"Right now, Dixie, out with it!" Alfred's voice was low and dark with annoyance. He jabbed an emphatic finger at the table between the two of them. "Who's this source that you're getting to play hacker? Was it the one you called in the safehouse? I need to know."

"Someone we can trust." Was her calm answer. Stonewall sat in her lap, her fingers scratching behind his ears though her attention remained on the fuming nation stomping around his large kitchen. Ulysses and Cochise were both napping on Alfred's wider couch with Cochise tucked under Ulysses' head. "This ain't what matters. What matters is that we have useful intel, and-"

Alfred waved an impatient hand. "I know, I know. But 'someone we can trust' doesn't help me. I need to know whether or not this is someone we should be worried about protecting or not. Everyone involved runs the risk of incurring Menewa's wrath, and I'd rather not have a dead nation on my conscience!" His eyes narrowed as he sat opposite her and sat down two mugs of decaf.

She shook her head, giving in. "Fine, it's Israel. I didn't give her much information other than what she already knows."

"Shit, Germany's gonna kill me if he finds out. Why'd you pick the pregnant nation with an overprotective husband?" he groaned, rubbing his eyes wearily.

"She's outta his reach. I doubt he'd care either way. Bastard wants me, remember?"

"Yeah, don't remind me."

"All she did was retrieve a file, and e-mail us a bunch of encrypted documents. She's too far removed to be in any serious danger from that asshole, and she can take care of herself if any of the wars have proven anythin'."

He looked up almost guiltily, giving off a wounded puppy vibe. "Yeah, I guess she's kind of like you that way."

She couldn't stay angry at that face. Dammit, she needed to be angry to talk this out with him. She dropped her gaze to Stonewall, watching his eyes close in contentment and his leg start kicking at the continued scratching just under his chin. "It didn't stop ya from puttin' me in the safehouse," she said darkly.

"I felt it was necessary."

"Yeah, well I feel I deserve an explanation, smartass." When her gaze came up, it was determined and fiery. She was both those things but she was also hurt that he betrayed her trust like that. Her voice shattered the silence, quiet and firm. "Stonewall, bed."

The puppy looked up at her once before jumping from her lap and trotting into the TV room, likely to pester Al's poor cat. Ulysses was used to that shit, but poor Cochise wasn't quite so fond of her bloodhound puppy.

"You're right. You deserve an explanation. I was...selfish." He ducked his head, eyes staring into his coffee. It was so unlike him to bare his soul like this to anyone. It showed Dixie how much he cared because he was willing to do this just to make her feel better. "It's not the first time I've been selfish, and I doubt it'll be the last, but...it was the first time I've ever been selfish because of you." He gritted his teeth. "After how long I've known you, I should trust that you can look after yourself but...it felt like if I let you out of my sight, Menewa would show up and you'd be gone forever and it'd be my fault because I got careless, because I didn't watch your back.

"I didn't want you participating in the investigation because it was like letting you stand in front of him with a target painted on your chest." He took a deep breath and let it out in a shaky, emotion-laden sigh. "But I didn't consider...how it'd make you feel. All I knew was that if you were somewhere safe, I could take out the thing threatening the most important thing in my life." Looking up, Alfred swallowed hard, face grim. "You've already nearly died so many times because of me. I was just trying to make sure it wouldn't happen again. I...I can't afford to lose you, Dix."

Her eyes watched him in inscrutable silence. "Ya saying this 'cause we had sex?"

A horrified look crossed his face, like he couldn't even fathom doing such a thing even though she'd seen him do it before with others. "God no. Dix...I'm saying it as someone that would go absolutely insane without you here. I've-" He hesitated. "I've had feelings for you ever since...since that hill at Antietam."

"Sharpsburg," she corrected automatically as she ran her fingers over one of his hands. Her gaze dropped to the table between them. "I've had feelings since...the night I tried ta kill ya after the assassination."

Alfred paused for a moment before laughing under his breath. "All this time we've been tip toeing around each other."

She was silent, except for a nod of agreement. "I owe ya an apology too," she said, voice quiet. "I thought...in sending me ta the safehouse, you were being possessive. Like a child, with a toy ya didn't want anyone else ta play with." She looked up in time to catch the twist in his lip. "But you were bein' protective. You were just tryin' ta keep me safe."

