"The Morning After"
If you'd like to read more of mine or Slayne22's stories that are not here on ff.net due to whatever reason including ratings content, then join our Yahoo list. That means full unedited fic/chapter versions! We're using one as a fic archive right now and lurkers are more than welcome. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/joeland/ Link is available on my author page and Slayne22's as well.
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Scarlett woke up next to Duke snuggled in his arms, with one of hers draped over his chest and one leg hooked over his. He had stayed all night, though she wasn't sure why this came as a surprise to her. Maybe it was because she expected to wake up alone to find that it had all been a dream - one big fantastic mind-blowing dream. She drew a slow deep breath as all the events of their long night together came flooding back to her. If their first kiss had been a melt-your-flesh-off-your-bones kiss, then her night with the Master Sergeant had been tear-flesh-from-bones sex. It was all so surreal to her - was this really happening?
Or had they just thrown themselves at each other out of convenience?
"Good morning, gorgeous," Duke greeted her as he kissed her forehead.
"Hi," she replied timidly, still lost in her thoughts.
"I'll bet you're wondering what this is and where it's going, right?"
"No," Scarlett shyly protested as she lifted her head off his chest and looked at him, "I'm not that girl."
"Oh, so you're okay with a one night stand?" He taunted her.
"Well I'm not THAT girl either," Scarlett frowned at him.
"Good to hear, because I'm not 'that' guy either," Duke stated as he lightly brushed away the few strands of hair off her face. "I told you it could be like this all the time and I intend for you to hold me to that."
A smile tugged at the corner of Scarlett's mouth. "I believe you said, 'It could be better'," she corrected him.
"I'll give you 'better'," he declared as he reached over to the nightstand to pick up the phone then started ordering room service. "How do you like your eggs?"
"Over easy."
"Over easy," he repeated in German into the phone receiver, "and don't bring it up for another half hour. Thank you."
"What are you doing?" She asked curiously, understanding the "half hour" part of his order and taking notice of the mischievous grin now on his face.
"Giving you 'better'," he growled as he turned back over and wrapped his arms around her. Scarlett let out a small shriek as he suddenly pulled her on top of him. "We still have two hours before we have to leave to catch our flight," he said as he threaded his fingers through her hair then added wickedly as he kissed her neck, "and I want to do bad things to you." His words and throaty naughty tone gave her goose bumps. Of course, he knew this.
*******************
After their morning interlude followed by breakfast Duke helped Scarlett pack her things from her room then took her luggage to his room and started packing their weapons and equipment and his belongings. A feeling of dread loomed over her as she packed their equipment. Although it certainly wasn't part of their mission, in fact forbidden, it didn't seem fair that just when her and Duke had finally gotten "closer" it was already time to leave. She couldn't help feeling that her time alone with her new lover had been cut short, then berated herself for running from him for so long. She had wasted so much precious time by being scared. She was still scared but it was different now - she wasn't in it alone. She looked at the blonde Master Sergeant as he packed his clothes. She wondered if he were scared too, of course he would never show it. Her thoughts were interrupted when his hotel phone rang.
"This is Duke. Speak," he answered his phone then a slow smile crept on his face as he listened to the receiver. Scarlett looked at him, perplexed by his pleased expression. "Thank you," he said then hung up the phone.
"What was that about?" She asked, still noting his playful grin.
"Our plane's been grounded from ice and snow formations. We're not leaving until tomorrow," he informed her. Scarlett thought for a moment about what that meant to her - more time alone with Duke far away from headquarters and away from the Joe team. She could have her new lover all to herself for another day before they had to return to their real world called G.I. Joe.
"So what do we do now?" She asked in feigned innocence as she tried to suppress the urge to laugh in delight at her luck.
"Leave your luggage here and grab your coat. We're gonna paint this town red."
