They wandered back over to the bar stools and took a seat. "You know, you're sexy when you're angry." Mao shot him a dirty look as he flagged down the man behind the bar, "buttery nipple, two." They slammed back their shots and Mao waved on the man to poor them a second. They sat in silence again for while taking shots until Kurz broke it. "You owe me dance Mel, when are you going to pay up?"

"Bit me."

"If you prefer that over a dance then…" she punched him in the arm before he could finish and he laughed, standing up and putting out his hand. "Come on babes lets go." Mao sat still and crossed her arms over her chest. "Don't tell me you're afraid to dance." He joked.

"You're funny pretty boy." He looked at her and then started to make chicken sounds. "Up yours Kurz!"

"Prove me wrong then and dance with me, you do owe me." Mao gave him a hard look before turning to the guy next to her and grabbed his beer, chugging half of it before standing and taking Kurz's hand. He let a laugh out as they walked away, "I don't think that guy appreciated you drinking his beer."

"He should have finished it earlier then."

Kurz laughed again as he led them to the center of the makeshift dance floor that had formed. They reached it and the song changed, it was a slow, though fairly up beat and in French. As it began the people around them latched on to their partners or left. Mao stood in front of Kurz not sure whether or not she should put her arms around him. He noticed her hesitation and took her hands, placing one on his chest and holding the other. He slid his free arm around her waist and then started to move them. She stared at his chest, afraid what would show in her eyes.

Reality check; Kurz was a great solder and a good guy. Ever since Sousuke had gone to Japan, they had been spending a lot of time alone together. They were use to there being three of them and never bothered to change their habits just because it was just the two of them now. They always joked but without a third person, the jokes became more sexual, more private. They talked with each other more often and had gotten to know each other better than anyone else. Through the late nights drinking and long missions together She had found that Kurz had a surprisingly sweet side and wasn't a complete pervert, especially when it was just the two of them. Even when she was drunk, being a complete bitch, or both, he was always there for her and never left. He was loyal, sweet, funny and well, hot. Six foot plus, blond hair, deep blue eyes, a chiseled face and a great body. It was hard not to be attracted to him.

She chanced a glance at his face and found that he was looking down at her. Their eyes meat and she wanted to look away but couldn't. Kurz pulled her into him a little tighter and the movement mad her hand move up further to his neck. Mao could feel his pulse vibrating fast in his throat. He smiled down at her and she couldn't help but turn a little red in the face. Kurz's smile went to a full grin as he snickered a little at her reaction. What an ass. Mao let go and tried to pull away but Kurz stopped her; putting both arms around her waist and holding her tight.

Sure she put up a tough guy, hard ass exterior but Kurz knew she didn't really trust anybody and was a bit sensitive when she thought people were making fun of her, epically in the rare moments when she let herself be a woman. "Sorry." He breathed his apology quietly into her hair.

"Ass." She whispered back into his chest as she slid her arms up to wrap around her neck. They held each other and slow danced the way high school kids do because they don't know how. He smells nice… and he….feels nice. Kurz laid his check on top of her head and smiled, awed by how wonderful it felt to hold her. She felt his smile, "What's so funny?" There was a hit of anger in her voice.

"Nothing's funny Mel."

She was agitated, "Then why the smile."

He knew he had to tell her, otherwise she'd get mad. "I was just thinking… that well, this is nice." That she wasn't expecting and shot her gaze up and looked up at him. Kurz gave her a warm smile and brushed the side of her face with the back of his hand. He saw her lips part and felt her go still, her hands at the back of his neck tensed. He waited to see if she was going to hit him or walk away but she didn't. Slowly he brought his hand back up to her cheek and cupped it, angling her face up as he brought his head down to hers. He kissed her softly. Mao's eyes went wide before she closed them and kissed him back. Kurz felt her respond and press his lips tighter to hers, pulling her hips flush against his as he did so. Mao relaxed in to him and unclenched her hands to loosely weave into his long locks. They heard the song change and gradually broke apart. Kurz trailed his hand down to her shoulder as Mao did the same with hers ending resting on his chest. "Mel I…" He couldn't finish though, as soon as he spoke her name her eyes went wide and she shoved him off, running away fast from where they stood.

