Disclaimer: Don't own them. Wish I did.

Part 5

Karin led the way along the ancient track, cresting a nearby hill, and looking down into a vineyard valley. To their right the mountains rose with snow still on their heights, while the bare limbs of the vineyard reminded them that, even though the meadows held flowers, it was still March. The breeze, which had accompanied them, now quickened and from the south came grey clouds. Nicholai frowned.

"Let me guess, snow? Or rain?"

Karin shrugged. "Or both? We'll have to find shelter either way. Those clouds look like thunder and we don't want to be outside when they arrive."

Nicholai squinted up at the grey clouds with an occasional heavy belly and chuckled. "What? Are you afraid of lightening?"

Karin turned and looked down at Nicholai from her height on the path. "In the mountains, you show respect to Mother Nature or she teaches it to you – painfully."

Nicholai waved his hand. "All right, I was only saying... Where do you suggest?"

Karin looked down at the vineyard below and pointed to the western edge. "It looks like there's a cutting barn down there. We'll head for that. Run if it starts to rain, Nicholai," she said and started down the path with a quick stride.

As if I would stand out here and be struck by lightening, he thought, and sighed. She's forceful when she has to be. I like that; not weak at all. I wonder... He watched her rapid descent for a moment before shaking himself and following.

The trees along the forest line were swaying and the wind had increased by the time they made the bottom of the hill and the once grey and white clouds were now dark with rain; Nicholai and Karin were sprinting now for the cutting barn at the far edge of the vineyard, their feet pounding as hard as their hearts to beat the rain that was, even now, beginning to patter in big drops on the ground around them. With one final spurt of speed, Karin reached the shelter just as lightening crashed overhead.

"Whew! Made it," she said, putting her hands to her knees, bending over and breathing hard. Nicholai was right behind her and shook his head to shed the rain before swatting the drops from his coat.

"Yes," he panted, "that was close." He looked around and a moue of distaste formed on his lips. The shed was not much more than a roof supported by wooden poles with two walls made of movable panels. One wall was secured by a metal band holding the boards tightly, while the other sagged, its boards warped from a winter of snow and rain. It was a rude, ill-conceived shelter and Nicholai sighed.

"What a sad excuse," he muttered, pushing a pile of moldy hay with his boot.

"Well, it's better than getting wet. Let's make the best of it," Karin said and took command of setting up a better shelter. She searched around and found a half rotten coil of rope that she used to bind the warping boards closer, stuffing the cracks and holes with a nasty mixture of mud and straw. When that was done, she had Nicholai help her bundle the hay into a corner and then beat her hands to get them slightly cleaner.

"We can sit on the straw, and it will be warmer against the corner if we sit closer." She sighed. "How I wish I had my over coat," she said. Nicholai agreed, especially when he sat on the smelly straw and felt the wind whistle through the daubed cracks. It brought back too many memories for him, of a cold heatless room in a shabby tenement – his mother shivering in the frigid winter air, her body burning up with fever that nothing could break, least of all a fledgling healer. Nicholai tried hard to forget that night, most especially that night amongst so many of loneliness, deprivation and bitter, bitter cold. His own soul was cold too often, and when he thought back to his mother's death and his total abandonment by his father – He shivered, the thick material of his white coat not warm enough amidst the rain and memories.

Next to him, Karin was also feeling the wind in the cracks, one right behind her, and blowing on her neck. She mentally sighed – no matter how much daub you used, there would always be cracks for the cold air to get in – a hard lesson Karin had learned in her first year with the army. But here, in this place, there was no choice, unless… But no, she wouldn't think that just yet, not unless their lives depended…

As darkness fell the winds picked up speed, howling now through the woods and valleys of Vosges Forest and with the wind came rain, bitter cold and Karin shivered in the corner, her knees drawn up to her chin, her arms wrapped around her legs. The last spring rain felt more like a winter blast and she sighed for the lost warm afternoon in Florence, the sun shining bright and cheerful. But warm thoughts made her shiver harder and sitting next to her, his own legs pulled up close as well, was the only warmth in the area. But I won't do it, I won't do it, she thought, and built that mental wall around her mind that would not picture him holding her, keeping her warm and safe and lying next to her in the warm down of her feather bed.

