I was going to wait until the weekend to post this chapter, but what the hell, live dangerously right?!

This will start to get slightly more mature from here on out. Not too full on just yet though.

I don't own The Brave or any of it's characters... But I wish I did!

Chapter 6

In the very early hours of the morning, long before the sun was up, Dalton stirred in his sleep.

Before he even opened his eyes, he found himself warm, comfortable and feeling at peace. As he become slightly more aware of his surroundings and slowly blinked his eyes open, he noticed the long dark hair with an apple scent that his nose was buried in, followed by the small, warm body he was curled around.

Through his sleepy fog, he somehow managed to process that it was Jaz he was curled up to. He didn't know how it had happened, or when it had happened, but he did know that he was too comfortable at the moment to move. This could all be a dream after all, he was still half asleep and if this was a dream, he didn't want to wake up from it just yet.

It was too early to think too much into this, and with that thought, he pulled Jaz a bit closer, closed his eyes and drifted off back to sleep.

Jaz woke just as the sun was starting to rise.

It took her a few moments to blink her eyes awake and as she did, she was immediately aware of how content and comfortable she was feeling.

After a few more moments, she remembered why.

She was still in the same position that she had fallen asleep in, and Dalton's arm was still wrapped around her, clutching her to his hard chest. As she woke a little more and the morning fog cleared, she also became aware of another part of his anatomy, pressed up to her that was, uh… hard.

She had lived with men long enough to know that this was a normal morning occurrence, but Jaz's eyes still widened slightly, she felt a flush all over her body, and felt a stirring deep down within herself.

Jaz tried to ignore it and after laying there just a bit longer, she knew she should get back to her own room before Dalton woke up and this became awkward. Once again using her best ninja skills, she managed to slowly and carefully unwrap Dalton's arm from around her and slip out of the covers.

Jaz stopped momentarily to look at Dalton sleeping. He was breathing deeply and a wave of appreciation for this beautiful man washed over her. How she got so lucky to have Adam Dalton in her life, she didn't know, but she was extremely thankful for him.

With that, she crept out of his room and back into her own. She knew she wouldn't go back to sleep so decided to have a shower and start the coffee and breakfast. Dalton didn't sleep late, so she knew he would be stirring with the next hour.

The smell of bacon cooking is what woke Dalton up an hour later. As he once again blinked his eyes slowly open, he vaguely remembered being curled around a warm body.

Or had that been a dream?

He spent the next minute just lying there and waking up properly, trying to determine if it had been a dream or reality. The bed was empty next to him, and he thought that maybe it had all been just wishful thinking. Then he turned his head to the side and the scent of apples wafted in the air. He leaned his head further over to the other side of the bed and smelt the pillow. Definitely apples. That was Jaz's shampoo.

It hadn't been a dream.

He didn't remember her getting into bed with him, or getting out of bed, but he now knew the recollection he had of her being there, wrapped in his arms was real.

Dalton thought it over for a couple of minutes. Jaz had obviously snuck out before he woke, purposely. He wouldn't ask her about it for now because he didn't want to embarrass her. He'll just see how it played out.

For now, the smell of bacon was making his stomach growl, so he threw a t-shirt on and headed out to the kitchen.

"Morning. You're up early, couldn't sleep?" Dalton couldn't resist asking.

Jaz looked up from the bacon she was frying, before quickly looking down again "I actually slept really well."

Dalton waited to see if she added anything else. When she didn't he continued, "Good, I'm glad."

Jaz didn't respond, she engrossed herself in cooking the bacon instead. Just as she was having an internal battle, trying to decide whether to confess where she spent the night or not, both of their phones buzzed on the kitchen table.

It was Amir on their group chat and Jaz had never been so grateful to him.

Jaz plated up their breakfast, along with two cups of coffee before checking her phone and seeing the conversation that had already started.

Flying back to DC in two days :)– Amir

Your cook give you some new recipes?– McG

Yes, actually – Amir

Shot gun being the first to try them - McG

Jaz and Dalton both silently shook their heads at McG's message.

Pig – Jaz

I doubt it, Amir doesn't eat pork, Jazzy ;) – McG

Jaz rolled her eyes and Dalton looked up and grinned at her.

Dick – Jaz

I miss you too - McG

Actually, Top might be first to try them, if he doesn't mind me stopping by in a week or so - Amir

Dalton and Jaz looked up at each other when they read that. The others didn't know that Jaz was also in The Blue Ridge Mountains yet.

