Wind rushed around Cress as she was falling, her hair whipping violently at her face.

At first, it felt like forever until her brain grasped what was going on when gravity set in and the sky above her pulled away from her, fast, too fast.

Then panic set in.

Teleportation! She knew she could do it, she had to! She struggled to concentrate, every fibre of her being trying to pull itself up into the digital world where she was nothing but atoms.

No body to fall and break and die.

She knew she was screaming but couldn't hear herself, only the rush of blood in her ears and she knew that the ground behind her was coming closer. Already she had passed too many windows, too many floors, it was only a matter of time-

-her mind pulled and strained, every atom in her body trying to become nothing more than a wavelength just in time-

-she landed on something solid and gave another yelp that even she could hear. Arms enclosed her legs and back and suddenly, she was soaring, back into the sky.

She breathed heavily, her hands gripping at leather, as she saw the ground below her pulling further and further away.

It had been so close. One or two more seconds and she ...

Her fingers still dug into shoulders and arms and for a second, she thought it was Wolf who had come to her rescue again. But then she saw the star emblem on one shoulder, the blue leather that was so unlike Wolf's black-and-grey superhero costume ... and he couldn't fly ...

As her eyes travelled up to a strong jaw, tight-set lips and a familiar mask-"Captain?!"

He turned to her with a grin. "Hey there, gorgeous."

Gorgeous?

It took Cress a second to realise he was talking to Cress. Not Satellite. Because he never called Satellite that.

"You know you didn't have to fall for me quite so literally." He winked at her before swerving around a building. "Such drastic measures just to get my attention." He laughed at his own joke but there was something tense in his voice.

Cress stared at his profile, unsure what to say. She was still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that Captain was saving her!

He had saved Satellite a few times, sure, but a random citizen? Was that a thing he did, without her knowing?

Was Captain a hero after all?

When Cress didn't say anything, he glanced at her again and despite the mask, she could detect a hint of worry on his features. "Hey, is everything alright? Are you hurt?" He stopped mid-air, checking her body for injuries. It didn't seem like he was feeling her up but he was still a bit too comfortable touching her body in her opinion.

She pushed one of his hands away. "I'm fine."

"I told you, fine is not a good th-" But whatever he tried to say was interrupted by a booming noise from the rooftop Cress had just been on.

In the distance, Cress could see a massive formless silhouette that grew in size.

If that was Jina, there was nothing remotely human-shaped about her anymore.

With a roar, the huge shape charged into the sky, twisting and turning like a sandstorm - and made directly for them.

Captain cursed and gripped Cress tighter to himself and flew, so fast wind was whipping at Cress's face until it was numb from the cold. He swerved around buildings, trying to outfly the sandstorm behind them that was steadily coming closer.

"Um ... miss? You might want to hold on, it might be a bit uncomfortable but I need to phase." He shot her an apologetic smile as he ducked with her into a dark and narrow alleyway. "Just keep a tight grip."

Cress knew what she had to expect from her last encounter with him as Satellite but that didn't stop her stomach from dropping as he phased himself and took her with him as they flew through one solid wall after another to cross buildings.

She grabbed tightly at his shoulders but there were no shoulders and she had no fingers. She only saw their faint outline.

On and on they flew through walls and zig-zagged through alleyways and streets. Captain faked a few turns but still behind them, Cress could see the vast sand mass that started to engulf the district. The sandstorm didn't need to twist and turn, just moving like a wave over and around everything that was in its way. People and cars were swallowed and Cress could hear muffled screams and the crashing of cars. Sirens blared up everywhere.

But as long as she was Cress, she couldn't do anything. She wasn't even sure she could do something as Satellite.

Cress's stomach churned and nausea set in whenever Captain phased them, slow at first and then in quick succession. Corporeal, incorporeal started to blur together and confounded her senses.

Captain cursed. "That thing is everywhere."

He dropped towards the ground and phased right through it. No light and no noise reached them for a few agonising seconds until they reached an underground station. People were staring as Captain landed on his knees on a platform between the tracks, panting a little and readjusted his grip on Cress.