Shaking her head suddenly, she looked up, casting her glance around the dark shelter. The rain came down at an angle and the overflow spilled off the roof like a waterfall, a stream of muddy water flowing past the entrance to the shed and adding itself to the other muddy streams in the vineyard. Out past the shelter the dark shapes of the vines looked more like tangled, gnarled roots reaching to the dark clouds. No lights shone in the distance, no movements could she detect in the woods or the field. And next to her, Nicholai seemed to slumber.

'Dear God, Holy God, heavenly Father Almighty, heaven and earth are filled with your glory, hosanna in the highest; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,' Nicholai silently prayed. God will redeem my soul, but what about my body? His head resting on his knees, Nicholai blinked, opening his eyes to stare at the white shadows that were his legs. What kind of heretical thought was that, he wondered. My body, my body is cold, my body is hungry, and my body craves a comfortable seat… and he shifted uncomfortably on the moldy damp straw and shivered in his coat. Sitting next to her, you'd think I'd be warm, he thought and was suddenly aware of Karin, her breaths coming slow in sleep. He tilted his head, peering over his left arm and catching just a short glimpse of her in the darkened shed. Her flame red hair had fallen over her shoulder and was cascading down her arm, free of its usual ponytail and he wished he could touch that soft flame, caress it with his palms. 'How beautiful art thou, thy eyes are doves' eyes, thy lips are as a scarlet lace: and thy speech sweet,' he recited to himself. How I would take you in my arms and breathe your sweet scent, burn myself in the flame of your love.

Beside him, Karin made a noise and, shifting, and he saw she was shivering.

She's as cold as I am, he thought and then found himself moving, shifting closer to her, reaching behind her to pull her into his arms. Startled she looked up, confusion and anger warring for a brief moment before recognition, and she leaned into his arms, a sigh her only response. Nicholai held her close, his own arms cold, but his heart warm, his chin resting on the silky flame of her hair and he smiled, his green eyes seeing visions beyond the cold, dark rain.

By sunup, the sky had stopped its solid pounding and rain now drizzled steadily. Karin awoke to feeling cramped and achy but warm. She looked up, moving her hair back with one hand and saw Nicholai sitting next to her; remembering suddenly when the exorcist had put his arms around her in the night. His eyes were closed and the dark lashes shaded down like feathers over his cheeks.

He really is quite handsome when he's this way, she thought taking off one glove, and then reaching up with a slender finger to move aside the long bangs, corn silk soft and shading from light to dark russet. She smiled, liking the color of the hair as much as the color of his eyes. I really shouldn't be doing this, she told herself but didn't stop, running a finger through the hair and tracing the delicate shape of his ear lobe. It wasn't until twin emeralds looked at her that she realized he was awake.

"S-sorry," she said, suddenly embarrassed and tried to pull away.

"Karin," Nicholai said and his voice was deeper pitched, thick with sleep and velvety. It surprised her how nice it sounded and then suddenly his arms held her tightly and she found herself a lot closer than she had been. Pulled to his chest, Nicholai bent down and pressed his lips to hers, letting his tongue query then enter her mouth when she opened it in surprise. She tasted like warm spice, her breath filling his mouth like cinnamon and cloves and he felt his lips tingle with the taste of her. He kissed her, lips pressing against lips, tongue against tongue before letting his mouth roam over her face, his lips and tongue tracing an invisible line down her jaw to her throat, nipping slightly at her neck and following the line up toward her ear. She was like fire, warm and soothing, and he breathed her in, tasting her with each kiss, his tongue outlined her ear and she shuddered beneath his hands.

