CHAPTER THREE

"I wanted to tell you, Rick, that I'm leaving the SDF-1 tomorrow. I couldn't tell you at the café because I couldn't risk anyone hearing it. There's enough unrest and rumors already running through this ship as it is besides, it's a top secret mission."

"What? Why wasn't I told of this?" he interrupted feeling panic and a sense of emptiness gripping him. "I mean, when did this happen?"

"I just got permission before meeting you in the elevator this evening," Lisa answered and looked at him uncertainly.

Now he knew why she was so preoccupied when they had met earlier in the elevator and looking so lost. Knowing that now he wondered why she even bothered to go out with him tonight.

Thinking about the date now he realized how lame it was; he'd been the one to ask her out yet it was she who had made the date fun, interesting and special while all he did was brood and wallowed in self-pity. That one fact gnawed at him more than he wanted to admit.

Why can't I ever do anything right with her? He asked himself quietly and finding no answers.

"Rick, the fears and anxieties you expressed earlier, I have them too and I've been thinking, racking my brain for weeks now trying to find a solution..."

"And you leaving the SDF-1 was the only one you came up with," Rick said in disgust and got up from her sofa and walked to stare at a painting she had on one of her wall.

After a few minutes, he turned and looked back at her again wondering for the hundredth time why her leaving tomorrow had affected him so deeply. Why it had left him so angry and almost helpless like everything was caving in on him from all directions.

"It's not what you thinking Rick," Lisa said in a rough, angry manner. "I'm not abandoning the SDF-1 and everyone on board because I want to save my own butt. The fighting has got to stop..."

"That's not the point, Lisa!" he said sharply and returned to the sofa.

She looked a little confused and he amended, "Lisa, you got it all wrong. I'm not accusing you of anything. I know and I understand what you're trying to do."

"You do?" She asked and looked skeptically up at him.

"Yes," Rick said and sat down next to her again. He couldn't hide his grin. "Just because I don't always listen to you does not mean I'm stupid, Lisa."

Guilt and relief winged through her. "Rick, you don't know how much it means to me that you understand what I'm trying to do..."

"Why does it have to be you, Lisa?" he asked without letting her finish. There was something aching in his voice that made her sad.

"Tell me the truth. Why did you agree to have dinner with me tonight with such an important mission on your mind? It's not like you."

Lisa blinked. She could feel her pulse beating in her throat in a way that threatened to make her stomach flip over.

"I... don't... because you asked me and because I wanted to," she answered quietly unable to look at him.

"Rick, once I leave, my father may not allow me to come back again. But it's a risk I'm willing to take if it means the Council might listen to me and consider my proposal for peace. I know that you and I, we got off on the wrong foot at the beginning and have not always gotten along but I've come to admire you, Rick. I just couldn't leave without letting you know that."

"Is that all, Lisa?" he asked in a sober tone and stared at her belligerently.

"I… I don't know what you mean, Rick?" Lisa fibbed and quickly got up. She took a step away from him, wanting to put some distance between them when his hand caught her arm.

"You're telling me, Lisa," he struggled, "that you went out with me just so you can tell me that you admire me? Come on, what do you take me for? Contrary to popular belief, pilots are not idiots."

Lisa's face turned red and she felt the anger building.

"Why are you doing this, Rick?" she asked and turned back to face him. "What do you want from me?"

She suddenly snapped, her green eyes flashing now with rage. "Can't you take a compliment and leave it at that?"

"No! Because I just realized that I care about you!" he yelled at her and let go of her arm only to run it through his dark hair. "And you're leaving tomorrow… and God knows when or if you'll ever be back!"

Rick worried that he'd gone too far. But he couldn't take the words back now besides knew he needed to be honest with himself if not her. He was attracted to her. Heck he was more than attracted to her! He liked her, admired her and… and could even love her!

She was really a beautiful woman, a wonderful person with qualities and principles that he was coming to value more and more every day. He could see himself falling in love with her easily if only they had more time.

Damned her! Why does everything have to be so complicated between them?

Lisa caught his eyes and found him staring at her in a way she had never seen him stared at Minmei before. He looked like he really saw her. All the anger she had quickly left her and in its place was a burning desire to kiss him and she did, lightly on the lips before she could stop herself.

"Lisa…" he breathed in her name and leaned in to return her kiss.

"No." She straightened. "I'm still leaving tomorrow."

"Then why kiss me?" Rick asked soberly.

"Because… because I care, Rick! I don't know why but I do. I care when you're sad, when you're hurt and when you're lonely. I care what happens to you…"

Tell him! Came a voice from deep inside. No! He must never know! There is no point. He's in love with Minmei... With all her strength she tried to stop herself from letting him know but she couldn't for she loved him- it was that simple. That irrefutable. That unchangeable.

"I care because I… I love you! There! Are you happy now!" Lisa finished and looked him straight in the eyes without flinching or backing down.