*******************
They spent the day arm in arm, studying Munich's museums and architecture, taking in the beautifully illuminated monuments, fountains and buildings. Scarlett savored the bliss of her time alone with Duke in their own little world as he effortlessly held her tightly on a regular basis as if to protect her from the cold - or perhaps he didn't want to let her go because of what reality tomorrow would bring. The Master Sergeant would never be able to hold her this closely - or at all for that matter - in the presence of others once back at headquarters, or give her a spontaneous kiss such as at the fountain. They were free to be themselves and Munich belonged to them, at least for this one day. It felt perfect. They made their way to the former artists' quarter Schwabing - the bar district in and around Leopoldstrasse, settling into one of the many nightclubs there.
"I never pegged you for the type to live the night life," Scarlett commented as Duke took her coat. "Doesn't it conflict with your early morning PT?"
"I'm full of surprises, Red," Duke replied with a mischievous grin as they took their seats then leaned over so his lips were only inches from her ear and said in a throaty tone, "Besides, PT will be at zero-dark-thirty instead of dawn from now on."
Scarlett turned her head to face him as the shivers from his words ran through her. "Ahem, and just how do you plan to pull that off - Master Sergeant?" She asked playfully.
"Very easily," he smugly replied as he took a drink of his whiskey sour. Scarlett looked at him in surprise.
"You sound awfully sure of yourself."
"Well," he started to state as he brushed the long red locks of hair off of her shoulder, massaging the back of her exposed neck, "For starters, you're the only occupant in the women's quarters and Hawk's presence is practically nonexistent on base."
"Leaving nobody to watch over the Second, right?" Scarlett finished his sentence then tauntingly added as she sipped her martini, "So has rank always had its privileges for you, Top?"
"It's not like that, Shana. I don't make a habit of this. In fact, this is a first for me and we both have a lot at stake here, but I really believe as long as we're careful and discreet and not let it interfere with our jobs we can pull this off."
"It's a first for me too," she said quietly, looking into his piercing blues with intent behind them. She desperately wanted to believe him. How could he be so sure when he had even more to lose than her? After all, she was still his subordinate. Then as she mulled over the possibility she started to realize that Duke already had this all thought out - long before today. She smiled delightfully at him as she ran her fingers through his short crew cut.
"So, zero-dark-thirty you said?" She asked then pressed her lips to his before he could answer, kissing him deeply. It was too late to put the brakes on now anyway, they couldn't turn back at this point. So it may as well be full steam ahead. Just then the song "Love Hangover" by Diana Ross started playing through the club.
"Perfect," Duke muttered, drawing out of their kiss. "Let's go cut a rug."
"I can't believe we're all the way in a Munich night club just to listen to American Seventies music," Scarlett mused aloud as Duke led her to the dance floor.
"You're talking about a place where David Hasselhoff is a God," Duke chuckled as he drew her closer to him, swaying them seductively to the sexy tune.
"Point taken," Scarlett laughed lightly as Duke raised one her arms above her to spin her around, stopping her when she faced away from him. Duke ran his hand down her raised arm and snaked his other hand across her abdomen, pulling her close to him again. Scarlett brought her arm down behind her, resting it around his neck then closing her eyes as he deftly pushed her hair aside and proceeded to slowly kiss the side of her neck.
'I've got the sweetest hangover
I don't wanna get over
Sweetest hangover Sweet lovin'
Sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet love'
Duke turned her to face him again and she draped her arms around his neck as he leaned down to kiss her again. He continued to sway with her to the music as they locked lips. It was their last chance for public display of affection until who-knows-when. The guitar rock tune "Layla" by Eric Clapton started playing as she continued to kiss him passionately, reveling in their moment as the intensity coursed through her like electricity. As she wondered if she was falling in love with the Master Sergeant, she didn't want her last-chance-for-romance to end.
*******************
The next morning Scarlett was on her dreaded flight back to headquarters with Duke. No ice and snow formations to keep them in Munich for one more day, though she cherished the one day they did have to spend together. She hoped the other teammates wouldn't be able to read "I'm in love with Top" across her forehead, if not for the hostile repercussions to follow, but also the respect they would lose for her if they ever found out about Duke and her. They would have to be very careful how they behaved around each other: how they smiled and gazed when around each other, how they spoke, and even their body language just to name a few.