"Mel!" Kurz screamed after her but she was already out the door. He tried to run after her but the floor had gotten thick with people again and it was hard to get by. He finally reached the exit but a man stopped him making him pay the tab before leaving. By the time he got out but couldn't spot her anywhere. He checked all the nearby bars but still couldn't seem to find her. He was so angry at himself that he voiced his thoughts. "Fuck! Why the hell did I have to kiss her, no she'll probably never speak to me again."He wondered around the main strip looking for her before finally giving up. He stopped at corner store that advertised 'fine wine' and went it. He bought the strongest stuff he could find and walked out. As he walked and drank he couldn't help but take notice of all the smiling families and happy couples enjoying the romantic scenery and nice weather. Kurz let out a long sigh as he walked away from the bright lights and happy couples, finally stopping on a bridge he looked out over the river. He took another drink and looked along the shore line. Mel? Kurz came off the bridge and walked a ways down the bank until he reached her. He stopped a few feet behind her, "Hey."

"Hey." She greeted him flatly without even turning around.

He was afraid that she'd take off on him again, so each word was carful. "Mind if I have a seat?"

"It's a free country, I think."

Kurz smiled, "It is." He sat on the grass a few feet from her, further than he normally would. It was quite for awhile, but this time Mao was the first to talk.

"What's in the bag?"

"Booze, want some?" He extended his hand and offered it to her. She took it without looking at him and took a huge swig from the paper bag in closed bottle.

"What is this?" She looked at him and coughed as she asked.

"Wine."

"Wine? Why the hell did you buy wine?"

He shrugged. "Well this is France and wine country so all I could find was wine. Is it that bad?"

She studied he blank face. "No, I just, well didn't take you for a wine kind of guy and was expecting something else when I drank it. It actually quite good though."

Kurz fought a smile, "When in Rome I guess."

Mao noticed that he was trying not to show any emotion and busted out laughing. He looked startled and it only mad her laugh harder. He finally gave in a joined her laughing as she lied down onto the grass and held her sides.

"It wasn't that funny Mel."

"Yes it was." She said as she stretched out still on her back. "Nice night hu."

"Ya, I was just thinking that when I was looking for you."

"Too many happy cupl… people around. It's much nicer down here."

Kurz nodded as he picked up the bottle to take a gulp before lying down next to her on his back. "I'm sorry Mel and I take full responsibility and accept whet ever consequences you see fit."

"Shut up Webber."

"I serious."

"So am I. Shut up."

"I should never have… you're my best friend… I'm sorry…"

God! Why did I have to run out of there like that on him? I'm such a fucking woes! Now he's beating himself up and it's not like he forced himself on me or took advantage of me when I was drunk. "You're my best friend too…" she admitted it quietly. "And I'm… I… I suck at these kinds of things!" Mao gave a frustrated growl and put her hands up to hold her head and let out a long breath. "I'm the one that should be saying sorry, not you. I'm the one who ran out like a coward."

Kurz closed his eyes. "You only did that because I… kissed you."

She could hear the agony in his voice. The way he kissed her felt like so much more than him just trying to get in her pants, like he had told her without words that he cared about her and now he was beating himself up because he had. Because he thinks that I don't care about him like that…. Do I? Does he? "I never said no, Kurz…"

He felt a hot jolt of hope go through him and opened his eyes to see Mao leaning over him on her side. Her expression was intense but somehow relaxed, sure.

"What are you thinking?" She asked in a subdued voice.

"How beautiful you make the starry night sky look." His voice was matter of fact as he answered her and reached up, tucking a lock of her short cropped hair behind her ear. She gave him soft eyes and a thought crossed his mind that he had to know the answer to before they went any further. "Mel, are you drunk?"

Mao's body went ridged and her hands clenched into fists. "What the hell! What makes you ask me that?!"

'It's just that… well I never thought that you would come on to me sober." He was quite as he spoke.

Mao was beyond pissed and sat up straight. "That right! You didn't think! God I can't believe… Aahhh! I'm so out of here!" She went to stand up but Kurz grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down. She tried to punch him with her free hand but he rolled and pinned her down. She kneed him in the stomach but it wasn't enough.

"Damn it Mel, will you stop for a second and let me finish!"

She was pissed at him and herself for her actions and her words spit out like venom. "Why Should I!"