Rick knew she was telling him the truth. A part of him had always known but a part of him rebelled at the thought for he wasn't ready to accept her love, her hopes and dreams. Minmei's betrayal was still too fresh in his mind yet he knew he could never turn his back on Lisa now; now that the truth was out in the open.

For a brief moment Rick stared straight into her eyes too and she saw a look of great brightness in those sexy blue irises and her heart hammered against her ribs. She found herself holding her breath when she also saw that he wasn't smiling at her now. But he wasn't laughing at her or running away from her either as she'd feared.

It was an almost painful sensation she'd ever felt in her life as she stood there and watched him deciding the fate of her life, her hopes and dreams.

It seemed like an eternity to her before she heard him whispered her name and opened his arms to her. Too elated beyond words, Lisa hadn't noticed she was crying.

Moving into his embrace, she laid her head on his shoulder and when he held her tightly to him, she felt the worries and heartaches in her soul melted away.

They stayed like that-- locked in each other's arms for a long time.

0000000000000000000

"When are you leaving tomorrow? I want to be part of the mission, Lisa."

"No. Everything's been set already. Since you're off tomorrow, Max is the point man in this mission and I'm scheduled to launch at 1030 hours." Then her head rose up from his chest and he could see the panic in her face.

"What is it?"

"My report, I have to have it done by 0800 hours tomorrow for Captain Gloval's approval. I can't believe I totally forgot about it," she said and got up from the sofa.

As Lisa walked into her sleeping quarter and sat down on her desk, her report was already taking shape in her mind. Quickly she turned on her personal computer and began typing the words and phrases she knew would work best with her father. She knew she had to win her father to her side or her mission would be a complete failure.

She was so engrossed in the report that she'd forgotten about Rick. It wasn't until she felt his strong, capable and warm hands rubbing at the tension in her neck and shoulders that she realized he was still with her. She turned around and smiled at him.

"What time is it?" she asked as he pulled another chair next to hers.

On an impulse she reached out her hand and combed it through his lock of hair that keeps covering his sexy blue eyes.

Rick closed his eyes and relaxed, imaging what it would be like to have a woman, to have Lisa, so near, so comfortable around him that she'd touch his hair while she talk about her day or her work.

"I can't believe it's almost midnight," she sighed and the emptiness in her tone stabbed at him.

"You all right?" he asked.

"I'm just afraid that I won't be able to convince my father. I'm afraid of what that would mean for the entire human race and… and for us," she said her voice, sad and low.

He pressed a kiss near her ear. "I would never blame you. None of this is your fault, Lisa."

He hugged her to him.

Damned but she smelled good. And holding her again was sending his pulses shooting to the stars.

"Thank you, Rick," she whispered. She thought of giving Captain Gloval an excuse tomorrow and not leave the SDF-1 at all. The idea surprised her, for following protocol and doing her duty had always been top priority with her.

"For what?" he asked, not understanding.

"For tonight, no matter what happens, I'll always have this one night that I went out with you and had a wonderful time. I hadn't laughed in a long time and you made me laughed tonight, Rick. I've almost forgotten what that was like."

That made him cringed and reluctantly he let her go.

"Are you almost finished with the report?"

Turning back to her computer she replied. "Yes but I need to proofread it again and there's a paragraph in there that I want to take out…"

"Lisa, about tonight, I want to apologize for my selfishness." He shook his head at her to stop her from interrupting him.

"I asked you out because I wanted to erase that look of lost and loneliness from your eyes when I first came upon you in the elevator. But it was you, Lisa, you who erased my loneliness and doubts away tonight with your laughter and confidence in me. I do care, Lisa. I do care a great deal about you and I can not image my life with out you. Be careful when you leave tomorrow and come back to… to me."

He covered her fingers with his and waited.

Rick's voice was almost a whispered when he finished but she'd heard everything he said and seen the fire in his eyes when he looked at her. The softness of his tone, the intimate sound of his voice so close to her took her completely by surprise, and she felt warmth stealing over her.

His eyes held hers. She couldn't move, couldn't pull her gaze away from his.

Finally, she whispered. "I don't want to think or worry about anything-- not the Zentraedi, or me leaving tomorrow, or even what's happened before between us. I want you, Rick, to make everything go away except the two of us."

She knew she was not her usual conservative self but at this moment, she didn't care and the idea made her reckless and jubilant.

Lisa brushed her fingers over his chest as if searching for his heart.

"I want to know you. I want to know the Rick Hunter who had seen my loneliness tonight and reached out to me, the Rick Hunter who cares for me and… and needs me."

Before he could think of the right words, she leaned over him and her lips touched his.

Her kiss was not light or playful but filled with longing, desire and promises. When she finished, she didn't pull away but whispered against his cheek.

"Hold me, Rick while we sleep as if we were the only two people alive in the universe."

With those words burning into his heart he knew he could not deny her anything and he kissed her then, deeper than he ever had. His heart pounded so hard he thought it might explode. After the heart stopping kiss, he picked her up and carried her to her bed.