Connor yawned and stretched his arms above his head, squinting against the sunlight pouring in through the window. He looked at Sara. She was curled up tightly against his side.

He carefully slipped off the sofa and pulled the blanket up over her shoulders, tucking it gently around her body. He placed a chaste kiss on her cheek and brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. With a sigh he recalled the events of the night. He hoped and prayed that he had done the right thing and that Sara would not hate him for it in the end…

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As soon as she kissed him the second time Connor felt his body respond eagerly. He pulled her tightly against his chest and buried his fingers in her hair, kissing her back. Easing her back onto the sofa he lay partially on top of her, not wanting to crush her with his weight. He ran his tongue along the curve of her bottom lip begging entrance to her mouth. Sara gave it to him, though somewhat hesitantly. Connor ran his tongue over her teeth and then brushed it against her own.

He let his right hand travel down the smooth line of her neck, across her shoulder and down her arm. Sara in turn let her hands wander across his shoulders and down his back, her fingers tracing heated paths and every single one making Connor even more addicted to her already intoxicating touch.

Connor placed his hand on her hip and was pushing one knee between her legs when she whimpered so quietly that he barely heard it. He froze and pulled away. Sara looked at him confused. He could see the desire that flooded her eyes, but beyond the desire there was fear. He released his hold on her and sat up, putting his feet back on the floor.

Sara propped herself up on her elbows. "What's the matter?"

"Ya don't want this."

"Yes I do."

"Not like this ya don't."

Hurt flickered across her face but was just as quickly replaced by anger. "So it's okay for you to kiss in the back seat of you car or on the dock…"

"That was mouth to mouth, and both times I was trying to protect and save ya."

"…but when I want something you push me away? As far I can tell Connor the only person I need to be protected from these days is you. Because where you go I can't help but follow. And when that happens trouble isn't far behind."

Connor closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "We've had a rough night, the both of us alright. And right now ya especially are tired, scared and confused." He looked at her again. "It's not that I don't want ya. But if we do this ya will hate me forever and I don't want that."

"And why should I believe you?"

"Because sex isn't love Sara." The force of his voice and the conviction that was behind his words gave Sara pause. "And only love can wipe out those painful memories. I sleep with you tonight and I will only make it worse." He made to stand but she grabbed his arm. "Sara…"

"Don't Connor." She looked tired again. "Just stay, please."

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And he had. At first he had only intended to stay until she fell back asleep. But the warmth of her body and the steady sound of her breathing had lulled him into his own slumber.

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Sara rolled over only to find the protective warmth of Connor gone. She sat up and blinked, running her hands across her weary face. Her brain felt extremely foggy. She couldn't quite remember everything that had happened.

She remembered dreaming about her rape, something that hadn't happened in months. She vaguely recalled hitting Connor in the face, though she couldn't be certain that that wasn't more dreaming. One thing she was certain of was the way she had thrown herself at him as he had tried to comfort her. She blushed as she thought of the shameless way she had acted. And to think she had been yelling at him for really kissing her in a rather fake situation just the day before. She pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her arms and forehead on them. "My life is so fucked up."

She recalled acutely how his mouth had felt and how his body had been reacting to the close proximity of hers, which is why it had surprised her when he had shoved her away. At first she had been hurt, who was he to reject her advances when it was obvious that he wanted her. She had yelled at him again, accused him of toying with her emotions and for being a selfish bastard. Once she had finished ranting he had calmly explained that it wasn't' that he didn't want her, it just wasn't a good idea given the circumstances. That she was tired and emotional, and obviously not thinking straight. And they were already on rocky ground with their relationship, whatever it was, and he wasn't going to do anything to make it worse, at least not if he could help it.

But he had promised to stay with her till she fell asleep again. Sara ran her finger over her lips. If that was what it could feel like without love, what did it feel like with?

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Author's Note: I am just on an updating roll here. But what can I say, I've got a week off from school, everybody has left, not much else to do but write. Aren't you a bunch of lucky readers!

Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Bit of a teaser…it is so tempting to want to resolve the whole Connor/Sara thing and have a happy ending. But that would be a cop out. Sides, they've know each other altogether for less than a week. And I am trying to be realistic. But at least now Sara can't deny there is chemistry between them. The only question left is whether or not it is good or bad… dum da dum dum… and don't worry, Smecker will be back. I don't like writing him as much, but I can't avoid the man forever.