"Look, it's Captain!"

"He's kidnapping a woman!"

"Help her!"

Cress gave a panicked laugh. The one time Captain did something heroic and people assumed he kidnapped her.

"I'm glad one of us is finding it funny," he said but he sounded more exasperated than mad.

Someone screamed and Cress saw sand trickling down the stairs, first bit by bit and then a torrent that buried people. Captain raced towards the other stairwell but this one was now blocked too.

With sand pouring in from both exits, Captain started to float and kick at the sand but they were trapped even from above when sand trickled through the ventilation system. The screeching of an outgoing train told her that even the tunnel would be blocked but Captain ran towards the edge of the platform anyway, phased and pushed himself into the wagon with so much force it slammed the both of them against the wall. Captain, who took the brunt of it, grunted in pain. Passengers ran at the windows, pointing and screaming until the whole train was engulfed in sand and darkness.

Not even waiting one second, Captain fixed his grip on Cress, pulled himself up and ran in the direction of the driver's cabin. He jumped and phased from one wagon to the other but even those gaps were slowly getting blocked. In the next wagon, the whole train started to shake.

"She's going to uplift the train!" Cress yelled, her arms gripping tightly around his neck.

The wagon bumped and shook dangerously and the sound of metal screeching against the concrete walls was almost deafening as the train was ripped off its tracks. Captain stumbled and plummeted through the wagon, smashing into a row of seats but he didn't lose his grip on Cress for one second.

The ceiling broke and sand poured in, so fast it already engulfed Captain's knees before he could right himself. With some effort, he phased the both of them again and moved them through the mass of sand and through the roof of the tunnel. They broke through the concrete into what looked look like a lobby but Captain didn't stop, he went up and up until even Cress lost all sense of direction.

He finally stopped at the high point of a skyscraper, its abstract architecture allowing for a secluded spot on the facade.

Captain peered down carefully and Cress could see the vast extension of destruction Jina had left behind. Upturned cars and busses, broken lights and smashed in windows.

With a sigh that was both relief and exhaustion, Captain gently let Cress down with an apologetic squeeze of her hand. "Just one second. I think we're safe for now."

Cress slumped down the platform, careful not to slip on the smooth metal. They were far from safe, but Cress could see that Captain needed a break. The face below his mask was slick with sweat and he was breathing heavily.

All because he was trying to save her. And she couldn't even fathom why.

He turned to her as if he had felt her eyes on him.

"T-thank you," she stuttered, not sure what else to say and trying to fill the silence. "For saving me."

With a few steady steps he came towards her and knelt in front of her, as he took her in. "My pleasure." his voice was soft and low and so unlike Captain that it almost reminded her of someone else. Then he broke out in a grin. "It would be a shame not to rescue a pretty lady with such fantastic legs after all," he said with an appreciative glance to her legs.

Cress gaped at him. Was Captain ... flirting with her?! "I'm married," she said automatically, at loss what else to say.

He just gave a happy sigh. "Lucky guy." Then he turned serious. "You're hurt."

Cress saw what he meant even in the dim light. Her bare legs were cut and bruised and, holding up her arms, she saw that they didn't fare any better. a particularly deep gash left her left leg bloody. The dress she wore hadn't offered any protection. "It's okay. I'm not in pain."

"Probably because of the adrenaline." He reached out for one of the worse cuts on her shin but retracted his hand as if he thought better of it. "I'm sorry, I-," he broke off. Took a deep breath. "Miss-I ..."

"Cress." She had revealed her name without any hesitation but maybe that hadn't been smart. He was a thief after all and if by chance he figured out she was Satellite ... And still, "That's my name."

"Nice to meet you. Cress." He grinned and offered her his hand. She shook it, the whole scenario too bizarre for words. "A beautiful name for a beautiful woman."

Blood rushed into Cress's cheeks. Captain was flirting with her, she realised with a start.