"What's the matter, Shana? You look like you've just seen a ghost," Duke commented from her seat next to her. They were the only passengers on the flight.
"I'm worried about the others finding us out and the backlash that will come from that."
"That's all? Fuck 'em, if anyone tries to give you any shit they'll have to answer to me for it," he declared with resolve. Scarlett let out a tiny smile. It was rather sweet to see him acting so protective of her. "So is there anything else you're scared of?" He asked.
"Hmm, just spiders and public performances," she answered, "but I don't think you can help me with that."
"You're kidding," Duke chuckled, "I find that hard to believe."
"It's true, I even fainted in my high school play!" She informed him as he looked at her in surprise.
"Wait, let me get this straight. You can go into war against Cobra, kicking the shit out of the lot of them but you faint in a little school play?"
"They didn't give me a gun," she quipped. "What, haven't you ever been scared over something you had no control over?"
"Sure," he answered.
"Oh really? When?" She asked skeptically.
"When I saw what Major Bludd did to you in Jeddah," he calmly replied with a flash of anguish in his eyes, "When I saw how goddamn close I was to losing you before I - It wasn't the same as seeing any of my other soldiers hurt on a mission and it scared the holy hell out of me." Now it was Scarlett's turn to look at him in surprise as his admission caught her slightly off guard. She still remembered Jeddah vividly, and how calm and collected he kept himself through her near demise - he knew her life depended on it.
"I'm not going anywhere. You won't let that happen, remember?" Scarlett laid her head on Duke's shoulder and stroked the top of his hand with hers then looked back up into his piercing blues. "Sing "Layla" for me again, the way you did in the club," she requested. Duke smiled and softly sang into her ear:
"What'll you do when you get lonely
And nobody's waiting by your side?
You've been running and hiding much too long.
You know it's just your foolish pride.
Shana, you've got me on my knees.
Shana, I'm begging, darling please.
Shana, darling won't you ease my worried mind."
Several hours later they were back home at headquarters.
*******************
If you'd like to read more of mine or Slayne22's stories that are not here on ff.net due to whatever reason including ratings content, then join our Yahoo list. That means full unedited fic/chapter versions! We're using one as a fic archive right now and lurkers are more than welcome. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/joeland/ Link is available on my author page and Slayne22's as well.
*******************
Scarlett woke up next to Duke snuggled in his arms, with one of hers draped over his chest and one leg hooked over his. He had stayed all night, though she wasn't sure why this came as a surprise to her. Maybe it was because she expected to wake up alone to find that it had all been a dream - one big fantastic mind-blowing dream. She drew a slow deep breath as all the events of their long night together came flooding back to her. If their first kiss had been a melt-your-flesh-off-your-bones kiss, then her night with the Master Sergeant had been tear-flesh-from-bones sex. It was all so surreal to her - was this really happening?
Or had they just thrown themselves at each other out of convenience?
"Good morning, gorgeous," Duke greeted her as he kissed her forehead.
"Hi," she replied timidly, still lost in her thoughts.
"I'll bet you're wondering what this is and where it's going, right?"
"No," Scarlett shyly protested as she lifted her head off his chest and looked at him, "I'm not that girl."
"Oh, so you're okay with a one night stand?" He taunted her.
"Well I'm not THAT girl either," Scarlett frowned at him.
"Good to hear, because I'm not 'that' guy either," Duke stated as he lightly brushed away the few strands of hair off her face. "I told you it could be like this all the time and I intend for you to hold me to that."
A smile tugged at the corner of Scarlett's mouth. "I believe you said, 'It could be better'," she corrected him.
"I'll give you 'better'," he declared as he reached over to the nightstand to pick up the phone then started ordering room service. "How do you like your eggs?"
"Over easy."
"Over easy," he repeated in German into the phone receiver, "and don't bring it up for another half hour. Thank you."
"What are you doing?" She asked curiously, understanding the "half hour" part of his order and taking notice of the mischievous grin now on his face.
