"Rise and shine, gorgeous."

"Do I have to?" a tousled dirty-blond head appeared from under a threadbare, paisley patterned comforter. "God, Chris – you're half-dressed already?" a pair of hazel eyes peered sleepily at her companion.

"We've got places to go, people to see," Chris reached out and tugged the comforter back to reveal a small, rather curvaceous, half-naked woman who was curled around her pillow. "You don't want me to get you out of bed, Sera."

I don't wanna', Sera thought mulishly, but she only glared a bit at Chris and sat up grudgingly.

"Knowing you, you'd dump the mattress on the floor, boot camp style," the young woman huffed, stifling a yawn and mussing up her case of bed head.

"Damn right!" Chris turned and swaggered a bit toward the bathroom, whistling the Marine's Hymn as loudly as he could.

"Jackass," Sera muttered under her breath, but there was a smile on her face as she watched her boyfriend close the bathroom door behind him.

"I heard that, woman!" Chris growled through the closed door. "You'd better be out of that bed and movin' when I come out!"

"Roger that, Sergeant," the young woman retorted sarcastically, the corners of her mouth twitching into a smile as she tossed the covers aside and dangled her feet just off of the floor.

"You're just askin' for an ass-whoopin', ain't ya'?"

"Who, me?" Sera stretched luxuriously one last time and then decided she'd better get up and start getting dressed, as she heard the toilet flush. "An ass-whoopin' from you? Never!"

"It won't be the kind you like," Chris pushed open the bathroom door with his shoulder as he finished zipping his uniform pants.

He fixed Sera with what was supposed to be a dangerous, intimidating look, but his girlfriend only laughed at him and kissed him quickly on the cheek as she sidled past him.

"Excuse me, sweetheart – I need to take a shower," she winked at him playfully.

"Ain't got time for a shower," Chris stated bullishly, crossing his arms and glaring down his nose at the petite woman next to him.

"Bullshit," Sera pointed in the general direction of the bed-side table. "The alarm clock hasn't even gone off and I set that thing so I'd have plenty of time to shower and dress. Don't be a butt," she smacked the seat of his camis teasingly as she moved to shut to door in his face. "Though you'd be a cute one to be sure."

"Humph," the Marine sergeant lifted an eyebrow, but still refused to move out of the way of the bathroom door. "Who needs showers anyway? Not like you've done anything recently to get dirty."

Sera shot him a rather pointed look and then rolled her eyes.

"Honey, just because I date a Marine doesn't mean I have to smell like one –"

"Oh-ho! She's got jokes!"

"-And I'm not showing up to our new command smelling like sex!" she then put her hand on his bare shoulder and pushed half-heartedly. "Now get out of the way – unless you'd like to get undressed and join me!"

"That would lead to things we don't have time for," Chris shook his head, standing his ground.

"Then get out of the way, you nutter!" Sera laughed and pushed a bit harder as the alarm clock began to beep. "And go turn that damn thing off!"

Sera emerged from the bathroom ten minutes later, still a bit damp, her hair still dripping water down her back. She glanced over at Chris, who was now fully dressed and leaning casually against wooden entertainment center. He'd turned the TV on and was listening to the morning AFN radio broadcast while cleaning his fingernails with a small knife.

"So, what's our schedule look like?" Sera's towel dropped to the floor and she reached for her open seabag.

"Well, we fly out of here in two hours," Chris's eyes reluctantly left the fine view offered to him, to glance at the bedside clock. "We're supposed to land in Rammstein Air Force Base in Germany, pick up some other passengers and then head out for Langley Air Force Base in Virginia. From there…who knows. Orders don't say, so I guess we'll be meeting the whole group – or most of it – at Langley and then getting shuttled out to some undisclosed base."

"Hmmm…I still think it's funny that you and I were both picked for this mission, whatever it is," Sera shook her head a bit as she finished adjusting her sports bra.

