Chapter 5

HMA – Electronic Library –1900 hours.

The "library" was nothing more than a room with 4 walls, a couple of tables and chairs, and computers. Students were allowed in after 1700, and again the room was divided by rank. Aki and Maria walked in together. Aki wasn't sure she should have come, but it would be nice to meet some of the other cadets. Aki had to admit to herself that Gray was a major reason she had come, but she didn't want to. He was all about the military: Aki wasn't. They might as well be on different planets. Aki was a little disheartened about her thoughts and it must have shown on her face.

"What's wrong?" Maria asked. Aki shook her head, "Nothing, don't worry." Aki gave a half-hearted smile to reassure Maria. Maria wasn't buying Aki's answer.

"Listen, if you really don't want to be hear, I'll understand. I mean thought you would want to be here. Be able to see Gray, outside of class and stuff."

"I do want to be here. C'mon we're wasting time." This time Maria bought Aki's answer even though Aki was scared out of her mind.

As they got closer to "their" area, Aki was somewhat relieved to see Gray wasn't there. That's not to say she was entirely happy either. She was disappointed. Maria and Aki took a seat across from Devon and Mark. They conversed from a few minutes, before Aki threw down the gauntlet at Devon.

"So, you were going to tell me about your theory." Aki said to Devon, who recognized Aki's approach. "It's actually quite interesting. You see during heightened emotional stress, the body produces extra hormones to different parts of the body."

"We've all bee to medical school here, Stratfordshire, get on with it." Maria implies impatiently.

"Oh, yeah, of course. Well, my theory is that if we can isolate those hormones, we could help people, soldiers, combat their fears and emotions. Allowing them to focus on the situation at hand." Devon looked impressed with himself as the others nodded in agreement.

"Sounds interesting. But I have one question, isn't it our 'fears' that make us more aware of different things? Things we might not have noticed before, because of the very hormones you want to block?" Aki question innocently.

Devon smiled at Aki. "Well, there is some evidence that the hormones do allow people to 'sense' things better. But most people lack the emotional control to do that, and harness that extrasensory perception."

"I would think that it would be better to train those people most in need of that 'emotional control', like the DEEP EYES, to help them use the body, and the senses, it was given."

"I don't know, I don't think its possible. What do you think Lt. Edwards?" Devon asked Gray as he came up behind Aki and Maria. Aki swung around and bumped straight into Gray's legs. She looked up at Gray; Gray looked down at her, but said nothing.

"What was the question?" Gray asked again. He stand where he was while Devon explained his theory. Aki didn't like when Gray stood so close to her. It had happened before the other day when Aki was standing in line for dinner.

Maria had a lot of work to do in the medical lab, so Aki went to dinner by herself. As she stood in line, waiting patiently, she noticed. Gray was standing behind her.  His presence always made her turn to jelly on the inside. "Thank God," she thought, " he can't see what he does to me inside." "Stop Aki, you're here to learn and help Dr. Sid, not flirt with the cadets!" Aki admonished to herself.  Little did she know that her scent was giving Gray his own type of problem.

Gray stood behind Aki in the dinner line. He stood there for a moment and didn't say anything, just watched her. She was different. She wasn't like a lot of other women he'd met; she seemed more self-assured, more focused, but yet she was very apprehensive to new things. She liked quiet, he knew this because had caught her reading one of her "real" books on the quad on day. Not many people had "real" paper and leather books. She sat there almost an hour, just reading. Gray and the others of his "group" completed their entire workout before she got up to leave. But right now, Aki was driving him crazy with her presence again. He had never felt this way about any woman before. There had been others he had been fond of, before the HMA, but never like this Gray took a deep breath trying to cool is thoughts. He leaned over Aki to grab a bottle of water. His face was millimeters from her hair. She smelled of flowers, and some sort of spice Gray couldn't place.  Gray lost his balance a bit, slightly bumping Aki on the shoulder. "Sorry," Gray choked, an embarrassed smile coming over his face. Aki glanced over her shoulder at Gray. She smiled back at him, nodded and then turned back towards the front. Little did they know that they were being watched.