"I had to ask. If… I don't want to do anything that would make you hate me." He looked away and sat up before continuing. "I don't wanna loose you Mel…"

She was speechless. Slowly she sat up and took Kurz by the hand. The contact seemed to startle him and he jumped. He opened his mouth to talk but she cut him off, placing a finger on his lips. She took it away and replaced her finger with her lips. The kiss was carful but quickly grew, becoming more passionate and more demanding by the second. Mao wove her hands through Kurz's hair and he held the side of her face. They let their lips and tongs dance along one another's as they found themselves tangling into one another's body.

They jumped apart at the sound of voices that were coming from up the hill of the bank, hoping the voices weren't any one they knew. As the voices came closer Mao noticed that it was two men, speaking French. It irked her not to know what they were saying and she unclipped the holster of her gun that was concealed at the small of her back. Kurz grabbed her hand and gave her a look that told her not to pull it. She gave him a hard look back but knew he was right and relaxed her hold on the gun. "What are they saying?"

Kurz was silent for a moment, "There talking about how that chick at the bar was hot… and there teasing each other about how the other never would have had a chance with her… It's all typical drunken guy crap Mel, nothing to worry about."

Slowly she took her hand off the gun and re-clipped the holster, "Ya, Ya okay." The two men never came close; they headed down the opposite side of the embankment.

Kurz waited until he could no longer hear the voices and stood up, "Let's get out of her."

Mao rose, "And go where?"

"I don't know. Any ideas?"

"Nope."

Kurz thought for a moment. "Well I don't know about you, but I'm sick of eating shitty food and sleeping in a hard bead with no company and minimal boozes."

Mao laughed, "Me too. So what's your point?"

"My point babes, is that we should find a really nice hotel, get a room with a balcony and a view, order good food and expensive liquor, shoot the shit, and fall asleep in a big, soft, warm bead!"

"Ya okay Webber." She said it sarcastically.

"No, I'm serious. We can do it. We're in France so it's not like it's gonna be hard to find a nice place to stay, or good boozes, or food. So why not?"

She looked away. "You know why… sure we're in France and all that but I mean, hell Kurz you know what some people already think about us. If anyone finds out that we stayed in a place like you're describing together then the roomers will get even worse and I don't want you to lose your job or be moved to another unit and I sure as hell don't wasn't to be reprimanded for something I didn't do."

"You have a point." He admitted. "But Mel, tell me truthfully… do you want to do it all?"

She didn't look and him or speak right away and when she finally did, her words came out just above a whisper. "I wanna forget about all the things that happened this past week… I wanna forget about all of it and have a care free good time for once…"

Kurz understood and knew what she was going through. He too had seen and done more than he ever wanted to and he hadn't been around it as long as her. Sure it 'came with the job' but that didn't make it any easier. He reached out and took her hand and she look at him then. He spoke and it held understanding, "Then let me help you forget." He kissed her and it was gentle. He pulled back and for the first time saw one her face for the years of pain and violence, so much loss and hurt. Kurz moved into Mao and held her tight. He held her and she wrapped her arms around him in return. He spoke into her hair, "Let me be your good time."

Reality check; Mao could be a total bitch, a completely boneable bitch though; killer talent and killer curves! But she cared for the people that she served with and that served under her. She would do anything it took to keep all of them safe even if it met putting herself in danger. She was strong. And lately, he had seen so much more of her. Over the time they had spent together without Sousuke she had opened up to him. She was amazing, caring, tough, sexy and fun. There was so much more to her then she let others see. When it was just the two of them lately, she had even started to joke with him more privately, sexually, she let him do and say things that he would never have gotten away with in the past. He couldn't imagine not being able to hear her laugh or see her smile. She was all he thought about lately and he wanted to be with her in every way.

Kurz moved his head from the top of hers down to rest his chin on her shoulder so he could whisper in her ear. "Let me take it all away Melissa."

"I can't." She replied and her voice sounded defeated.

"Why not? Let me be everything you need tonight."

The way he said it made her heart pound. "Just for tonight…?"

"I'll be whatever you need, whenever you need it."

It was the sweetest and most unnerving thing anyone had ever told her. His voice didn't even falter when he said that… he really means it… "Okay."