"I want to know what on earth requires a Marine supply sergeant and a Navy dog handler on the same team," Chris snorted a bit, shifting his position a bit as he put his knife away.

"Guess we'll find out when we get to where we're getting," Sera shrugged and then paused, glancing over at her boyfriend with a slight frown. "Aren't we supposed to travel in civilian clothes?"

"My first sergeant told me to be in uniform for this. I'm guessing you should be, too – hell if I know why, though."

"Oh, well," the young master-at-arms sighed and turned away from her seabag, heading instead toward a clothes bag that was hanging neatly on a hook on the back of the bathroom door. "Camis it is, then, I guess."

The two fell silent for a few minutes as Sera got dressed – the AFN morning DJ chattered on in the background, a peculiar contrast to the suddenly introspective mood that filled the small hotel room. Finally, the young sailor broke the silence, buttoning her cami blouse and glancing over at Chris.

"I guess things are going to change now for us, aren't they?"

"What do you mean?" her boyfriend looked up sharply, his arms folded over his chest.

"Do you really think we can date in a team environment and still keep a professional relationship on the field?" Sera sighed heavily, moving toward the bed so she could put her boots on. "I can't believe they overlooked that – I know in my security detachment they separate dating couples into different watch sections so that fraternization and general drama can be avoided."

"I don't think anyone made the connection between you and me, honestly," Chris spoke matter-of-factly, but there was a closed look on his face. "You told me that some Air Force captain came and interviewed you, right?"

Sera nodded.

"Well, he didn't interview me. He talked to my first sergeant instead and I don't think First Sergeant even knows I'm dating, much less you specifically. Most everyone around here knows is that I'm dating a sailor, but they don't know who. Priest and Doc knew, but they're gone now. Unless you specifically told that captain that you were dating me, I doubt anyone knows about our relationship – and I'm sure that your personal relationships didn't come up in the interview, did they?"

"No," Sera shook her head as she stood up, her boots laced and her pant legs properly bloused. "And you're right – someone who doesn't know us both personally would never guess that we're boyfriend and girlfriend. I mean…we are in separate services, working on separate bases. I guess it's a bit of a stretch to expect higher ups to suspect that two people they picked for some sort of high importance mission would already be a couple.

"But it sure is going to be awkward now."

"What makes you say that?" Chris frowned a bit.

He glanced around the room, making a last visual sweep over, before looking toward Sera. She was standing, fully dressed and ready, her own seabag now closed. Grabbing the room key and check out paper, he handed them to her and then shouldered his bag.

"Well…think about it. We'll be working together now, for sure."

"Not necessarily," the sergeant disagreed hopefully. "All our orders say is that we're to report to Langely Air Force base, where we'll receive further orders. They say nothing about us working on a special joint-service team together – that's all speculation on the part of my first sergeant and your senior chief."

"True," Sera sighed as they closed the hotel door behind them and started down the stairs to the first floor lobby. "But it makes sense – Senior Chief Dutcher told me that other sailors had been chosen, along with other candidates from the other branches. We're all supposed to be part of some classified strike force."

"Says Dutcher – but what does he know?" Chris challenged.

"Oh, I don't know," the young MA shrugged.

"Go check out for us an' I'm goin' to call my corporal to come pick us up and give us a ride out to the air strip," Chris changed the subject abruptly as they approached the lobby counter. "Okay, sweetie?"

"Okay," Sera set her seabag down and paused for a minute to fish her wallet out of her pant pocket.

"And honey?" the sergeant paused as well, cell phone in hand.

He reached out and touched her shoulder, his expression suddenly gentle and sincere.

"We're in uniform now, so you know the rules. When we step out of this building, it's strictly business. But I love you, Sera – don't forget that. No matter what happens, we'll ride this out together, all right?"

"All right," Sera smiled at him briefly, reaching up to put her hand over his.

Chris nodded, smiled once, before removing his hand and turning away to call his corporal; the sailor moved on toward the lobby counter, check-out papers, room key, and military ID in hand, her boyfriend's words ringing in her ears.