The first glint of hope began to glint in his eyes. He held out a hand, palm-up: an invitation for her to complete the touch. "The sleeping pills in your drink was beyond stupid. I was desperate. I know it was the lowest thing I've ever done, and...I hope you know I'd never do anything like that under normal circumstances."

"I know."

Standing, Dixie tugged Alfred's arm to get him to stand in front of her, slipping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his chest. She felt him relax and soon felt him wrapping his arms around her shoulders and burying his nose in her hair. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "From now on, we're in this together."

"We always were." She pulled back just enough to look up at him. The discomfort that came with the airing of feelings—something that did not come naturally to either of them—was gone and they were back to the comfortable familiarity they were used to. It was just…a bit different now. A good kind of different. "We should get some sleep. It ain't gonna do any good if yer falling face-down at yer desk tomorrow."

Alfred snorted. "Geez, girlfriend to mother in less than a minute."

Dixie smacked his arm and pulled away with a smirk. "I'm gonna get dressed down, if you don't mind."

The already-present grin turned diabolical. "Can I help?"

Dixie paused and stared at him. "Help me change my clothes?"

"That's what I said." For a long moment, all she did was stare at him. It had to be the lack of sleep bringing out that bizarrely childlike streak that caused him to sulk quietly whenever he didn't get his way or stubbornly refuse to do something because he "just didn't want to." She went and got herself involved with a man-child. Nevertheless, things would proceed much more quickly if she just humored him. "I wasn't aware," she said flatly, beginning to undo the buttons on her fitted vest. "That you of all people would be interested in dressin' me like when I was little."

"There's a difference between dressing and undressing." He wrapped his fingers around hers, the shit-disturber's grin fading back into a sexually knowing smirk. "I still owe you an orgasm."

"There's a better time fer this," she murmured, gaze dropping from his eyes to his hands as they started undoing her buttons. She weakly clutched his wrists in her hands. "When the problem's gone and when you ain't exhausted."

He smirked, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close. "You're using logic for something that you and I both know has no logic at all. Don't worry about me, I caught three or four catnaps. I'm good until we get another break. I just want you to relax. Then, when we're back on duty, you'll be twice as ready for anything that's thrown our way."

The opposing choices were playing tug-of-war in her chest. On the one hand, she could give in, she could let him pay attention to her like they both wanted. But on the other hand, years of responsibility and discipline told her that she needed to focus on getting her proverbial house in order before indulging in anything.

Grinning, Alfred suddenly caught her behind the knees and lifted. Dixie made a small noise of surprise, her hands going to his shoulders for balance. He carried her up the stairs to his huge bedroom as he laid her on the mattress and kissed her. After a small, startled grunt, she kissed him back, letting her hand slide up over his chest. He grinned against her lips, opening his mouth invitingly and with surprising gentleness. Dixie sighed and licked the roof of his mouth, his teeth, and his full lower lip, pushing deeper until they were taking desperate, gulping breaths of each other, twisting their fingers into each other's hair and clothes and holding on like it was their only means of survival.

Alfred was an animal, and yet his touch was soft and adoring. Somehow he had gotten her shirt and vest off without her knowing, and he hurriedly fumbled with her bra. Her hands started deftly undoing his shirt and shoving it off, leaving golden tan muscle in its wake. If she had her way, he'd never wear shirts again. She didn't care if he couldn't get rid of the love handles and fat on his stomach. Dixie kissed the jagged scar above his heart before moving down to his abdominals and running her tongue up. She heard his breath hitch as the taste of sweat and his skin caressed her tongue. She swirled her mouth over the nubs on his chest and smiled when his hand shot into her hair and he leaned into her.

She moved down to his belt just as he got her bra unhooked and pulled it down her arms. She cupped where the fabric of his slacks strained, reveling in the hitch of his breath and the weight of it in her hand. He was an average length but Christ, his girth was massive. Just as she got his belt undone, Al gripped her wrist and pulled it away.

