The air was tense, cold, and almost unmoving as the last words Meghan spoke bounced around inside of Ela's head. To say the words shook her to her very core would be an understatement, now she was furious. "You what? I'm sorry, to me, it sounded like you said that you, have known who was responsible for my father's death, and didn't tell me for god knows how long." She knew it was harsh, but she couldn't see past her fury for long enough to stop her outburst.

Meghan flinched and shrunk into herself slightly. She hated when she was right about things like this. "Ok, yes that is what I said, but hear me out El. I knew if I told you there was a large chance I would either get shut down, or you would blow up like this. I had to be sure before I told you. In my defense I didn't tell Zo anything either and she's the one who asked me to look into it." She could see that logic was returning to the slightly younger girl and she relaxed her stance.

Ela took a deep breath and released it slowly. Her eyes snapped to meet her favorite forest green pools, and as she searched them, she found nothing but raw honesty. "Ok then tell me what we're up against exactly," she paused and bit her lip, "and please promise me no more secrets." She was sheepish now. The SEAL always had that effect on her. The unyielding calm of the woman always makes Ela feel like an emotional idiot.

Meghan's heart skipped a beat in guilt and she cleared her throat, "I promise that as soon as we're stationed I'll tell you everything, but Six wants to keep this one on a need to know. I'm sorry, but it's the Director's orders." Her eyes were soft and she had finally dropped her hands from around her torso, and let her forehead relax. "Plus don't ladies love themselves a mystery. I can't tell you all my secrets or you might lose interest, then who is gonna keep me in line." She let a grin fill her face as she poked at Ela's known ticklish spot.

The action earned herself a fist to the chest and a light chuckle from the polish woman. "Shove off, dupek," she remarked couldn't stop her small laugh at the mock flirting. She looked at the american woman for a moment, suddenly becoming serious once more. "Ok, fine I can accept that. As soon as we are stationed you will tell me, even if you don't brief everyone else. Promise?"

"I promise Ela."

The green haired woman nodded and reached forward forcebly wrapping her pinky around the blondes. She smiled, brought her fist to her mouth still tangled with Meghan's, and kissed her own thumb. She looked at Valk expectantly who predictably tried to avoid her eyes. After a long moment she finally gave in, slouching her shoulders slightly with a huff she brought their hands to her mouth and kissed her own thumb as well. She could only hope that Ela didn't see her cheeks redden slightly like a little girl's.

When she pulled back and let her eyes meet Ela's face, the smile she found there was perfectly infectious. It broke a smile onto the blonde's face as well. It ran across her face in a slightly crooked line, but Elźbieta had never seen something so flawless. A strange feeling washed over the pol like a wave of her favorite flower petals. It drew her into the other woman like she was a mere asteroid caught in the shorter woman's orbit. Her gaze was lost in the orbs of perfect green, and she didn't feel herself getting closer until their noses brushed. Her eyes fluttered closed and her forehead dropped onto her partners. She wrapped her arms around the familiar sturdy shoulders of her friends. Her embrace was quickly returned with the other woman wrapping her arms around her waist and waiting.

For some reason her head was screaming at her. This somehow felt like it was wrong. It felt like she wanted something more, or like something important was missing. She opened her eyes and found Meghan studying her features silently, simply waiting for the woman to make the next move. She leaned forward once more, her lips, in the most feather like of touches, grazed across the sailors cheek.

Then she pulled away. "I think I'm gonna sleep in here tonight," she said leaving the still dazed woman standing stock still, her hand touching the place that Ela's lips had been previously. She chuckled, "Is that alright with you, Meghan?"

The blonde snapped to attention at the sound of the other woman saying her name. She dropped her hand, and finally moved into the room and closed the door behind her. "I said that I'm going to sleep in here if that is ok with you," Ela repeated. Valk looked at the clock on her wall, "El, I know you love your sleep, but it's only 10. I mean, you're always welcome to sleep here, you know that, but why now?"

Ela punched her in the shoulder, "Not now idiot, but later. Right now we should go into town and get food. I'm starving and I didn't eat this morning." She was glad the other woman didn't decline her sleeping there. She didn't want to admit it, but sometimes she feared Meghan would get angry at her "emotional outbursts". She always tried to find clues to it after they would argue, but she could never find any proof.

Valkyrie smiled, "In other words, you want me to take us into town and buy you food."

"Duh, I'm glad you know me so well."

Meghan laughed, "Alright. Are you ready to go or do you want to go change and meet me in the garage?"

Ela looked down at her uniform and scowled, "I'm going to go change," she said.

"Ok. I'm just gonna throw on some jeans, and then I'll grab Synthia."

