Wheeler to laugh again.
"Appearances can be deceiving," he shrugged, moving a strand of her hair out of her face. "For example, who knew that a quiet, intellectual girl like you could be so…uhm, what is the word I'm trying to find here?"
"Wild?" Linka giggled, running her hands up his strong arms, then tangling her fingers through his hair.
"That's the one."
"I thought you liked it when I'm wild," Linka purred against his lips, before moving down to his neck.
Wheeler was already incoherent but managed to reply something to the effect of, "Damn straight I do!", before completely falling under Linka's spell. There were worse battles one could lose, after all.