"Not yet," he whispered, voice husky and laden with want. He lifted his hands to hold her face as his lips brushed against hers before drifting to her cheek and her jaw. "So fucking beautiful," he breathed against her skin as she carded her fingers through his hair.

Alfred kissed down her jaw, her throat and collarbone and then above her sternum. Her fingers curled in his hair as he neared her breasts, and then all she felt was a warm mouth on her nipple as he gripped her breasts and skimmed her ribs. Dixie actually quit breathing for a moment, feeling as though every nerve was being teased by that hot mouth. His tongue swirled while his teeth scraped along her sensitive skin before he moved to the other, using his hand to treat the one he left behind.

Al wedged a knee between her thighs, grinding against her and making her head swim and her breathing get heavier. He braced himself, placing a hand on either side of her shoulders as he brought his knee closer, rubbing it against her with purpose and swallowing her embarrassingly lewd moans with his lips on hers. He moved back, leaving her without that delicious, heated friction as he jerked her slacks and boxers off, throwing them back so far that they hit the far wall. That's when Dixie noticed his lack of nudity.

"Off," she moaned as she grabbed the front of his pants and jerked him towards her. "Now."

"Yes, ma'am. Anything to hear more of those whines. God." He leaned back on his knees to get the constricting garment off as quickly as possible.

Dixie sat up with him, tugging the zipper down as he undid the button on his pants. As soon as he shucked them down to his knees, her hands were in his black boxers to grip him, squeeze the thickness gently with her fingers. She flicked her thumb over the head, gathering pre-cum to slick him. Alfred's breath was staccato, moans and grunts filling the air as he pressed his forehead to the crook of her neck. He half-heartedly pulled her hand away and pushed her back down into the mattress, allowing her to crawl up the bed to rest her head in the pillows.

He lowered himself over her as he trailed his fingers over her stomach affectionately. It registered in her head that his hand was finally moving lower, just beyond where she craved him most. Then he was sitting on his knees between her legs, a shit-eating grin on his face. Alfred leaned forward, holding her by the hips as he pressed circles into the divots of her pelvis. With a devilish glow in his eyes, he lay on his stomach and hooked her knees over his shoulders, and she was suddenly reminded of doing this with France. This was so much better and so much more intimate. France could never even begin to compare.

Slowly, he mouthed his way up her inner thighs, nibbling and leaving marks on her skin. He was getting close. So fucking close. "Look at me," Alfred growled as he looked up at her through thick lashes, drunk with lust. "God, you look so fucking hot like that. All debauched and sexy."

The words made her blush a dark red as she averted her gaze.

She felt him kissing up and down her slit, memorizing her. She felt him lick her scar from...fuck, don't think about it. Not right now. All thought was lost though when he sucked her clit between his lips. Dixie heard herself choke out a loud noise of appreciation. He tongued at it, drawing circles against it, moaning like he was dying to be between her legs. Dixie's hands were firmly gripping the sheets as his hands pinned her bucking hips, likely leaving more bruises. When she whimpered, she felt one of Al's hands brushing against hers. Tongue now dipping into her, his hand held hers gently, fingers intertwining.

When she looked down towards him, she realized he was staring right at her. She flexed her thighs and jumped when his moan vibrated against her clit, sending electric jolts straight to her toes. It sent her back up off of the bed, eyes rolling back. She felt him smile against her before nibbling on her clit. His scrape of teeth against her make her whole body jolt. There was a draft of cool air that caressed Dixie's skin when Al's other hand left her hip. She could hear him and feel the mattress move as he shifted. She was close, so close. It was becoming unbearable as pleasure hummed through her veins. And then she felt a finger then two pressing into her, sliding straight down to the knuckle. There was a sound of a long, drawn out moan filling her ears, but it was much too feminine to be Alfred, which meant the embarrassingly lewd moan came from her.

He started flexing his fingers, searching as his tongue continued to assault her clit. It hit her like a brick wall. A choked out sob escaped her throat as her whole body bowed up. The hand in hers squeezed as the force of her orgasm spread like wildfire: hot and uncontrollable. Her skin felt as though it was on fire and chilled at the same time. Her breath was shallow and labored. Alfred was carrying her through it, tongue letting up only to gently lap at her clit.