Ela shook her head at the terrible name, and made her way to the door. "Must you refer to your car by that name all the time?"

Meghan walked over to her dresser to find a pair of jeans to wear. "Yes. Yes, I must." Ela just shut the door in response.

Meghan found a pair of black, form fitting jeans and quickly changed into them. She quickly tied her hair up in a ponytail, slipped on her glasses, and grabbed her car keys from the bowl she kept on a little table near her door. She looked around the room once, patted all of her pockets to make sure she had everything, then she shut the door and left.

The garage was attached to the barracks, along with the all of the offices for the various desk bound members of team rainbow. It didn't take her long to walk to the covered parking lot and find her precious Synthia. The black 86' Jeep Wrangler was the car she got from her dad for her 16th birthday. When she had first received it she had hated the thing. It was old, rusty, and looked like it was fresh out of a junkyard. They used to work on it together whenever they got the time. Slowly it became the best damn car she had ever had.

She climbed into the driver's seat, the 4 inch lift making it slightly harder for her shorter stature. She pushed in the clutch and brake, gave the key a turn and the engine roared to life. The sound it made, more akin to that of an old corvette. The v8 engine, and custom exhaust they had swapped onto it letting everyone know that Synthia wasn't an ordinary Jeep.

Just as she was putting her into first gear to pull her out of the parking spot, a familiar head of green appeared to her right. The door was pulled open and Ela hoped in with ease. The polish woman loved her best friend's car. Always telling the american that it "was quite the panty dropper". The inside was all black with tan accents, fitting the naval woman's aesthetic very well.

After Ela had buckled herself in, Meghan put the car in gear and was pulling away from the base. They talked about everything and nothing for the hour it took to drive to the nearest town. The streets of rural England were fairly vacant, and they made good time.

When they entered the town Meghan broke their mindless chatter, "What do you feel like eating? The diner is always an option, or that pizza place."

Ela thought for a moment, "Is the diner ok with you? I don't think I can eat pizza this early in the day."

Meghan frowned a bit, "Yea the diner sounds great, but don't you ever say pizza isn't good for breakfast. What kind of human are you?"

Ela rolled her eyes. They have had this discussion many times. "Meghan, kochanie, for the last time I'd like to keep my figure."

Meghan let out a laugh that shook her entire body, "Oh, are you saying I don't have a nice figure," she jested, flexing her left arm to show her companion the tight muscles beneath her sleeve.

Ela didn't know why, but her stomach flipped and her cheeks reddened at the gesture. "You know that's not what I meant. Will you please just drive us to the diner," she asked and looked away from the giggling woman.

A few minutes later Meghan pulled Synthia into a rundown little building with old brick walls and large front windows. You could see people sitting at the booths smiling and talking to each other. The parking lot was a little worse for wear, but the SEAL had no problem taking the jeep right over the many potholes to park. Once she came to a stop and cut the engine Ela hopped out onto the uneven pavement.

Meghan took a second to admire the rare sight of Ela wearing something other than her GROM uniform. The taller woman was sporting a white low-cut shirt, tucked into a short, high waisted, black skirt. Her perfectly shaped legs were covered by knee high, black socks, that led into her black combat boots. She had a very familiar looking leather jacket slung across her shoulders. Her head was bare of its typical covering, letting the green hair fall free and frame her face.

The SEAL hopped out and walked around the vehicle to join her friend, "Is that my jacket," she asked humorously as they made their way upto the door of the small building.

"Does it matter if it is?"

The blonde just reached to open the door for her, "I guess not," Ela walked passed her and she followed closely behind her. The diner was busy, but not necessarily loud. There was soft american oldies music coming from the jukebox in the corner, and a couple quiet conversations. Just enough to make the place feel homey.

A couple of patrons turned at the sound of the doors overhead bell, and a large woman with greying red hair, smiled wide at the pair. "Hello girls! How are you both today? I feel like it's been forever," the happy woman asked. Her eyes were filled with unspoken questions, but she kept them to herself in favor of walking over and enveloping Ela in a hug. The woman was originally from america, but moved to england after her husband died. She opened this small diner where she cooks anything from creole to homestyle english. If you want it and she has the ingredients, she can probably make it better than your grandmother used to.

Valk had stumbled across this place early on in her rainbow days, when she used to actually support the russians drinking habits. She had thrown up in the bathroom and the woman helped clean her up then cooked her a fresh plate of a fried italian style sausage and eggs. It sobered her up and left her feeling great the next morning. She had made this her place to think shortly after that, and when Ela joined team rainbow it only made sense to show her, her favorite place to eat. Now the woman was closer to an aunt to both of them than anything else.

