I grunted in pain as my shoulder hit the mat hard, but it didn't hurt as much as my jaw which had just received a wicked right hook that had sent me flying. I used my momentum to continue the roll and regain my footing, rising to my feet to square off against my opponent. I was ''fighting'' another member of our N.E.S.T team, Olivia Winters, a younger, fitter and, it would seem at this point, more determined, fighter than I. She was one of the few females in our little family and she was proving a tough opponent.

Epps and Lennox watched from the sidelines, reviewing my progress and taking notes to inform me how to improve. Prime and the others weren't around as they were busy having training of their own back in the Autobot hanger. /Kinda glad they aren't here to see me get my arse handed to me by a school girl!/.

At that point Olivia rushed at me unsheathing a training knife in preparation to stab at me to put me ''out of action''. I instinctively raised my hands up in front of me bouncing on the balls of my feet and prepared to quickly step to the side. As she lunged with the knife in her right hand, I stepped to her right and blocked with the back of my left arm and in the same movement, hooked my hand around her wrist keeping the knife at bay. I began to rain punches down on her with my right hand.

Olivia began to step back under the fury of my attack. After several quick punches, I used my right hand to grab the fingers curled around the knife and twist her wrist around, wrenching her fingers off the handle. I reefed the knife from her hand and stepping out of her reach quickly, threw the knife out of the field of battle. A small trickle of blood was running down from her nose and a dark look settled over her fine features. /Ok… shit got real now/.

Olivia seemed to allow her rage to consume her as she charged for me almost blindly. She rained down a hail of blows on me, right hooks, upper cuts, jabs, the occasional sweep with her leg. I managed to block most of them and even landed a few solid hits myself. We were both lathered in a sheen of sweat but neither wanted to yield. So, first to slip up would be the ''loser,'' as was always the case on the battlefield.

I could feel an anger rising up in me and could feel the urge to use my gift but I had been told not to on this occasion, I had to learn to defend myself in a variety of situations against a variety of opponents. I tampered the urge down and looked for a swift way of ''dispatching' of my opponent. All of a sudden, Olivia overextended her punch slightly in her equal haste to down me and threw herself off balance momentarily. I seized the opportunity.

I grabbed her arm and stepped into her, flipping her over my back and onto the floor - hard. In the same motion I had removed my own ''knife'' and crouched down over her, holding it to her throat.

''Enough!'' Lennox yelled from the sideline. ''Well fought, kill shot to OC.''

I internally cheered, exhaled loudly and sheathed my knife before extending my arm to help Olivia up. ''Well fought Liv, you almost whooped my arse again!'' I managed to pant out.

Though she was panting heavily, Olivia allowed a small smile to grace her face, ''Who said you can't teach new tricks to old dogs,'' and she winked at me.

''Cheeky cow, this old dog just beat your arse soundly. Weren't you ever taught to respect your elders?'' I returned a mischievous smile.

Olivia just laughed and fake curtsied at me nodding her head, 'Well played Madam.''

I slapped her on the shoulder, ''Till next time Liv,'' and we parted ways. I walked over to Lennox and Epps and Liv departed in the direction of the showers. ''So,'' I asked with some excitement, ''how'd I do this time?''

''Well, you're not dead so you did ok I guess,'' Lennox replied.

Epps chimed in, ''Not bad for someone who's only been training for 6 months. You still need to work on your endurance and cardio though, you were tiring quickly. If Liv hadn't overextended she would have got you in the end as she has a slight advantage over you in stamina.'' At my indignant expression Epps added, ''at the moment'' with a wink and a stunning smile.

''Well we all know I could have ended that fight in a second had I been allowed to use my gift to sort her out,'' I could almost hear myself pout and internally winced.

''Yeah OC we know, you are getting really good at combining your gift with hand to hand combat but just in case some day you can't use your gift, we want to know you are able to defend yourself and not get dead. We're kind of fond of you you know.'' Lennox smiled at me.

''Aww Lennox! Warm and fuzzies,'' I replied. Lennox rolled his eyes in mock exasperation.

''Alright OC, just for that you can go and give me an extra session in the gym, work on your cardio by doing some skipping as well as some weights to build your strength. Get to it!'' and he turned to walk off.

I made some snort of indignation. ''You aren't serious mate, surely?'' I asked in disbelief. ''I have just been fighting hand to hand for the better part of the morning not to mention the 10km run I started the day with at the butt crack of dawn.'' When Lennox's face remained impassive, I added, ''YOU will be what kills me, not some Decepticon or rouge agent. Bloody William, bloody Lennox - Major Arsehole.'' My words died on my lips and I froze.

You know that feeling when you feel you've overstepped some imaginary line and pushed your luck too far? Well, that feeling began to settle in the pit of my stomach as Lennox's eyes took on a dangerous look and his mouth thinned out into a hard line.

'You think I'M tough OC? Wait until you are in the heat of battle with opponents surrounding you all with the same desire – you dead. Wait until you are in the middle of the desert climbing sand dune, after rolling sand dune with no end in sight having just watched half your team – seasoned soldiers, get slaughtered without a chance. Wait until you have to make split second decisions that can lead to either life or death. So, if you want to bitch about an extra session in the gym, then go ahead, says more about your character than it does about mine!'' Lennox was breathing heavily at this point. Epps looked like he was a tightly wound spring ready to intervene if Lennox chose to leap at me.

I could not bring myself to look at him. I had been suitably chastened. I bit my tongue and simply nodded my head in defeat and supplication, ''You're right Lennox, absolutely right. It was childish and immature of me to complain when your motives are simply to prepare and protect me. I am very sorry.'' I looked him square in the eye, straightened and saluted before heading off in the direction of the gym at a slow jog.

