The weeks went by, and tensions rose between the leaders of Blue Suns. They tried to hide it, but the alliances were falling apart thanks to Hardison's carefully formulated false emails. There was tension between between Eliot and Savannah as well, as they both held onto their secrets, but it didn't wreak the havoc on them that the Blue Suns were dealing with.

"So," Eliot began as he sidled up to Dani for a private moment, "what was that thing in the maternity ward a while back?"

"Wow, for a renowned hitter, you lack subtlety."

"Well-"

"Nope. It's Savannah's business."

"But-"

"Nope."

"Dani-"

"I said no, and if you press, I'll rip out your sternum, and then I'll tell Savannah why."

"Messaged received," Eliot coughed.

"Good," Dani said as she started to sashay away.

He took a step after her. "Hey, can I use that sternum thing?"

She smirked. "Yeah, sure."

"Dammit, Hardison!" Savannah growled through the com. The door to her apartment was heard being slammed shut. Eliot had been shunned into his own cover apartment because Savannah said she wanted some alone time. She even rejected Dani's request to drop by. "Get a move on with the dismantling emails! I am sick and tired of this job! I'm sick of the robes! I'm sick of the people! I'm sick of the constant groping of my belly and the assumptions and the bridal march being hummed in my ear! I can't take it anymore!"

"Hey!" Hardison snapped back through the com. "Do you want this done right or do-"

"Ugh! I want it done! Period!" she screamed. There was a moment of awkward silence; Savannah had never behaved like this before.

Dani was heard whistling in surprise. "Uh wow. Okay, Van, do you wanna try the sedatives for-"

"Shut up, Dani!" Savannah roared.

"And I'm out," Dani said. They heard the soft click of Dani's com going offline. Most of the other Van House girls disconnected as soon as the gathering ended, but Dani often stayed on to chat with Savannah. They said it was easier than dealing with phones after a long day.

"Savannah," Parker started cautiously, "you really should calm down, okay? I know it's tough, but it's going to be worth it."

All that was heard was Savannah's heavy breathing. Eliot glanced around his dingy, spartan cover apartment and got an idea. "What...what is that strumming? It's not coming from any of my neighbors," Savannah asked, irritation still flavoring her voice.

Parker hummed a little; her smile was audible. "Eliot has his guitar," she explained.

"Living with me, it ain't easy," Eliot sang softly, accompanied by his treasured instrument of polished wood. An ethereal silence fell through the coms as he performed.

He finished, and Parker let out a small laugh of satisfaction. "How do you feel now?" Hardison asked pointedly.

"Like...everything just feels...so much...more manageable," Savannah sighed.

"Yeah, he has that effect," Parker mused. "Are we good?"

"I think so," Savannah answered.

The coms all clicked off, but then Eliot's cell phone rang. "You serenaded me...to make me feel better," Savannah said when he answered.

"Yeah."

"With Parker and Hardison listening..."

Eliot rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Dammit, you don't like PDA."

"No, no. Parker and Hardison don't count. I thought it was really sweet. Thank you. I hope you can do it again later, more often, in person."

Eliot held the guitar close. "I will."

"Do you wanna be in person now?"

"You don't want to rest? Or be alone?"

"Mm-mm."

Eliot got to his feet. "I guess I'll come over. Let me just get my keys."

"No. Start walking towards me, I'll start walking towards you, we'll meet in the middle. It may not be raining, but the weather is still pretty nice."

"Would you be okay walking around the city at night?"

"Academy, Eliot," she reminded him.

"Right...Are you sure? You don't need the rest?" Eliot asked, already moving towards his door.

"You sure second guess me a lot."

"Twenty minutes?"

"More or less."

Their cover apartments were about three miles apart. Eliot had walked almost two full miles before he met Savannah. He caught her in his arms and touched his lips to hers. She let the kiss linger. "Mmm, I thought you wanted to see me. How did I make it so much further than you? Especially with your...modifications."

"I said walk not sprint," she rebuffed. "But I'm glad you're here." She nipped at his bottom lip.

"Me too," he answered softly.

Passion flared for a short while. Tongues intertwined. Lips brushed. Hands roamed. He felt the thin fabric of the pale blue loungewear dress that she looked far too cute in, and he felt the tank top and loungewear shorts underneath. He felt her hands squeeze the back of his thighs through his jeans, and he leaned closer. He felt her hands through his t-shirt, and he tried not to be nervous. He felt her pull in a deep breath, and he was half-relieved that the fire between them seemed to quell temporarily.

They clasped hands and strolled through the trails of a nearby park. They didn't speak, but he liked it. It really was starting to like silence with Savannah. She didn't have to express her feelings in long, flowery soliloquies, and she wanted nothing of the sort from him. They had talks, sure, but there was no need for constant talking. Unless they were fighting. Which happened sometimes. But that was more yelling than talking. And sometimes more than yelling. But then a lot of talking to get past it. And they always did.

"How cliché," Savannah murmured.

"What?"

"Moonlight walks," she explained.

"Oh, yeah, I guess. It's nice, though."

"It is."

And the walk continued in silence. It was about an hour before they settled in on a bench, and she snuggled into his chest. He was in a park, in the middle of the night, with a woman that could very well kill him in her sleep, and he was more relaxed than he'd been in years.

After a while, they went their separate ways with one last chaste kiss. The two of them slept with their coms in that night, to be with each other while missing each other at the same time.