I wish I knew what was going on, Sera fidgeted a bit in her seat.

She glanced over at Chris, who was dozing next to her; Sera eyed him enviously.

Wish I could do that. Would make this flight a lot shorter.

She stifled another sigh and turned to look out the window. All she could see was cloud coverage – they were up too high to see anything else. The couple had hitched a ride with a cargo plane, part of the military Space Available travel program, to travel from Iwakuni Marine Corps Air Station in Japan to their Air Force base stop-over in Germany. As far as Sera could guess, they were somewhere over the Baltic Sea.

Her thoughts drifted, though they stayed mostly centered around the strange orders she had been given.

All of this came completely out of the blue, she shook her head a bit, her gaze still focused out of the window. I was just standing watch at the main gate like always and next thing I know, my watch commander's calling me into the station…

"MA3 Seraphina Perlmutter?"

Sera stared a bit at the Air Force captain who had been sitting in one of the interrogation room chairs, but was now standing up, offering her his hand.

"H-Hello, sir," the young master-at-arms stuttered a bit, taken by complete surprise.

She shook the officer's hand, both wary and a little unsettled.

What did I do this time? Is this some quack doctor come to psycho-analyze me again?

She searched his collar quickly for any sign of a medical officer's insignia. She didn't see anything to indicate his field specialty, medical or otherwise. Breathing a bit easier, she looked back at the officer's face, her expression curious.

"Please, sit down," the captain motioned to the chair opposite him. "I'm Captain Talltree and I'm just here for a quick interview – your senior chief will be joining us shortly, but I figure I'll go ahead and get this started. I know your time is precious."

He smiled briefly, but it was genuine and Sera felt her self liking the man, even though she usually reserved a considerable amount of suspicion for all officers and 'khakis.'

"Now, I'm afraid I can't tell you the reason I'm here today to interview you, MA3," Talltree settled back in his chair and placed a folder that Sera recognized as her own personnel record on the table between them. "But you've been picked for special orders – I'm going to be your new commanding officer soon," he smiled again. "And I'd like to take some time to know you as a person and not as a service record.

"Now," he opened her record and flipped through it a bit, until settling on a particular page.

Sera recognized it as her disciplinary papers and she grimaced a bit. Talltree apparently saw her expression and he chuckled a bit, before folding his hands on top of her folder.

"I see that you've been NJPed – what does the Navy call it?"

"Mast, sir," Sera answered meekly. "A Non-Judicial Punishment proceeding in the Navy is called Captain's Mast, or simply, Mast."

"Ah, thank you," the captain nodded, his expression unchanging from one of sincere and friendly interest. "Got to set us Air Force flyboys straight, you know – I'm afraid some of your Navy lingo is quite another language to me."

Talltree laughed a bit and Sera manage to crack a weak smile.

I wish he'd get to the point. What's all this about? Where's Senior?

"Now…according to your record, you went to Mast for coming into work on two occasions in a non-professional manner. The first time, you were still hung over and you were officially counseled and given a reprimand. The second time, you were not only hung-over, but well stoked on over-the-counter medications. In fact, some doctors have indicated in your medical record that you were on a self-destructive – dare say, suicidal? – path, which is why, I believe, you were sent to Okinawa for three weeks to undergo psychological evaluation and rehabilitation."

"Yes, sir," Sera nodded slowly; she was ashamed of that chapter in her past, but there was no denying the black and white truth.

"Why would you do things like that, MA3? Why chance throwing away a good military career by drinking? And why would you ever try mixing alcohol with medication?"

Sera fell silent for a few seconds, refusing to meet Talltree's piercing gray eyes. But then she finally shifted in her seat, sighed heavily, and told him what she had come to face about herself.