Dalton raised his eyebrows at Jaz and she just shrugged her shoulders. He still had no idea how long Jaz was going to be at the cabin, and he had encouraged the others to come and visit.

They didn't have anything to hide. Did they?

Jaz spoke first, "Amir should come, he'd love it out here, and you've got the room."

"You'll still be here then?" Dalton broached.

"Oh, I'm definitely going to hang around for his cooking, just to rub it in McG's face." Jaz smirked, then continued, "If that's ok?"

"I said you could stay for as long as you want, I meant it, but you can tell them that you're here."

Jaz waved her phone at him, "Already on it."

You're on the couch, I already set up camp in the second bedroom–Jaz

Wait, there's two bedrooms? I thought it was rustic?–McG

Jaz held up her hands to Dalton, and he just rolled his eyes. Apparently they all assumed their mountain man lived in some sort of a cave.

Hang on, Jaz you're at the cabin? – McG

Yeah, Patton missed me – Jaz

Sure it's ok, Top? – Amir

The more the merrier – Dalton

I'm feeling left out, I need to get myself over there – McG

Your Mom sick of you already? – Jaz

Never. Jaz you're really in the mountains? – McG

Jaz glanced up at Dalton quickly, who had resumed eating his breakfast. She sent one of the selfie's of the two of them that she had taken the day before. He wouldn't mind… hopefully.

Emoji's and selfies? WTF, Top? – McG

Dalton checked his phone and just looked up at Jaz, "Really?" he asked dryly.

Jaz laughed out loud. Her deep throaty laughter. The kind of laughter that lights up her whole face and makes her eyes sparkle. The kind of laughter that Dalton can't look away from. If sending emoji's and taking selfies can make her this happy, he will gladly continue doing so.

Whatevs– Top

Holy fuck, you've lost it! – McG

And that made both Jaz and Dalton really lose it, both of them laughing almost uncontrollably, while still sitting surrounded by their half-eaten breakfast. McG was so easy to tease, part of the reason they loved him so much.

They were finally able to calm themselves down, and Dalton told Amir just to keep him updated with his plans. As he was clearing the breakfast plates away, Dalton once again thought about Jaz sleeping in his bed. Neither of them had acknowledged it, Jaz still didn't know that Dalton knew, and that's the way he was going to leave it for now. Just play it out and see what happens. But remembering how she felt in his arms… that was something his mind couldn't let go of just yet.

Dalton felt his phone buzz in his pocket. When he checked, it was a message just to him.

Nice selfie ;) – Preach

Oh boy, he was never going to live this one down.

It was shaping up to be a hot and humid day. Dalton spent an hour clearing a lot of dried leaves and branches away from the cabin, while Jaz played with Patton and tested out the new commands Top had taught him.

She was impressed. Patton could actually sit, drop, roll and shake hands. Of course he liked a treat after every command, but at least Dalton had actually managed to get somewhere with him.

Dalton kept looking over at the two of them. He couldn't deny that he really liked having the both of them there.

Once he was finished clearing, he went and sat down next to Jaz and asked her what she wanted to do that day. "We could go and do some fishing like you asked? Or we could leave that for another day and I could show you this waterhole not too far away..?"

"Is the waterhole safe for swimming? That seems perfect for a day like today." Jaz turned towards him and asked.

"Did you bring something to swim in?" Dalton questioned.

Jaz just looked at him before raising her eyebrows and smiling slightly, "Maybe." And with that she headed inside to get changed and ready to go.

Dalton sat there puzzled for a second. Did Jaz just flirt with him? He had no idea, so he just shook his head and went inside to get some stuff together.

He gathered his swimming gear, towels, a book, sunscreen, bug spray, drinks and some food for lunch.

Jaz came out of her room dressed in a tank top & denim shorts. She had also packed a book and her phone of course to take some photos.

It was about a half an hour walk to the waterhole. Patton trotted along next to them as they walked the dirt track. Dalton continued to point things out to Jaz along the way, and once again she snapped away on her phone, taking loads of pictures of flowers, trees and bugs. Big bugs!

Her best photo though, was when they rounded the last corner and there in front of them was a large, inviting waterhole, with not another person in sight. Its water shimmered a deep blue in colour and it was surrounded by large rocks and a smaller grassy area that was shaded from large overhanging rocks and trees.

Jaz stopped still from the sheer beauty of her surrounds and she took several photos before they set their gear down on the grass.

The heat had increased even more by then, and they were both eager to dive in.