The woman enveloped the blonde as well, and just as she was releasing her the door to the kitchen was pushed open to reveal a lightly tanned woman that appeared to be around 30 with long black curly hair, and the same hazel eyes as the shop woman. "Seal is that you?!?" the woman said in her booming voice. She dropped the tray she was carrying on a table and rushed over with her arms outstretched. "Where have you been? I haven't seen you in months," she hugs Meagan and sees the green haired woman standing behind her. She released the blonde and rushed to Ela hugging her and smiled widely. "And you missy I haven't seen in longer."

"It's only been a couple of weeks Noelle," she responded, hugging the woman that had become much like a sister to her.

After the round of hugs and pleasantries the two women went back to serving the other patrons in the diner, while the two operators took their typical booth in the farthest corner from the door. The booth was in the coldest part of the restaurant by the freezer and bathrooms. Ela shivered slightly and the SEAL chuckled at her as they waited for one of the women to take their order. They haven't used a menu since the first time Ela came, always just knowing they are able to order whatever they want and Heather would be able to whip up something at least similar. The woman was always happy to spoil the two knowing exactly what it was like to be in the military with no access to a good home cooked meal from your home country. She had even picked up a couple of Ela's favorite dishes from her home country. The first time the eldarly woman set a bowl of rosół in front of her, she squealed in delight.

Once the women had ordered their food they ate in relative silence. They enjoyed the normal sounds of the diner around them. Noelle and Heather came over to sit with them at one point to finish catching up. They talked for about half an hour before the diner owners had some new customers walk in. After they left to attend the newcomers, Meagan and Ela ate in silence for another couple of minutes before the SEAL dropped a random amount of cash on the table and stood to leave. Ela stood and followed her companion out of the door and back towards the jeep.

The sun was now high in the sky and it had warmed up quite a bit. As they walked across the uneven parking lot Ela shed her jacket and tilted her head up toward the sun exposing the long lines of her neck. Meagan just watched as the pol closed her eyes and just took a moment to enjoy the warm weather. Once they reached synthia Ela threw the jacket in the back seat and hopped in. Meagan started her up and pulled back onto the road. She looked over to Ela, "Anything else you need, your highness?"

The green haired woman laughed lightly. "I mean I could always stop by our place if you're up for it," she said smiling widely at the blonde.

"Sounds good to me." Meghan stated as she turned down a dirt road and into the forest. They drove on this road for about 30 minutes before they reached a point where they couldn't drive any further. She pulls the jeep off to the side and cuts the engine she looks over to the polish woman, but she had already opened the door and was hopping out of the jeep. Meghan got out and went to the boot of the car to grab a backpack she had with emergency stuff just in case, a blanket, and 2 towels. She looked over at the taller woman, "Ready?" Ela nodded, but didn't say anything

There was a slight path worn into the ground in front of them from other people who like to hike in the area. The girls, however, don't take this path, they simply head into the woods to the left of it and use their memories as guides. As they walk for a bit, searching for the pond that they call "their place" Meghan notices Ela's silence. The girls often like to just sit silently in each other's company, but something told her this wasn't one of those times, and as she looked over her best friend she could almost physically see the confirmation of that thought. Ela was staring off ahead of them with a very distant look in her eyes. Meghan waited not wanting to push too hard, knowing that it was always better to let Ela blow off steam when she's ready than to force her. So she kept walking and watching.

As Meghan watched her, Ela's mind was in the process of completely shutting down. Now that she was away from prying eyes and ears, her thoughts raced at the speed of light. As she thought about the upcoming mission, the secrets that were kept from her, and who kept them, she started to spiral very quickly. She made it 's of the way to their destination before she stopped and grabbed Meghan's hand. She looks down at the shorter sailor with the same blank expression she had for the rest of the walk. She opens her mouth to say something, but before she can say anything Meghan shakes her head, "We are almost there El," she says gently, "we can talk as soon as we get there ok?" She nodded in response, but held onto the blonde's hand as the SEAL led them the rest of the way.

About 3 minutes later they made their way to a little cut out in the trees where they stopped on a little patch of mossy grass. The trees surrounded them in a way that made it feel as though they were the only people on the planet but spaced enough to let the sun beat down overhead, kissing the top of a little stream that gently trickled down into a 4ft deep pond that took up the rest of the clearing they were not currently standing on. Without saying anything the sailor lays out the blanket and sets the backpack on top of it. She looks over at Ela who hadn't moved at all, just stood there and watched. Knowing that she was probably still lost in thought and not even looking at her really, so again she decided to wait and began taking her clothes off.