"I was raped while undergoing my master-at-arms training in San Antonio, Texas. I was raped by an airman, in fact – " Talltree made a slight noise of disapproval, his expression indignant. "He's now serving time, thankfully, but…I didn't seek help then. I told myself that I didn't have any mental problems because of what happened – I was ok. But I started drinking heavily while I was still in Texas.

"When I got here, I was stupid and got pregnant. I miscarried after two months – that messed me up pretty good," Sera was now looking at her hands, talking quietly as if Talltree wasn't even in the room. "I started taking medications to help me sleep – pretty soon, I was mixing my alcohol and my meds and I didn't care what happened. I don't think at the time that I was consciously suicidal. But now, when I look back, I know that I was – I was trying to forget what had happened to me and to my baby, instead of dealing with the past."

Talltree nodded slowly and the room fell silent for several minutes before he continued, quietly.

"You were known for having a severe attitude problem then, too. Belligerent, bordering on the insubordinate, correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"As I understand it, you no longer drink and you take an herbal tea to help you sleep in place of over-the-counter medications, correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"I'm glad to hear that, MA3. Your service record shows that you've improved your military performance drastically since a year ago – congratulations on getting promoted this last cycle, too."

"Thank you, sir," Sera finally glanced up and was greeted by Talltree's wide smile.

He glanced down at her service record and flipped through a few more pages before closing it entirely.

"Now, I hear that you still have a bit of an attitude problem. Not as bad as before, but you still have a bit of a temper?"

"I stand up for myself, sir," Sera sat a bit straighter, lifting her chin proudly. "I think that a lot of things this command does is wrong and I'm not afraid to let my chain of command know. I've counseled about losing my temper and I'm working with the chaplain here on fixing that. But I'm not going to sit by and watch while my fellow MAs get screwed over by bad leadership."

"An admirable trait," Talltree wasn't smiling, but there was a look of approval in his eyes; Sera sat a bit straighter, a bit prouder. "You've got promise of a great leader, MA3, as long as you continue to learn when, where, and how to fight your battles. I'd say some tact would be in store, but there's nothing wrong with standing up for yourself or for others."

He then chuckled and Sera felt at ease, for the first time since the interview started.

"Now, the other thing of interest to me is your expertise. Regardless of your service record, counseling chits, or Mast, you're known throughout this base as being the best dog handler this side of the Pacific. In fact," Talltree grinned. "I believe you're known as 'the dog whisperer.' How's that?"

"I grew up around dogs. I've never not had a dog," Sera shrugged a bit, sheepish at the second-hand praise. "I have yet to meet a dog I didn't like, or that didn't like me. I understand dogs, I guess…I mean, I don't think I do anything special," she blushed modestly. "I just…I don't know…dogs and I understand each other. I know it sounds cheesy and all, but in some ways, they make better friends than people. You treat 'em right and they'll never let you down."

Talltree nodded, his eyes smiling.

"As I understand it, your personal dog was going to be put down before you got a hold of him, correct?"

"Yes, sir – Junkyard is the only rottweiler in our kennel and I think that intimated a lot of people. I mean, rottweiler's have a meaner reputation than German Shepherds. But ole' Junk never scared me."

"He nearly killed another master-at-arms."

"Because the idiot wasn't treating Junk right," Sera's eyes flashed a bit indignation, forgetting completely, for the moment, to whom she was talking. "Junk has never hurt me any way, nor has he ever tried. He's a big pussy, actually."

Sera then realized what she'd said and she blushed, ducking her head in embarrassment.

"Sorry for my language, sir."

"No offense taken," Talltree chuckled. "You have passion about your dog and your job – I'm not going to fault you for that.

"In fact, MA3, that's one of the reasons you've been chosen," Talltree sat back in his chair, leaving Sera's personnel folder where it lay.

"Chosen for what, sir?" Sera frowned slightly, eyeing Talltree suspiciously.

"You'll know in good time, MA3," the Air Force captain chuckled amiably as he stood up, signaling the end of the interview.

Just then, the door opened and Sera's senior walked in, looking just as confused and distraught as Sera had been when she entered.