Dalton was glad he had sunglasses on when Jaz took off her tank top and shorts. The black one piece that Jaz wore, clung to every curve of her body and accentuated her femininity in all the right areas. The areas that are all too often hidden under their army uniforms. He couldn't take his eyes off her, and as she applied sunscreen to her arms and legs, he knew he needed to get into that cold water… Now!

After stripping off his t-shirt and sunglasses, he ran towards the rocky edge of the water hole, turning to yell over his shoulder, "Last one in cooks dinner!" and then leapt off the side of a rock, bombing into the cool and refreshing water. It was a welcome relief for several reasons.

Jaz casually walked over to the same rocky section before chastising him "You don't play fair, and as if you'd let me use the barbeque anyway."

"Good point." Dalton grinned at her before Jaz very gracefully dived off the rock into the water and surfaced about a metre away from him.

They both heard another splash and turned around to see Patton had also jumped off the same rock and was swimming towards them.

"He swims too?" Jaz asked, laughing as Patton approached them.

"Told you he'd learnt a few new tricks." Dalton gave Patton a big scratch, before pointing the dog in the direction of the grassed area that he would be able to climb out of.

The water felt like heaven for the both of them after the hot and sweaty walk in the heat. They both lay on their backs and let their bodies float, buoyed by the water.

Jaz let the calmness of the water wash over her. Lying there, she knew she had made the right decision to leave New York behind her. This part of the country was beautiful, and didn't hold any bad memories for her. She should've known better than to ever go back to New York. A part of her was angry that she had wasted ten days of her leave in the city, but that couldn't be changed now. For now, she was just going to enjoy her current surroundings and play it day by day.

As she closed her eyes still lost in thought, she felt a splash of water cover her face. She pulled herself up, spluttering and coughing away the water and caught Dalton laughing, clearly amused at his own actions. Just as she cleared the last bits of water from her eyes, he splashed her again.

"Right, that's it!" Jaz exclaimed as she quickly made her way to him through the water.

Dalton tried to get away, but Jaz's small figure was fast through the water and she lunged at him, grabbed on to his shoulders and tried to dunk him.

While Jaz was fast and strong, her strength didn't compare to his. He twisted when he felt her hands on his shoulders so that he was facing her and managed to dunk her under the water instead.

She came up spluttering once again, wiping the water from her eyes and since she couldn't touch the bottom at this depth, she treaded water and blindly reached out for something to hold on to while clearing her eyes. It took her a few more seconds to realise that she had grabbed onto Dalton's shoulders.

He quickly put an arm around her waist to steady her as he was tall enough to stand at this point.

"Sorry." He tried to say while holding his laughter back.

"No you're not." Jaz managed to splutter and he laughed out loud in agreeance.

As Jaz managed to stop coughing and Dalton stopped laughing, they both realised how close in proximity they were. Both of Jaz's hands were still on Dalton's shoulders and they were now face to face, looking into each other's eyes.

They held each other's gaze for a long moment and Jaz couldn't resist glancing down quickly at his lips. That full bottom lip of his that she had thought about more than once, that she often watched while he talked, was tantalisingly close. She wondered what it would feel like on her lips. Wondered if it would be soft like his beard.

While she was still looking at his lips, Dalton took a moment to appreciate how close their bodies were. Jaz still couldn't touch the bottom so his arm was still around her waist with his hand resting firmly on her lower back. Her whole body was pressed up against him. Her breasts were flattened against his chest and her hips were pressed up against his. Dalton could feel the stirrings in his groin that he had tried to escape only minutes before.

When Jaz looked back up into his eyes, he could see the same desire reflected in her own. Having her this close to him, particularly in that swimsuit had all sorts of scenarios playing out in his head. It would be so easy to lean forward and capture her lips with his. It's what he wanted to do. He wants to know how she tastes.

They both had an internal battle going on, whilst not taking their eyes off each other. They were both very aware of the line they weren't supposed to cross, but they were both struggling with their want for each other.

Jaz leaned a fraction closer to him and whispered slowly, "We can't do this…" she paused slightly to look down at his lips again, "… can we?"

Dalton's chest was heaving, and his hand on her lower back pressed her fractionally closer to him. She was close enough to feel the stirrings of his groin against her hips, and she remembered feeling him pressed up against her back when she woke up in bed this morning. She desperately wanted to press back against him to satisfy the ache within herself.

Looking deep into Jaz's eyes, and trying to think rationally at the same time was proving extremely difficult. He wanted to kiss her so badly. He wanted to do so much more than kiss her. They had been close before, but never this close and it would be so easy to give in to this.