"Giving you 'better'," he growled as he turned back over and wrapped his arms around her. Scarlett let out a small shriek as he suddenly pulled her on top of him. "We still have two hours before we have to leave to catch our flight," he said as he threaded his fingers through her hair then added wickedly as he kissed her neck, "and I want to do bad things to you." His words and throaty naughty tone gave her goose bumps. Of course, he knew this.
*******************
After their morning interlude followed by breakfast Duke helped Scarlett pack her things from her room then took her luggage to his room and started packing their weapons and equipment and his belongings. A feeling of dread loomed over her as she packed their equipment. Although it certainly wasn't part of their mission, in fact forbidden, it didn't seem fair that just when her and Duke had finally gotten "closer" it was already time to leave. She couldn't help feeling that her time alone with her new lover had been cut short, then berated herself for running from him for so long. She had wasted so much precious time by being scared. She was still scared but it was different now - she wasn't in it alone. She looked at the blonde Master Sergeant as he packed his clothes. She wondered if he were scared too, of course he would never show it. Her thoughts were interrupted when his hotel phone rang.
"This is Duke. Speak," he answered his phone then a slow smile crept on his face as he listened to the receiver. Scarlett looked at him, perplexed by his pleased expression. "Thank you," he said then hung up the phone.
"What was that about?" She asked, still noting his playful grin.
"Our plane's been grounded from ice and snow formations. We're not leaving until tomorrow," he informed her. Scarlett thought for a moment about what that meant to her - more time alone with Duke far away from headquarters and away from the Joe team. She could have her new lover all to herself for another day before they had to return to their real world called G.I. Joe.
"So what do we do now?" She asked in feigned innocence as she tried to suppress the urge to laugh in delight at her luck.
"Leave your luggage here and grab your coat. We're gonna paint this town red."
*******************
They spent the day arm in arm, studying Munich's museums and architecture, taking in the beautifully illuminated monuments, fountains and buildings. Scarlett savored the bliss of her time alone with Duke in their own little world as he effortlessly held her tightly on a regular basis as if to protect her from the cold - or perhaps he didn't want to let her go because of what reality tomorrow would bring. The Master Sergeant would never be able to hold her this closely - or at all for that matter - in the presence of others once back at headquarters, or give her a spontaneous kiss such as at the fountain. They were free to be themselves and Munich belonged to them, at least for this one day. It felt perfect. They made their way to the former artists' quarter Schwabing - the bar district in and around Leopoldstrasse, settling into one of the many nightclubs there.
"I never pegged you for the type to live the night life," Scarlett commented as Duke took her coat. "Doesn't it conflict with your early morning PT?"
"I'm full of surprises, Red," Duke replied with a mischievous grin as they took their seats then leaned over so his lips were only inches from her ear and said in a throaty tone, "Besides, PT will be at zero-dark-thirty instead of dawn from now on."
Scarlett turned her head to face him as the shivers from his words ran through her. "Ahem, and just how do you plan to pull that off - Master Sergeant?" She asked playfully.
"Very easily," he smugly replied as he took a drink of his whiskey sour. Scarlett looked at him in surprise.
"You sound awfully sure of yourself."
"Well," he started to state as he brushed the long red locks of hair off of her shoulder, massaging the back of her exposed neck, "For starters, you're the only occupant in the women's quarters and Hawk's presence is practically nonexistent on base."
"Leaving nobody to watch over the Second, right?" Scarlett finished his sentence then tauntingly added as she sipped her martini, "So has rank always had its privileges for you, Top?"
"It's not like that, Shana. I don't make a habit of this. In fact, this is a first for me and we both have a lot at stake here, but I really believe as long as we're careful and discreet and not let it interfere with our jobs we can pull this off."
"It's a first for me too," she said quietly, looking into his piercing blues with intent behind them. She desperately wanted to believe him. How could he be so sure when he had even more to lose than her? After all, she was still his subordinate. Then as she mulled over the possibility she started to realize that Duke already had this all thought out - long before today. She smiled delightfully at him as she ran her fingers through his short crew cut.