Brett Fontaine watched from his seat the interaction between Aki and Gray. Fontaine was certain that Gray and the med tech had a "thing" going. Gray had never showed the slightest interest in any of the females at HMA. "Mr. Duty, Honor, and Fairness" Fontaine thought to himself. Fontaine had hinted to his close friends that Gray might be a "little light in the loafers" towards males. All guys had laughed at the comment, but had never repeated the comment. They feared both Gray and Fontaine. But now Fontaine had something that might get him on step closer to senior cadet leader next year. He would take this information to Major Hein, immediately.

Gray continued to stand behind Aki's chair as he spoke with Devon. He was in agreement with Aki, which so surprised her; she turned to look at him again.

"The adrenaline in a soldier's body helps him. I think it would better to help that solider harness that power, rather than remove it."

Aki smiled triumphantly back at Devon. "Well, now that I've had my ego thoroughly stomped in the ground, I think I shall call it a night." Devon stated as he collected his things.

"Devon, come on. We were just debating. C'mon stay." Aki asked, no pleaded. She didn't want Gray taking the chair across from her. Which he was where he was making his way to as Devon continued to leave.

"Can't luv. Got to go to the lab, run some tests. See ya later!" Devon and Mark both left, and just as they did Maria decided she too had to go do something, and left. Aki was beginning to get suspicious. Gray sat across from her, typing on his computer. The monitor just covered the lower half of their faces. Only their eyes were visible over the computer monitors. Just then another senior cadet left, apparently finished with his work. Now it was only Aki and Gray in the senior cadets area. Aki tried to concentrate, but it was difficult with Gray sitting across from her. Gray seemed unaffected by the situation, Aki observed. But she couldn't have been more wrong.

Gray typed nonsensical words in his computer, just to make it seem like he was doing something. Aki was driving him and his body crazy. If he stood up right now, she would know exactly where his thoughts were roaming. Aki kept looking furlatively around her, as if checking for something or someone.

 "You looking for someone?" Gray asked as he continued to "type."

"No, not really. I'm just trying to remember when I last saw a 'study group' this empty." Aki replied. Gray chuckled, "Yeah. Seems pretty suspicious to me." Aki's eyes snapped up to lock with Gray's over the monitor. "Could he read my mind?" Aki thought. "No, no, you stupid twit. He's brought just thinking the same thing as you about this study group."

Aki leaned back into her chair and quietly shut her computer down. She lowered the monitor, so Gray could now see all of her face. His heart skipped a beat. "She's so beautiful."  He thought to himself, as he too shut down his computer. Now Aki could see all of his face as well. His rugged good looks were not lost on her. Both stared at each other for a few moments. A few stole moments; that's all they had. Gray broke contact first, somewhat embarrassed. Aki looked away too, not knowing what to say. She wasn't very good at these things. She hoped Gray was. Gray rubbed the back of his neck as if to relieve a knot. He wasn't very good at these things. But then suddenly Gray thought of something.

"Have you've every seen Jupiter?"

"You mean have I seen a picture of it? Yeah."

"No, not a picture. The actual planet?"

"Ah, no." Aki replied confused.

Gray smiled. "Meet me at the south entrance in 10 minutes. Just leave like your going back to your room. I'll leave a few minutes later." Gray whispered.

"Don't you think that's a little risky, cadet leader?" Aki replied saucy.

"If you don't want to I'll understand…"

"No, no, I want to. Its just I don't want you to get in trouble. You've got a hellvua lot more to lose than me."

"Don't worry about me. I'm the senior cadet leader. I'm above reproach." Stretched his long, muscular arms out wide to indicate his excellence. "So, are you going to meet me?"

"Sure, okay." Aki replied hesitantly. She couldn't believe that she had just agreed to meet the senior cadet leader on a secret rendezvous. She must be insane. If she got kicked out of here, she'd never be able to help Dr. Sid or the earth from the phantoms. "That can wait one night," Aki thought to herself as she left the library.