He moved even closer, now looking down at Jaz's lips and opened his mouth to answer her, "We… UGH!"

All of a sudden they were both covered in a massive splash of water! They broke apart and instinct had them searching for any threats, but they both saw Patton right next to them, looking very happy with himself having jumped off the same rock as earlier.

They couldn't help but laugh at Patton before looking at each other nervously.

"He sure has learnt some new tricks." Jaz tried to say light-heartedly, but not quite meeting Dalton's eyes.

"It would seem so." Dalton replied, noticing Jaz's slight discomfort, so he continued with, "Let's go and have some lunch, I packed beers too."

"A beer would be great!" Jaz exclaimed before swimming off towards the grassy area.

Dalton stayed in the water another couple of minutes, just until the remnants of their little interlude was back under control. He took some deep breaths and vowed just to carry on as normal. He didn't want Jaz running away on him. And if things got awkward, that's exactly what she would do.

They didn't speak much while they ate the chicken and salad Dalton had packed for lunch and enjoyed a nice cold beer. Both their minds were still on what had nearly happened in the water, and they were avoiding meeting each other's eyes.

Once they had finished, Jaz lay down on her towel to feign having a nap, but she actually ended up falling asleep, the heat having caught up with her.

Dalton opened his book and tried to read, but his eyes kept getting pulled back to Jaz, as if she were magnetic. He could hear her slow steady breaths and knew she had fallen sleep. He was slightly relieved and took the opportunity to wonder what the hell had happened in the water.

He couldn't deny his attraction to her. His body's carnal reactions to her spoke for itself. But it was more than just a physical attraction. It always had been.

On their team, they had hit it off from day one. Their mutual respect for each other made working together a dream. Sure they disagreed sometimes, and Dalton appreciated that she wasn't afraid to tell him when she thought he was wrong. She had spunk. But they generally teamed up on operations because their ability to work in tandem instinctively was so seamless, so natural. He liked that she challenged him, but he also knew that she trusted him. And he trusted her implicitly.

But did he trust himself? Did he trust that he wouldn't cross that line with her? All he knew right now was that it was getting harder and harder… in more ways than one!

As he continued to watch her, his thoughts got side tracked a little as he started to notice her shaking her head from side to side. She was lying on her stomach with her arms folded up underneath her head like a pillow. The shaking of her head became more prominent and all of a sudden she let out a loud cry of "NO!" before waking violently and pushing herself up into a kneeling position.

Dalton shot over to her and kneeled in front of her, noticing the tears streaming down her cheeks and her body shaking violently with sobs.

'Jaz… hey, you're ok. I'm here, it was just a dream." He tried soothing her, but she continued to shake with the aftermath of the nightmare and his immense concern for her had him wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into his chest to try and calm her.

"I got you, I got you, you're alright." Dalton whispered over and over as one of his hands held on tight around her back, while the other calmly stroked her hair.

As he continued to hold her close, the shaking of her body began to slowly abate, and he felt her hands come up and cling to his back. He heard her ragged breathing start to even out and she visibly relaxed so her face was resting in the crook of his neck.

They stayed like that for a couple of minutes until Jaz's breathing was back to normal and her body's waves of convulsions had all but disappeared.

Once Dalton was satisfied that she had regained her composure he pulled back and placed both his hands on her cheeks. Her looked into her tear filled eyes and used his thumbs to gently wipe away the tracks of tears on her cheeks.

"Talk to me." He murmured softly to her, concern shining in his eyes.

Jaz knew she had to give him something. It was the third nightmare he had calmed her down from in just a couple of days and they were starting to take their toll on her.

"I – I… uh, I dreamt about Elijah, and you and Hossein all getting shot." She stammered, barely audibly.

Dalton kept his hands on her cheeks and questioned her "By the Quds?"

Jaz slowly shook her head, eyes lowering from his as she whispered, "No, by my father."

Dalton inhaled deeply, looking perfectly calm on the outside, but with a rage burning inside of him. As her Captain, he knew parts of her background that no one else on the team did, but he had absolutely no doubt that it went much deeper than what is actually in Jaz's file.

"Is he always in your nightmares?" Dalton probed, still keeping his voice very soft so as not to upset her even more.

"Not for years," Jaz answered, her eyes still lowered, "Not until I went back to New York."

And that answered Dalton's question as to why she had left New York so soon.