When the bliss faded to a level where she could form words once more, Dixie tugged against the hand still in hers. Alfred let go of her hand, slowly crawling up her flushed skin to place his forehead against hers. She pressed her mouth to his, faintly tasting herself on his tongue. But suddenly the need was back. She needed more, and judging by the way he ground against her hip, Alfred did too.

She ran her hands over his chest, tracing the contours of his body, fingers dipping in the valleys between muscles. Slowly, her hands made their way to where he was swollen and throbbing. Dixie smirked when she heard his breath hitch as she got close. Her touch was light as she traced the vein on the underside of his cock. She glanced at his face, drinking in the look of primal pleasure and want as his jaw clenched, eyes hooded and brows furrowed.

"Lie back."

Nodding, Alfred quickly did so, wrapping his arms around her to take her with him. She kissed him and traced the veins in his throat with her tongue, enjoying the way he shuddered before she sat up on her knees and straddled him. If he made a cowgirl joke, she'd murder him. Dixie braced herself with one hand on his chest as she guided him to her core and slowly sank down, her moans mixing in with his as his cock split her open. It felt like every fiber of her being was focused on the joining between her legs. Her thighs twitched as she braced herself on his chest and slowly ground her hips into him, making his pubic bone press deliciously into her clit. She lifted up suddenly and brought herself down sharply. Alfred swore as he gripped her ass while Dixie gasped. She could practically feel him in her throat, and it felt glorious. She slammed herself down on his cock rougher this time and whimpered, digging her nails into Alfred's chest. Her breasts began to shift with her movement as she shut her eyes and bit down on her lip.

"God, look at you," he murmured as he grabbed her breasts and squeezed, making her jerk and grind her clit into him. "You're a fucking goddess and you don't even realize. So much better than a wet dream." Then he lifted his hips to drive his cock up into her.

Dixie grunted loudly, a flush of heat reddening of her skin. One hand moved to grip her ass again, making her arms buckle as she fell slightly against Al's chest. Al huffed out a breathy laugh before meeting her hips again for a deep, rough thrust. The constant movement of his hips only made the assault on her clit more intense. He shifted then, forcing their chests to smash together as his hand once occupied with her breasts moved to join the one on her ass, using it to deepen and speed up his thrusts.

"You're so beautiful," he breathed against her jaw. "You look so good like this: with me inside of you, with my arms around you, with my mouth between your thighs." He slammed his mouth onto hers, teeth clacking as he pressed his tongue in. Dixie whimpered against his lips as the coiling in her stomach got close to the breaking point.

Lifting her hips, Dixie slammed down onto him, grinding in circles to get added friction to her clit. He moaned, pulling her bottom lip between his teeth and tugging on it. His grunting and moans were becoming more rapid, as he held her in an impossibly tight grip. Dixie continued grinding against him, her hand shooting up into his messy, soft hair as her own closeness blurred her vision. She felt his body lock down then, jaw clenched and brow furrowed. She moaned as she continued fucking him through his orgasm, watching as goosebumps rose along his tanned skin. Then her own orgasm hit her, and suddenly several strings of curses intermingled with Alfred's name escaped her as electricity fired through every nerve in her body.

Mouth agape and eyes closed tight as she came down from her high, she felt his lips against the scar on her throat. Dixie opened her eyes, slow and heavy, to see an unhindered storm of adoration and something else in Alfred's eyes. He ran his hands up and down her back as she rested on his chest and gently kissed him. He was gorgeous with his hair strewn in every direction, a sheen of sweat across his forehead and chest, sky blue eyes heavy and cheeks flushed. She relished the feeling of his heartbeat that matched her own.

She hummed in contentment as he combed through her hair with his fingers mindlessly. Just as she was beginning to doze, Dixie realized something odd. All her life, she'd felt a hollow emptiness and a raw hunger to fill it. During her time as Confederacy, it had lessened, but she learned then that it would never stop until she took the entire country. Even after falling for Alfred, this strange hunger lingered, and it was likely the same for him. Now though, the emptiness was gone. She felt like a whole nation again.