It was cold inside. No power came to this part of the academy. Aki wished she HAD gone back to her room, to get her coat, that is. She walked nervously towards where Gray said to meet him. At least she thought this is where she was to meet him. She glanced around; the hallway was dark, cold and musty. It seemed as if this part of the academy wasn't used anymore. She was curious about why. The building seemed sound enough. She came to the end of the hall to a pair of double metal doors. They were "old style" doors, with a standard key entry lock; not the computerized lock pads most doors had now. She was curious about that too. She waited in the dark for a few minutes. The hallway was creepy. Aki was never one to scare easy, but she was feeling apprehensive nonetheless. "Where is he?" Aki thought, annoyed. Maybe this was a mistake, Aki thought. Maybe HE thought this was a mistake. Maybe someone caught him. Or worse maybe he was just "toying" with her. "No," Aki thought as she paced in front of the double doors, "Gray wouldn't do that." Aki was sure about that. Aki finally started to realize he wasn't coming and started walking back down the hallway. As she walked Aki thought she heard something behind her. She looked over her shoulder, while picking up her pace. Suddenly Aki slammed into something very big and hard. Aki almost fell backwards, but Gray caught her in his arms. Gray too had thought he had heard something, and was looking behind him, when he ran into Aki.

"Oh, ouch!!' Aki cried aloud as she held her head. "Oh, God! Aki, are you okay? I didn't see you as I came up from the stairs. Where were you going?" Gray continued to hold Aki as she rubbed her head, then her jaw. She had slammed pretty hard into Gray, and Gray's body wasn't very forgiving.

"I'm okay. I thought I heard something too. I thought maybe you weren't going to come." Aki smiled sheepishly. Gray shook his head as if to say, "You know I would do that to you." Gray released Aki from his embrace. Aki felt somewhat "empty" as he did. Gray cleared his throat and gestured towards the end of the hall.

"C'mon, I want to show you something." Gray took Aki's hand as he continued to walk down the hall. Gray could feel the warmth from Aki's hand, and he liked the feel of her skin. His thumb moved slowly over the back of her hand. Aki must have felt it, because she stumbled right at that moment. Gray didn't say anything, just stopped, and then continued on, still holding Aki's hand.

"How are we going to get in there? It's locked." Aki replied questioningly.

Gray cocked a roguish smile at Aki and reached in his pants pocket. Gray proceeded to pull out a few narrow instruments, looking a lot like medical instruments. He knelt down in front of the old fashioned key lock and started to insert each instrument, each at different angles, into the keyhole.

"What are you doing?"

"Picking the lock." Gray replied quietly as he listen for the telltale click. Just then the sound came, Gray smile with satisfaction, some of the instruments stuck in between his teeth now. "I still got the touch." Gray replied through his teeth as he opened the door cautiously, looking inside the room before he held the door open wide enough for Aki to enter.

"How did you know how to pick an old fashioned lock like that?"

"Benefits of a reckless childhood." Gray stated matter of factly.

"You, reckless. Somehow I don't believe that."

"We're in here aren't we?" Gray quietly closed the door behind him.

Aki was amazed at the size of the room. It was huge, with a large, powerful telescope pointing diagonally into the night sky. The observatory door was wedged open about 30 percent, just enough to see into the sky.

"How did you know about this place?" Aki questioned as she walked around the room, her voice echoing slightly through the empty room. Gray winced at the noise it made and put his finger to his lips to say "Shhh." Aki winced as well, realizing her error. She walked back towards Gray so she could hear his answer.

"Like you Aki, I too like quiet places."

Aki liked his answer. Who was she kidding, she like him. Aki followed Gray as he motioned her to follow him. He walked over to the telescope, looked in to the eyepiece.

"How can you see anything? The barrier must cover up everything." Aki asked curiously as Gray continued to look through the eyepiece, adjusting knobs here and there. Years of fiddling with the telescope had given Gray an excellent knowledge of the telescope's mechanics.

"The barrier obscures the image a bit. But the telescope…" Gray drifted off as Aki moved closed over Gray's shoulder to see what he was seeing. Gray was distracted by her presence enough that he couldn't speak. He watched he profile as she gazed over his shoulder into the telescope.

"It's beautiful." Aki replied wondrously. "No, you're beautiful," Gray thought to himself.

"The telescope what. " Aki asked as she looked into the telescope's eyepiece. Gray moved from under Aki's body, and then cleared his throat to remove the lump that had formed there.