Karin did not protest the sudden kiss, her surprise letting her mouth open to his entreaty. She was more surprised by her own actions, tasting his tongue as it moved over her mouth, touching her teeth and caressing her own tongue. He tasted so different, not like daddy's little girl kisses, she thought, not like Felix from school. In fact, she realized, in fact he tastes light, lemony, minty... and cool. He felt cool to her, like ice on a summer day – teasing, inviting and delectable. She lowered her eyes when he left her mouth to trace a tingling path to her chin and when his tongue touched her ear she shuddered. This was pleasure in a way she had not expected but her eyes snapped open when she felt his hand against her chest, pressing against the uniform, molding his fingers to the outline of her breasts.

"Ni-Nicholai," she breathed and pulled him closer, her ungloved hand cupping his cheek while her lips rained kisses on his forehead. This felt so good, he was so strong and the light of him bathed her, sending shivers down her skin, her toes curling in their boots. She wanted to touch him, hold him, kiss him and taste him and she found herself aching for him to touch her.

He was kissing down her neck again, pulling aside the cross-held collar and tracing a line down her throat with his tongue, her warm skin sending shivers down his spine; she tasted so warm, so spicy, and he reached up to cup her breast hidden beneath its military covering. How he wanted to rip aside that drab green uniform and clothe her in him instead, coating her inside and out with his love. She was burning his mouth with her fire and his body was answering her heat with a fire all its own.

"Karin," he breathed and then suddenly his world shifted as her hands pushed him away, her head, surrounded in a halo of fire, shaking back and forth.

"No – no, Nicholai, we have to stop this, no," she was panting she wanted his so much, her body aching to take him in her arms and she suddenly had a vision of the two of them sealing their passion with more than kisses. And as she watched herself giving her body, mind, and soul to this man, she caught herself up with her military training: this man was a priest, she was here to guide him, not throw herself at him like a desperate wanton.

"Karin?" he asked, his emerald eyes puzzled, his mouth parted invitingly.

"We really cannot go on, Nicholai," she said and scooted away, pulling closed her blouse and jacket. "This isn't the time or the place. And you're a priest."

The words hurt to hear. He shook his head, crisp russet falling into his face, shading his eyes.

"I wasn't always a priest. And I don't care if this isn't the place. It is for us. Karin," he hesitated. How could he phrase this? "Karin, I've been feeling things for you since I met you. I think – I think I'm in love with you," he rushed those last words even as she stood up, brushing aside the dirt on her uniform.

"Nicholai, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed myself on you like that," she was saying.

"But I kissed you," he said, rising and ignoring the dirt clinging to his white trousers.

"I – I don't know what came over me," she said.

"I do," he answered softly.

Karin looked up startled. "What did you say?"

Nicholai's face was soft in the early light, the grey backdrop of the shed and the steady drizzle of rain made him shine with an inner light. He looked beautiful to Karin; handsome, alluring in a masculine way, and she wanted him all over again.

"I said I believe I'm in love with you."

Karin shook her head, the unbound hair cascading like a firefall down her back and over one shoulder.

"No, no it's too soon. We have a mission to accomplish."

Nicholai nodded. "Yes, and I have made my preparations. We should be fine. But Karin," he said and finally swiped at the dirt on his clothing. "When it's all over, I'll ask you a question. And I want you to remember something. I am man, and I have plans beyond the priesthood of the church. I have ambitions that do not include the Holy See." He looked up at her and captured her in his eyes. She stood nervously to one side, her eyes shaded with her hair; her lips parted just slightly, her stance like a frightened deer ready to flee. He smiled, wanting her to flee to his arms. "Yes, when this is over, I'll ask you."

Karin nodded then pulled her hair, tying it back. She was about to suggest trying to run for the woods again when a sound caught her ears.

"Is that a motor?" she queried, and Nicholai lifted his head, tilting it slightly to catch the sounds over the rain.

"I believe so," he said and then stepped out of the shelter. He pointed at the road just past the vineyard. "There's a truck coming."

Karin joined him and watched the truck approach before finally smiling.

"It's the truck from base camp. Sergeant Kemler must have sent it for us. We'll be in Domremy in no time," she said.

A/N: Thanks to all my lovely reviewers. Hope you liked this little taste of what will come. That's right, I said "What WILL come."