An odd, yet familiar heat rose to the polish woman's cheeks without her control. And as her eyes roam up and down the tight muscles of the blonde she realizes that she's staring and she quickly recollects herself. Ela shook her head and slowly followed suit, removing her clothes and setting them off to the side in a neat folded pile next to the sailor's. Her mind traveled back to her father and his supposed killer.

By this time Meghan had completely stripped down to her skivvies and had begun climbing into the small pond. She settles into the water, her muscles relax and her head falls back. She closes her eyes and waits for Ela to join her. After a few moments and nothing happens She opens her eyes letting them settle on the polish woman, who was now down to just her underwear as well. As she looks over the other woman she can see her working her way through her thoughts

"Why didn't you tell me sooner? You're my best friend and this has nothing to do with anyone, but me a Zo. So why?" She stated it all with a broken whimper and the swimmer could tell she was close to breaking down. This wouldn't be like the one they had already worked through that day, however. She knew this break wouldn't be an angry or loud break.

"Ela. I told you already, I wanted to confirm my speculation before I could just tell you that you father had been killed by terrorists." She said it as gently as possible, but she could still see Ela flinch at the word 'terrorists'.

The polish woman could feel herself losing it. She hates it when she gets like this. The bosak tempest could look a hurricane in the face without a single blink of an eye, but as she listens to her best friend's lie she begins to completely fall apart. She shrinks in on herself, her arms wrap tightly around her body and her eyes begin to fill with tears. "You're lying to me Meghan." she says with a broken sigh.

The SEAL immediately snaps to attention at the desperation and despair in the other's voice. She breaks on the inside. She knew this was a possibility, but she was trying really hard to avoid it. "El, I'm sorry. I…" she hesitates to come up with a good enough explanation. When nothing comes to mind she decides its best to just try the truth again. "I didn't know how to tell you Ela and I knew if I didn't do it right you either wouldn't believe me or you would blow up. I'm trying my best El. I'm sorry you feel as though I betrayed you."

Ela gazes at her SEAL and wonders why it hurts so much. She fully understands what Meghan is saying, but for some reason it feels as though the blonde ripped her heart from her chest. Her breathing started to pick up slightly and she could feel the tears stinging her eyes. She looked into the green eyes of her most treasured friend and let herself fall apart. "Why do I feel like this?" She asked almost childishly and the sailors immediately got out of the small pool and was embracing her before she finish.

"Shhhhh. El it's ok. Breathe. You gotta calm down. I'm sorry I hurt you." She held the polish woman with all of her might.

"Would you have told me if i wasn't assigned to the mission.. How are Zo and I even allowed to be on this mission? Six obviously knows that it has a personal interest to us." Ela pulled back from Meghan and looked at her.

"I told her that if you both weren't there I wouldn't lead the mission and told her I would take responsibility for anything that goes wrong involving this mission. Also you're one of our best UC ops. You don't exactly look like the military…" she was cut off by a hand raised in her face.

"Ok Meghan. I get it. You're avoiding the real question."

She hesitated. She had thought about not telling either of them, but Six had a long mission planned and she knew she could only hide from Ela for so long. "Yes of course I would've told you eventually." She was lying through her teeth and the moment she let the words slip she knew Ela called her bluff.

The polish woman simply scoffed, her desperation boiling over into anger. She couldn't believe the audacity of the other woman to look her in the eye and tell such a bald faced lie. She turned and began putting her clothes back on. She could hear the swimmer jump out of the water, but she couldn't find the energy to care. She simply put her clothes on and started walking back to the jeep.

"Ela c'mon, please don't do that. I'm sorry, ok. You're right I wasn't planning on telling you until it was over, but only because I didn't want to do this to you." The words were rushed and jumbled as she chased after her friend. Once she caught up she grabbed the taller woman's wrist and stopped. "Please look at me."

Ela couldn't move. She was furious. She seriously couldn't believe that after all of this time the blonde still felt the need to lie to her. She pulled her hand from Meghan's grip and finally looked at her. "You know its funny how much of a hypocrite you are."

The blonde flinched. She deserved that, but it didn't take the sting away at all. She sighed, "I know."

"Can we go back, I don't feel like being here anymore?" Ela stated quietly. Meghan simply nodded and turned around to go get her things.

When she returned, she was fully dressed once more and Ela was already waiting for her in the car. She silently got in and guided them back to Hertford base.

Hey guys!! First, I am so sorry for the forever wait. Second, I am so glad to be revisiting this story. Third, I might be rewriting the last chapters just to make them easier to read. Lastly, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. The next one should be up in the next couple of weeks, as I have already begun writing it. Thank you all for supporting this story. See you guys next time.