"So, zero-dark-thirty you said?" She asked then pressed her lips to his before he could answer, kissing him deeply. It was too late to put the brakes on now anyway, they couldn't turn back at this point. So it may as well be full steam ahead. Just then the song "Love Hangover" by Diana Ross started playing through the club.
"Perfect," Duke muttered, drawing out of their kiss. "Let's go cut a rug."
"I can't believe we're all the way in a Munich night club just to listen to American Seventies music," Scarlett mused aloud as Duke led her to the dance floor.
"You're talking about a place where David Hasselhoff is a God," Duke chuckled as he drew her closer to him, swaying them seductively to the sexy tune.
"Point taken," Scarlett laughed lightly as Duke raised one her arms above her to spin her around, stopping her when she faced away from him. Duke ran his hand down her raised arm and snaked his other hand across her abdomen, pulling her close to him again. Scarlett brought her arm down behind her, resting it around his neck then closing her eyes as he deftly pushed her hair aside and proceeded to slowly kiss the side of her neck.
'I've got the sweetest hangover
I don't wanna get over
Sweetest hangover Sweet lovin'
Sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet love'
Duke turned her to face him again and she draped her arms around his neck as he leaned down to kiss her again. He continued to sway with her to the music as they locked lips. It was their last chance for public display of affection until who-knows-when. The guitar rock tune "Layla" by Eric Clapton started playing as she continued to kiss him passionately, reveling in their moment as the intensity coursed through her like electricity. As she wondered if she was falling in love with the Master Sergeant, she didn't want her last-chance-for-romance to end.
*******************
The next morning Scarlett was on her dreaded flight back to headquarters with Duke. No ice and snow formations to keep them in Munich for one more day, though she cherished the one day they did have to spend together. She hoped the other teammates wouldn't be able to read "I'm in love with Top" across her forehead, if not for the hostile repercussions to follow, but also the respect they would lose for her if they ever found out about Duke and her. They would have to be very careful how they behaved around each other: how they smiled and gazed when around each other, how they spoke, and even their body language just to name a few.
"What's the matter, Shana? You look like you've just seen a ghost," Duke commented from her seat next to her. They were the only passengers on the flight.
"I'm worried about the others finding us out and the backlash that will come from that."
"That's all? Fuck 'em, if anyone tries to give you any shit they'll have to answer to me for it," he declared with resolve. Scarlett let out a tiny smile. It was rather sweet to see him acting so protective of her. "So is there anything else you're scared of?" He asked.
"Hmm, just spiders and public performances," she answered, "but I don't think you can help me with that."
"You're kidding," Duke chuckled, "I find that hard to believe."
"It's true, I even fainted in my high school play!" She informed him as he looked at her in surprise.
"Wait, let me get this straight. You can go into war against Cobra, kicking the shit out of the lot of them but you faint in a little school play?"
"They didn't give me a gun," she quipped. "What, haven't you ever been scared over something you had no control over?"
"Sure," he answered.
"Oh really? When?" She asked skeptically.
"When I saw what Major Bludd did to you in Jeddah," he calmly replied with a flash of anguish in his eyes, "When I saw how goddamn close I was to losing you before I - It wasn't the same as seeing any of my other soldiers hurt on a mission and it scared the holy hell out of me." Now it was Scarlett's turn to look at him in surprise as his admission caught her slightly off guard. She still remembered Jeddah vividly, and how calm and collected he kept himself through her near demise - he knew her life depended on it.
"I'm not going anywhere. You won't let that happen, remember?" Scarlett laid her head on Duke's shoulder and stroked the top of his hand with hers then looked back up into his piercing blues. "Sing "Layla" for me again, the way you did in the club," she requested. Duke smiled and softly sang into her ear:
"What'll you do when you get lonely
And nobody's waiting by your side?
You've been running and hiding much too long.
You know it's just your foolish pride.
Shana, you've got me on my knees.
Shana, I'm begging, darling please.
Shana, darling won't you ease my worried mind."
Several hours later they were back home at headquarters.
*******************