"The telescope is powerful enough to get past the barrier. And since it makes a lot of noise I can't move it around too much. So I'm stuck looking at Jupiter and her moons for now."

"Why? Were you able to move it before?" Aki asked absently still gazing at the beautiful planet spinning before her.

"I had permission from Major Baldwin to use this room. He would sometimes even come up here with me. Since there is no power to this building, he and I had to manually move this sucker a few times." Gray smiled as he remembered that night; they had both laughed so hard their sides hurt the next day. Aki stopped looking through the eyepiece and looked up at Gray. "He must have really like you. Where is he now?" Aki asked innocently. Gray's face changed suddenly at Aki's question. Aki saw how his face changed and suddenly knew "where" he was.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry." Aki touched Gray's arm.

"It's alright. It was months ago. But I feel sort of responsible; it was a mission I planned. Only a few of us survived, the major didn't."

Aki looked away; an awkward silence hung in the air. Aki didn't want to talk about death. She already knew all she wanted to know about that subject. Gray stepped forward as Aki moved aside. Gray sat in the reclining viewing chair below the telescope eyepiece. Aki watched him as he looked back at the sky. She could tell that he had spent a lot of time in that chair. Aki knelt down next to Gray, watching his profile. "That's why your stuck looking at the same place in the sky; because Hein hasn't give his permission for you to use the room. And you're not going to ask him are you? SO now every time you come up here you reminded of your 'mistake'." Aki whispered to Gray. Gray turned his and looked into Aki's eyes. She had laid her head on her hands, her chin balanced on the back of her hands as she spoke. Gray didn't say anything. He didn't have too. Aki knew she was right. Gray gazed back up into the sky.

"So, what's your story?" Gray asked impetuously.

"My story?" Aki looked puzzled at the question and his change in demeanor.

"Your story. Where you're from?  Family? Boyfriends? I already know you've never been married." Gray added that as a bonus hinting at their previous confrontation. Aki smiled at the question Gray slipped in. She laughed as she took his chin in her hand, turning his face towards hers. Gray was surprised by her actions

"I think that if I had a boyfriend I wouldn't be here with you, Lt. Edwards." Aki finished the comment with a playful tap on the nose. ""Very true, Ms. Ross." Gray replied turning his full attention to Aki.

"Besides my entire life is was in my file you undoubtedly have read." Aki stated as she stood up and walked around Gray's chair.

"I read it twice." Gray replied smartly. Aki turned towards Gray and sat facing him, her feet next to Gray's head.

"My parents died when the San Francisco barrier was breached." Aki replied quickly but without sorrow.

"I'm sorry." Gray felt like an idiot. Most people had lost some part of their families to the phantoms. And he had read her file, twice.

'No, no. It's okay. I'm not sad about it. My parents loved each other and they died together. My mother and father were very happy people. They were both scientists, who loved the world around them. Before the phantoms, they traveled a lot. Saw all kinds of great cities." Aki wrapped her hand around Gray's wrist to reassure him she was fine with the discussion.

"It must have been hard to lose them at such a young age. At about 13, right? Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Gray inquired.

"No. It just me. But Dr. Sid was a close fiend of my fathers. He took me it. Treated me like the daughter he never had."

"Dr. Sid?" Aki sudden realized she had revealed too much to Gray. She wasn't suppose to by in any way involved with Dr. Sid. Aki knew she could trust Gray, but she didn't want anything to hurt Gray because of her involvement with the Gaia theory. Aki didn't respond to Gray's question, just remained silent. Gray figured she didn't want to talk about her family anymore. Gray decided to ask her something that he had been dieing to ask her.

"Aki. Where did your name come from, who'd you get it?"

"My grandmother, on my mother's side, was named Aki. Sort of a family tradition to name the first-born daughter Aki. It means 'autumn'"

"Sounds kind of asian. Was your mother asian?"

"Partly. But my father was irish for the most part."

"Ah, now I see where you get the freckles from." Gray smiled as he touched the splash of light freckled he could see across the bridge of her nose and on her checks. Aki turned her head shyly from his touch, laughing softly.