He had never acted that way around Satellite. She remembered the first time they met in Beijing, he had mentioned her legs but when she gave him one of her infamous speeches, he had just given her an unimpressed glance and had said, "Never mind."

But this Captain was ... kinda into her? Into Cress?

She looked away, flustered.

Sirens and screams could be heard from below, the peacefulness that Cress had felt on the rooftop before long gone. "You can go and help other people, I can stay here," she offered. If Captain left, she could later join him as Satellite and maybe, together they could find a way to defeat Jina, who was still down there wreaking havoc just to find her.

Satellite and Captain working together - she would have previously laughed at the thought, but he had proven himself to be amazing at saving her.

"I'll stay with you," he said without hesitation, wiping some sweat off his face. His breath was steady again, though. Lunar stamina, Cress knew; it was the same for her.

"But there are people down there who need your help." Even from up here she could see them running through the streets, looking small and helpless. "I'll be fine."

"No. I'll figure out a way to get you to safety. I just need to make sure I can shake off whatever it is-"

"Captain! I'm just one person, there are hundreds or thousands who need you right now!"

There was a long pause. He was still kneeling close to her but his mask and the darkness of the night made it impossible for her to even guess at his emotions.

"There are heroes for that," he finally said.

"You could be a hero," she whispered.

There was a short silence before Captain gave a shaky laugh. "You're not the first person to tell me that."

But she was. Because the other person who had told him that? Satellite. So Cress would know a thing or two about that. Captain couldn't know that, of course, so she didn't argue.

He reached for her shoulder but she turned away and he let his hand drop awkwardly. "Listen, Cress-"

"Captain, please. Those people need help and you can do it. You have unbelievable powers if only you would use them for good. Please! My husband, he's somewhere too and-" She didn't even want to imagine what Thorne must be going through right now. They were in a completely different part of the city than the gallery and Jina had followed them here immediately, so Cress knew -hoped- that he was safe. But he was probably looking for her and if he couldn't find her anywhere- "Please, Captain."

"No," he said, firmly. "That thing is after you. It doesn't care for anyone else, it just wants to find and hurt you. And I think now is the time to tell me why."

His voice was raw with emotion and it was enough to scare her a little.

She couldn't tell him the truth. Then he would know she was Satellite.

So lies and secrets it was.

And that was something she had become quite adept at.

"The company I worked for- There was a leak somewhere and"-she took a deep breath and started again-" I work in IT. I was consulted by a company because they were trying to figure out who was leaking confidential information. It was her. Jina Ciir."

Thorne stood up and started pacing, his posture straight. It reminded Cress of a soldier and for the first time his alias Captain felt fitting. "And she figured out you exposed her." It wasn't a question.

Cress nodded. "I was careful not to leave any traces but ..." Wringing her hands, she added a bit of truth. "I didn't imagine she could be a Lunar."

"We keep our identities hidden. Heroes, thieves, psychotic sand monsters." He walked to the edge of the platform, surveying the city. "Does anyone else know about this? The police? Your husband?" He asked, a little bit strained.

Cress shook her head. "I couldn't. She blackmailed me, she told me she would come for Tho- my husband."

"So what was your plan?"

As Satellite, Cress would have tried to hide the fact that she really didn't have a plan. As Cress, she had little to lose and could be honest in this at least. She shrugged. "Tell my husband to run away with me?"

There was a short pause. Then he nodded. "Fair enough."

Cress studied what she could see of Captain. Tall and lean, he was a dark silhouette against the city lights. Mysterious, even.

"Captain?"

He didn't answer for a long time. Finally, he turned back and there was a boyish grin on his face. "I always wanted to save a damsel in distress." When Cress scowled, he held up his hands appeasingly. "Okay, no damsel then. But Miss Sandstorm is after you. If I can get you to safety, somewhere where she can't find you, it will buy us some time."

He seemed so sure but Cress knew that as long as Jina was out there to get here, she would never be safe. "What about all those other people? Will you help them too?"

"Cress, I'm sorry I can't."