"Ah, Senior Chief Dutcher," Talltree smiled cordially at the senior NCO before turning back to Sera. "I hope you don't mind, but I've got a plane to catch to Iwakuni. Senior Chief will give you your new orders – I hope to see you soon, MA3. Good luck until then."

I wonder…are we supposed to meet him at Langely? Along with the others assigned the same orders?

Sera looked over at Chris tenderly, her thoughts distracted when he mumbled a bit in his sleep and moved a bit, his weight shifting against her as his head nodded against her shoulder. There was no one else in their part of the plane, so Sera didn't feel at all uncomfortable to have a Marine sergeant snuggling up against her. She smiled at his sleeping face and then turned to look out the window again.

I wonder what this is all about. Senior said I'd been picked to participate in some kind of joint-force team. I'm guessing Chris has been, too, since we're going to the same place. I wonder what we'll be doing…like he said, I can't imagine what a Navy dog handler and a Marine supply sergeant would have that's essential to the same team.

A part of Sera wished desperately that her Senior was wrong, though. Not that she minded being given new orders out of the blue, to somewhere she didn't know to do only the gods knew what. But she prayed that whatever was waiting for her and Chris at Langley Air Force Base, it wouldn't force them to decide between their professional and private lives.

I don't know what I'd do without him – he's been the one thing that's kept me going these last six months. What no one knows is that I've been able to stay away from the alcohol and the drugs because I promised him I wouldn't touch them anymore. I didn't care about anything until I met him – but he's made all the difference in almost every area of my life.

Sera looked down at Chris' sleeping face and smiled gently. She rested her own cheek against the top of his head, enjoying the feeling of his soft hair against her skin.

If we've been given orders to do the same thing…to work on the same team…then I don't know what we'll do. I can't imagine working for the one you love in a professional military manner – but I'll have to respect Chris' rank. He's a superior NCO and if we work together, I'll have to treat him accordingly, in and out of uniform, whenever we're around any one else. I don't want either of us to get into trouble for unprofessional behavior, but…

Sera sighed heavily; suddenly, Chris stirred and he lifted his head a bit, his brown eyes focusing sleepily on her face.

"Wazz da' matter?"

"Nothing," Sera replied quietly, a soft sort of smile playing across her face.

"Don't lie to me," Chris propped himself up on his elbow and frowned at her. "What's wrong?"

"Just thinkin' 'bout old Junk," Sera forced a smile and then looked away, hoping that he wouldn't catch her bluff. "They're sure to put him down, now that I'm gone. He won't work for anyone else."

Though she brought up Junk in order to avoid sharing her real thoughts with Chris, her concerns over her dog were genuine. Sera's expression turned pensive and she shook her head a bit.

"I guess it's silly, but he was my first working dog outside of the dog handler's training course and he was a damn good friend. My only friend back in Sasebo, really, outside of Becca, Sarah, and Clint. I hope I'm lucky enough to work with another dog like him – thought I doubt there's any that could be as good as old Junk."

"Hmm," Chris made a non-committal noise and settled down again, his head on Sera's shoulder. "That's assuming you'll be working with dogs again. Who knows what we all be doing from here on out."

"Yeah…no kidding," Sera laughed shortly.

"Anyone in here?" Chris yawned a bit, nuzzling Sera's shoulder.

"No," she glanced around, just to double-check.

"Good," her boyfriend sighed sleepily. "If anyone asks, I fell asleep and my head just happened to fall for the nearest pillow-like object," he shrugged his shoulders and squirmed a bit in his seat, trying to get as comfortable as possible.

"Yes, god forbid a Marine should snuggle with a sailor," Sera giggled, planting a quick kiss on Chris's head.

"Damn straight."

The two fell silent after that and Chris's soft snoring soon filled the air between them. Sera leaned back in her seat, his head still resting on her shoulder; she watched the sergeant sleep, lost in her own thoughts and worries.