"Yeah, dad always said I had a "bit of the luck of the ol'irish." Aki replied put on her best irish brogue. Gray laughed out loud at her accent. Seeing come out of Aki was hilarious.

"So what about you? What's YOUR story?"

Gray returned to his reclining position in the viewing chair, hand over rubbing his forehead.

"I DIDN'T have the benefit of reading YOUR file. TWICE." Aki smiled at her jab. When Gray didn't respond, Aki arched her head to the side, into his POV. "Tell me about this 'reckless' childhood." Aki smile wider, balancing her chin in her hand, and her arm on her upraised knee. Gray stopped rubbing his head and looked over at her.

"I was born in Chicago the same year the meteor hit earth. My mother was pregnant with me when it hit. My father was an engineer who worked on developing hydroelectric dams as an alternative source of power. But, when the meteor hit he joined up with other scientists to develop weapons against the phantoms." Gray stared up at the ceiling as he spoke, his eyes slowly closed as he continue to speak. Aki watched as his lips moved. She could imagine Gray envisioning all of his memories of his beloved family right then. Aki felt a strange sense of sadness to know Gray had lost so much.

"It was my idea to train dogs as an early warning sign of the phantoms."

"How old were you?"

"About 12, I think. We had a German Shepard named Grace. She was very smart. She actually was the first" Aki knew the story of the Chicago pre-barrier city. It was a landmark achievement in fighting the phantoms. Aki could tell that Gray's father was an important part of that achievement.

"I learned to pick locks since most of the places in the abandon cities we'd go to forage for supplies had locks like those." Gray indicated the doors they had come through earlier. "You learn real quick how to do it. Unlike now, we didn't have the headgear to 'see' the phantoms like we do now. We had the dogs. Do you know how hard it is to pick a rusted old lock with 5 dogs barking ferociously around you?"

"No, I can't imagine."

"It's not fun. But we managed to have some fun while we we're there. We would try and imagine what the city looked like before the phantoms came. My dad would tell me stories on how beautiful the city looked at night from the harbor. He told me that if you ever want to make a woman love you take her on Lake Michigan and show her the city at night. He said it was one of the most romantic places. Other that Hawaii."

"Hawaii. Did you say Hawaii?" Gray nodded "yes" to Aki. "My parents lived in Hawaii before the meteor hit. I've got pictures." Aki became very excited at the prospect of showing Gray just was his father must have told him about Hawaii.

"Really. You have pictures? Of Hawaii? Here?" Gray seemed shocked she had actual pictures of a place he had often dreamed of, but never really seen.

"Yeah!" Yelled, the noise echoing again. Aki grimaced at the noise. She paused a few moments, waiting. Just then Gray heard voices and steps coming up the stairway. He held up his hand to keep Aki quiet, and then motioned her to follow him. The walked up slowly to the cracked door, Gray intent on seeing who was coming.

"I'm telling you Brett. I saw Edwards come into this building." The short, muscular Hispanic cadet stated to Fontaine.

Gray groaned at the realization that Brett Fontaine was the one in the building. The other cadet he could probably just tell him he was checking the grounds or something; but Fontaine was another matter. Fontaine was just itching to nail him at "something."

Fontaine stopped in the stairway, shining the torchlight up the well of the stairs. He listened carefully for any sign of moment in the upper levels. Suddenly her heard something skidder down the upstairs hallway. Fontaine immediately shined his light up, looking for the source. After it was quiet again, Fontaine continued to cautiously ascend the stairs.

Gray stood back up after he threw the piece of debris down the hall. Gray knew Fontaine was stupid enough to follow where sound went to, rather where it came from. Gray once again took Aki's hand. Aki looked very worried. Gray gently squeezed her hand for reassurance that they would get out of here. Gray opened the door slowly, not wanting it to creak. He pulled Aki through the opening, indicating for her to stand by the far wall. Gray slow closed the door, locking it. He turned to see the bright light from Fontaine's torchlight shining up the stairway. They didn't have much time. Gray grabbed Aki's had and went into a side office. Inside the abandon office was a large metal cabinet. Gray slowly opened the door and motioned Aki in, Gray quickly followed her, quietly shutting the door behind them.