She crossed her arms over her chest, turning slightly away from him. "Then I won't come with you."

He drew back with an exasperated gasp. "How do you expect me to defeat"-he made a broad gesture towards the ground where remnants of Jina's destruction were evident-"whatever it is that Lunar can turn into? I can evade her, I can get you away from her but there's no way to fight against something that has no form. Believe me I should know a thing or two about that."

He was their only hope. At least he could evade her. Jina couldn't harm him the way she could harm Satellite. It had to be Captain who had to save the day. "Please, Captain," she told him, her eyes trying to find his beneath the mask. "Please."

Her hand found his gloved one.

He gulped. Opened his mouth to say something but then thought better of it. Finally ... "I'll ... see what I can do. No promises though," he quickly added when she gave him a winning smile. "I just can't win with you," he muttered to himself.

"What?"

He cleared his throat before opening his arms. "I assume your poor husband doesn't stand a chance against you if you really want something, does he?"

He sounded amused so Cress decided to humour him. "He said no to a puppy." She stepped into his arms and once second later, he swooped her up, careful, as if he held something priceless.

Captain laughed. "And you're still with him? You should ditch him if you ask me."

"Maybe." She tried to not be awkward as she placed her arms around his neck. "He wants a kitten."

"I'm with your husband. Team Kitten all the way."

He gracefully jumped off the ledge with a confidence of someone who knew that the fall of a skyscraper posed no danger.

As Satellite, Cress could jump from rooftop to rooftop too, but this was something else. This was flying.

It was still cold and dark, and the circumstances might not be ideal, but the flying was pretty amazing now that that they weren't running for their lives. The glittering skyline took her breath away and Cress, not for the first time, envied Captain a little for his superpowers.

She wondered if he ever took other girls with him. It was a silly thought but Captain did have a huge female fanbase. Even Thorne knew as much. It wouldn't surprise her if Captain took advantage of that from time to time.

With a glance at Captain, Cress had to admit he looked far from romantic right now. He flew slow but steady, always eyeing his environment for any hint of Jina.

"Where will you take me?"

"Home." He faltered. "To your home, I mean. In which case I'd need the address," he quickly added.

"I think not," Cress objected. "You're still a thief." If he knew where she lived there was no stopping him if he ever decided to rob her.

Captain chuckled. "Ah, true. Too bad I'll miss out on your priceless valuables. Stacks of old magazines and a Flounder cup, probably. Why do I even bother with museums?" His wistful sigh was obviously sarcastic.

It was a Tinkerbell cup but it was still suspiciously close. She kept silent when he still gave a her a smug grin.

"Jina probably knows where I live anyway," Cress pointed out.

He turned serious. "You're right. Where would you be safe?" He wondered. "I'll drop you off in a hotel room. Jina won't know where you are so that will buy us some time."

"But I have no money."

Captain groaned. "Cress, please. I'll phase into some empty room. Any wishes? Five stars, whirlpool, satin sheets?"

Cress drew in a sharp breath. "That's-"

"-illegal. Don't care. You'll hide there for a few hours. No objections," he stated firmly when she tried to say something. "This is not the time to be picky about morals."

Of course, he would say that. She pursed her lips and didn't argue.

"Oh come on, don't pout. Really, I envy you. I'll pick the very best hote-"

Captain didn't finish what he was about to say as the both of them were suddenly engulfed into a whirlwind of sand.

A/N: That was basically my favourite chapter to write (the Cress/Captain dynamic was something I wanted to explore from the beginning so here we are), however, I need to announce that all my fics will be on hiatus starting now. I got more responsibilites at work and while I'm still in home office, I don't have as much free time as I had before. And after eight hours working on my laptop, I just don't have the energy to spend more time in front of the screen to write. I hope you understand but I need a break. Not saying I won't write or update anymore but it helps me if I don't feel pressured to do so atm, when other thinks like work take precedence.

But please, review. I hope you're liking the chapter just as much as I do. Sometimes when I'm down on my writing, I reread all your nice comments and it honestly helps me to continue.