''Aussie?'' Lennox called after me.

I stopped and spun around, ''Sir, yes Sir,'' I replied without any sass or tone, just respect.

''Thank you. That's all,'' and at that Lennox and Epps both walked off in the direction of Hanger 1.

I nodded and continued on my path, a slightly wiser woman than I had been a few moments ago.

I ached, I was sweaty, and I was tired BUT I had deserved this extra punishment at the gym for my bratty, insensitive comments towards Lennox so I was going to suck it up and get through it as best I could.

I made my way over to the side of the room where the skipping ropes were hanging on the wall. /Might as well get the shitty cardio out of the way/. I found an area where I would neither be in the way or be annoyed and began to skip.

At first, I didn't really pay attention to the figure off to the side on a bench watching me, I was focused but, as I started my last set, I became painfully that someone was indeed watching me. As I put the rope away and turned to head off to the next piece of equipment, the rowing machine, I chanced a glance at them.

He looked familiar. Where had I seen that handsome face before? /At least I know it's not Savoy – heard the arsehole left. On to bigger and better things supposedly with the CIA/.

As I placed my towel on the seat of the rowing machine, the man in question began to approach me. He was just shy of six-foot-tall, fairly well built but not ridiculously so where his muscles had muscles. He had short dark brown hair /surprise, surprise being in the military/ and lightly tanned skin. What I noticed the most about him though was his eyes. They were an extraordinary grey-green colour like the ocean after a storm. Suddenly, it hit me as to where I had seen this man before. /The plane! Over a year ago. He smiled at me after disembarking behind Lennox and Epps. Wonder where he has been all this time?/. I had climbed aboard the machine and had just started my workout when he came to stand beside me.

''Hey,'' his voice was like honey, ''I don't mean to be rude, but this is not how you use this machine,'' his mouth curved up into a cute smile.

I paused what I was doing, grateful for the respite truth be told, ''I'm sorry? And you are?'' I looked questioningly at him.

''Oh sorry, name's Chase Ryder,'' and he extended his hand which I shook firmly.

''I'm OC, nice to meet you.'' I gave a quick smile.

''Good firm handshake, I like that in a woman, none of that dead fish crap,'' Chase smiled again as he stood there like a finely sculptured statue.

''Ah, thanks? Now, I don't mean to be rude Chase but there really isn't a way you can stuff up using this machine so I'm not sure what I am supposedly doing wrong, care to elaborate?'' I sat back slightly and crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow in silent challenge.

Chase simply ducked his head slightly and placed his hands in the air in mock surrender. ''Ahh you got me OC. To be honest, I just wanted to come over and introduce myself to you and it was the only way I could think of doing it without sounding….''

''Lame, stupid or like a stalker,'' I finished for him.

He chuckled, ''Yeah, something like that ma'am.'' Damn, those eyes, that smile.

I stared at him for a second. Things like this don't usually happen to me, hadn't ever really happened to me. I glanced around quickly to make sure he hadn't mistaken me for some other woman, but I was the only one around. I know I had toned up quite a bit since my training had intensified and I was actually in good physical shape, best ever, so maybe he really was interested in me.

I bit my lip in quiet consideration. /What the hell, you only live once/. I gave him one of my killer smiles and replied, ''Well played Chase. However, seeing as you interrupted my workout to tell me I was using this machine incorrectly, I think it only fair you now join me and set a good example. Wouldn't you agree?'' I smiled sweetly at him.

''You're on OC. I bet I can make you sweat even more,'' he returned a killer smile, his grey-green eyes shining with mischief.

I raised my eyebrows at his unintended insinuation, ''Captain Ryder! I have just met you!'' I said in mock indignation.

Chase looked at me quizzically for a moment as he climbed aboard the machine. It was endearing to watch his expression change to one of mortification as he realised the double entundra of what he had said. ''Ma'am I am so sorry, I meant nothing of the kind,'' he looked at me apologetically.

I smiled and let out a chuckle, ''No worries Chase, just teasing you.'' At my comment he seemed to visibly relax. I added, ''Well, maybe you mean ''nothing of the kind'' at the moment,'' I threw a sideways glance at him with a grin and started the machine up again.

Beside me Chase gave a small laugh, ''Yes Ma'am!'' before he too began to start rowing.

''And stop with the ''Ma''am business,'' I panted lightly, ''It's OC… or Aussie… I feel about 60 years old when you address me like that!''

''Yes M'… OC,'' I could feel him smiling in response to my request.

In the most unlikely place, at the most unlikely time, looking crappy as hell, it had happened.

My heart started to beat rapidly, and it wasn't just due to the exertion of using the rowing machine. /It's all about the thrill of the ''Chase'' isn't it?/ I cast a sideways glance at the handsome man working out beside me. /And from what I could tell, Chase did seem quite thrilling/. I gave a little internal sigh and then shifted my focus to actually trying to look good in front of him.

Even though my arms burned, crying out for a reprieve, I worked even harder to keep pace with him. I wanted to impress him. /Hey, he came to you, chances are, somehow, he already is/. I felt a simile spread across my face and heat across my cheeks. /I must remember to thank Lennox when I see him next, a great suggestion coming to the gym/ and with that last thought, I cast another glance towards Chase only to notice he was already looking at me with a goofy grin.

I laughed out loud, a purely happy and joyous sound. At this moment in my life I felt – excited. Excited for what the future held, excited to perhaps, finally, no longer be alone.