The cabinet was just tall enough for Gray to stand straight in, but it wasn't big enough for the both of them to be in and not touch. Aki was pressed up against Gray's body due to the close quarters. Gray could clearly hear Fontaine's voice in the hall now. He just hoped that Fontaine showed his usual lack of intelligence, got bored, and left.

"There's no one up here Brett. Edwards probably was doing some routine building check." The Hispanic cadet muttered.

"That's what he'd like you to think. No. Gray Edwards is hiding something. And I'm going to find out what it is." Fontaine maliciously stated as he tried the double doors where the telescope was housed. After trying several times to open the door, Fontaine finally gave up and left.

Aki breathed a notable sigh of relief as she listened to Fontaine's retreating footsteps. It was getting hot in there and she wanted to get out. "Stay. We've got make sure he's good and gone." Gray whispered into Aki's ear. They were so close; Gray didn't even have to bend down to speak into Aki's ear. Her face was right next to his. He could feel her breath floating past his neck and earlobe. It was wreaking havoc with his senses. "Please hurry up and leave Fontaine, before I do something stupid!" Gray prayed silently.

Aki was not faring any better, and was thinking the same thing as Gray. Aki could feel all of Gray's body pressed to the length of hers. It felt good; too good. Aki felt a sudden shift in the mood inside the metal cabinet. She looked up at Gray's face, or what she could see of it. She suddenly knew Gray he had to kiss her.

"Just once, that's all" Gray thought to himself. ."Cool it Gray," he told himself, "don't get involved. Don't do anything to jeopardize your chances for a DEEP EYES assignment." That was like a cold shower for Gray. But then he thought of his father, and his mother. They had lived through so much adversity, and still managed to love each other and their kids to the very end. "Maybe," Gray thought, "I've been living my life too carefully. Dad always said that it was better to love than not love at all." He knew he might not get this chance again. He couldn't believe he was getting a chance at all. He had to take it; had to take the chance. Gray slowly lowered his lips towards Aki's. He couldn't see well, but could feel where her breath was coming from. He prayed he'd didn't screw up and kiss her nose. But, suddenly, Aki's body shifted and her face starting coming towards Gray's; their lips meeting softly somewhere in the middle. Gray stroked Aki's lips back and forth with his own. He could taste her breath. Gray brought his hands up against Aki's middle back, pressing her more intimately to his body. Their kiss exploded into a full-fledged assault of the senses. Gray ran his tongue along the seam of her lips, and when Aki silently sighed, he slowly stroked her tongue with his. Their heads slated this way and that, searching for more. Gray had never felt anything so incredible as Aki's innocent kiss.

Aki had never felt anything like Gray's passionate kiss. She was weak in the knees from it. She feared that if he told her that they had to leave then she wouldn't be able to walk. The kiss slowed and then ended, both of them breathing heavily afterwards.

'Do you think its safe?" Aki asked breathlessly.

"No, I don't think we'll ever be safe at all." Gray replied misinterpreting her question.

Aki pulled back a little, confused. "When DO you think it will be safe for us to leave?"

"Oh. Shh…let me listen for a minute." Gray listened for a few moments, his arms still wrapped around Aki's waist. He really didn't want to give up his position, but he knew that the next place Fontaine would look was Gray's barracks room. And it was getting to close to lights out. They had to go before they were missed. Gray extricated himself from around Aki's body to open the cabinet door. Gray motioned to Aki to go out. As the both departed, the cool air hit their faces. It made Aki's lips tingle in the aftermath of Gray's loving kiss. Gray took Aki's hand again and they both walked down the hallway.

At the stairway they both stopped. Aki didn't know what to say. She never knew what to say at the end of a "date." "Well, we've certainly have cover the goodnight kiss" Aki smiled to herself. Gray looked down the stairs, making sure the coast was clear.

"I want you to know I never INTENTED to kiss you tonight." Gray stated solemnly to Aki. Aki seemed confused by the comment. "I mean, shit, that came out wrong. I didn't bring up here for that." Motioning back towards the office they had just left. "But I'm glad it happened." Gray smiled mischievously at Aki, who now understood. Aki really didn't know what to say now.

"I will see you tomorrow." Gray spoke softly as he brushed a kiss on Aki's cheek.