That son-of-a-bitch father of hers still affected her, even by just being in the same city. What he wouldn't give to have 5 minutes alone with him. He needed to reign in that anger for now though, Jaz didn't need to see it at the moment.

Instead he tilted her head so she was looking back into his eyes, "You did the right thing by leaving New York." He assured her quietly.

Jaz held his gaze and slowly nodded her head, "Yeah," she agreed.

She knew he was right. It was the exact reason she had left after all, but it still pissed her off that her father invaded her nightmares once again, even after leaving New York behind. She didn't usually let people see her this vulnerable, but she had been caught unawares and she actually felt a bit of relief after revealing this particular nightmare to Adam.

Adam.

When did he become Adam in her head?

She was shaken out of her reverie by a cold wet nose on her arm. And looked down to see Patton nudging her, as if knowing she needed a little attention and affection.

Dalton removed his hands from her cheeks, slid them slowly down her arms and grabbed her hands in his. He looked her in her eyes again with a questioning gaze and she just smiled softly and nodded back at him, understanding that he was silently checking if she was ok, just another example of them not always needing words to communicate.

Patton continued to nudge Jaz and she laughed softly down at him. "I think he wants another swim."

"Just wants to show off, more like it." Dalton retorted. But he pulled Jaz to her feet, kept one of her hands in his and led her to the rocks to jump off, with a very eager Patton trotting along behind them.

"Biggest bomb gets out of doing the dishes." He challenged.

"You have a dishwasher!"

Dalton turned to look at her and with a big grin on his face and his hand still wrapped around hers, he started to run so that they both jumped into the cool water at the same time.

"Whatevs!" He yelled as they were airborne, and Jaz couldn't help but laugh as the water swallowed them up. He never failed to put a smile on her face.

Dalton cooked their dinner on the barbeque that evening and since it was still warm, they sat on the back veranda, drinking beer and looking at the stars.

They sat in silence, both lost in their own thoughts.

Jaz was thinking about her nightmares, and how much they drained her. On base she could compartmentalise them because that's what she was trained to do. Their missions kept them busy and kept her mind off them, but on leave, it wasn't that easy. They were mentally exhausting.

Dalton was thinking about both their nightmares. It hadn't escaped him that the last two nights they had ended up falling asleep next to each other, and after that, those sleeps had been nightmare free. Seeing Jaz have a nightmare in the middle of the day had shaken him. He wished he knew how to help her, but all he could think of was just to be there for her and comfort her, however he could.

Their heated moment in the waterhole hadn't been forgotten, in fact it played on both their minds, and replayed in their minds. Vividly. Their attraction to each other was undeniable, and they weren't doing a great job of denying it to themselves. Denying it to each other was another thing and if Preach could see them, he would be frustrated with them both.

After finishing her beer, Jaz looked over at Dalton and said lazily "I think I'm calling it a night."

She gathered up some empty beer bottles to take inside with her. Dalton watched, internally battling with whether to offer up a plan he had been thinking about. That morning he had decided he wasn't going to bring it up, but after her nightmare at lunch time, he couldn't not. It could be asking for trouble, and that clear line that was supposed to be between them, could become very murky, but he cared more about Jaz's welfare than that damn line at the moment.

"Jaz?" He stopped her, and she turned around to face him. He continued very gently and purposely, "If you have trouble sleeping tonight, it's ok if you want to come and sleep next to me again."

Jaz's eyes slowly widened and she opened her mouth to say something before closing it up again. After another beat she opened her mouth again and tried to respond.

"You… uh, you…?" And she just closed her mouth again in resigned acceptance and glanced down at the floor. She didn't need to continue.

Of course he knew.

"Thanks." She whispered in response and lifted her eyes to smile softly at him, before making her way inside to bed.

Dalton smiled softly after her and turned his attention back to finishing his beer and gazing at the stars. He felt like he had made a little bit of headway with Jaz today, and that made him slightly relieved.

About an hour later, Dalton was sitting reading in bed with his lamp on when he heard a soft knock at the door, "Yeah?" He asked.

The door opened slowly to reveal Jaz standing there in her sleeping shorts and a tank top. She had a book in her hand and was biting her lip with a look of questioning on her face.

Dalton leant over and pulled the covers back on the opposite side of the bed before turning back to look at her.

A slow and grateful smile spread across Jaz's face. She walked around to the other side of the bed, hopped under the covers and after another quick smile at him, opened her book and started to read.

Dalton tried to nonchalantly go back to reading his own book but couldn't help think that if Preach could see them now, he'd be planning their wedding!

Please let me know what you think! :)