A/N: Thank you again for reading and reviewing, especially those without accounts that I couldn't thank individually. I thought I'd take the opportunity to update while I had the chance...

Chapter 9 - White Flag

"It's New Year's Eve Wheeler," The striking brunette pouted and fluttered her eyelashes. "You aren't going to work all night are you?"

The fire planeteer smiled and shook his head, "Your Aunt needs these designs finished for the presentation in three days. She's put a lot of faith in me when others wouldn't have, I owe it to her not to slack off."

The beautiful young woman laughed, "What are you talking about, you're a Planeteer, companies would be bending over backwards to have you on their staff."

"Dr Derrick didn't hire me because I was a Planeteer, and I'm not about to become a' has been' living off my one time fame." The American frowned, "I left school with practically nothing to show for it, believe me, no company would want me for my own sake… at least not before I get my degree."

"Fine." Victoria smirked, and leant back against his desk, close enough for her hip to rub against his arm. "But my Aunt isn't a slave driver, you've done nothing but bury your head in work since you got here."

He shrugged, "I've had a lot of time to make up for."

"And you've made up for it ten times over," she placed her hand over his and leant forward so that her cleavage was level with his eye line. "Take a little time off Wheeler, enjoy yourself. It's New Year's Eve and we've got a party to go to. I will personally guarantee you a good time... all night."

Wheeler sighed, "I appreciate the offer Victoria, but I really need to finish this."

She shook her head but didn't seem too put off, "I'm not asking for a commitment you know, just a little fun... You have got to get over her sometime you know, why not let me help?"

This time Wheeler glared, "Good night Victoria."

Dr Derrick's niece laughed, "Suit yourself, you know where I am when you change your mind." She sauntered out, letting her perfectly rounded hips sway provocatively, never doubting that he was watching.

Wheeler closed his eyes and leant back in his chair, wishing he was somewhere else. It must already be midnight there… I broke my promise. But I had to, I'm not ready to face her, she'll just have to deal with it… at least she has the others.

He could hear Linka's voice in his mind. 'As you celebrate the New Year, so you will spend it.'

The American had chosen to spend it alone working and he knew he always would, even if he married someday, because being with someone else on that night, waking with them on New Year's Day, would be a betrayal his heart couldn't live with.

"I want to speak to you in the conference room." Linka glared, "Now."

Wheeler gave her an indifferent shrug and gestured for her to precede him. As soon as the door was closed she turned on him, keeping her voice low so that it wouldn't carry to their team but making up for the volume with the anger in her tone. "How dare you!"

The American took a seat on one of the chairs acting for all the world as if he was indifferent to anything she might have to say, though the reality was that his insides were churning and it was only force of will that kept him seemingly unaffected. "How dare I do what?" he asked carelessly.

"Olga is in tears." She hissed, "That is not easy to do, in fact I do not think I have ever seen her so upset."

A hint of guilt crossed his features but he tried to brazen it out anyway, "Well maybe if she had done her job properly…"

"Do not give me that!" The Russian's voice rose just a little but still not enough to be heard outside the room, "You do not want me here, you have made that clear, but what is between us is nothing to do with my team. I do not care how you talk to me, but I will not allow you to take it out on the others Jason!"

Her colleague stiffened at her mention of their history, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Linka slammed her hand down on the table beside him, making him jump. "Chort Voz Mi! I mean it Wheeler, I will put up with your games because I do not want anyone to remember who we are any more than you do, but if you insist on carrying on this personal vendetta by victimising my team I will take it to our superiors."

He was frowning, "Why not? Never mind that it's your fault, just go right ahead and report me."

"It was my fault three years ago. This, today, is all you." She shook her head, still glaring down at him. "I am here to work, that is all. I cannot change the past, as much as I would like to, and I cannot stop you from hating me, but you have no reason to hate Olga. Be professional for once in your life."

"You didn't have to come here." He told her quietly, "You had to have known I was here, I know they would have told you who you'd be working with, but you came anyway, and working for your government of all things… still doing your duty."

The last word had enough venom in it to stop her heart but she didn't let the pain show, and not getting a reaction from her he added. "You're right, you can't stop me hating you." And with that he stood up and strode from the room.

Linka absently rubbed her hand, it stung from where she had hit the table but she barely felt it. She actually felt quite numb, though she knew it would catch up with her later, but then she was getting used to crying herself to sleep again.

Making her way back to her desk, wondering if she would have to make good on her threat to take their disagreement to Tom, Linka found her partner making an apology to Olga. He blamed it on having a bad day and promised it wouldn't happen again, and though it caused a few shared looks and curious glances around the team, she knew it would all pass over for them. And what is one more thing between us, after all.

Linka sat on her sofa with her knees pulled up to her chest, staring at the blank tv screen. She knew she should get on with something but having already forced herself to eat breakfast, go to the gym, clean the apartment and swallow another unwanted meal, the only thing left to do was work… and work reminded her of Wheeler.

The past week had been a living hell for the unhappy young woman. Whilst Wheeler had continued to pretend that he didn't know her, he'd taken every opportunity to have a dig at her, using everything he'd ever known about her… except perhaps her drug addiction, he hadn't yet stooped to starting on Boris. But it is only the first week, I am sure he will get there eventually.

Her only comfort was that despite his attitude towards her in their argument mid-week, he had obeyed her injunction and been perfectly nice towards everyone else. She had seen just how nice he could be when Karen's son's school had phoned to say he was ill… he was everything a concerned boss should be. To all of them but her in fact, he was a good friend and an excellent colleague.

When he does not know I am watching, he is exactly as I remember him… the rest of the time he is almost cold, exacting and concerned only with our work. Is it just because I am here or is a part of him… damaged, by what happened? By what I did to him.

She laid her head on her folded arms, a tear escaping from the corner of one eye. I should leave, I have my answer, he hates me and always will. I cannot fix things, he cannot forget them and we can never even be friends again. I am just making us both unhappy by staying… and he would hate me more for staying for the sake of the project… for my 'duty'.

Even as she thought it, she knew she wouldn't leave. Having Wheeler blame her staying on her work ethic was a small price to pay to see him every day. She called herself pathetic and a whole host of other names for being too cowardly to leave, but the pain of being with him didn't frighten her nearly as much as the thought of never seeing him again, especially when things between them were so badly broken.

I need him to forgive me. She thought. I will never stop loving him, I know that now. I tried to fool myself that all I wanted was his friendship but somewhere deep down I think I was hoping that he would take one look at me and realise that he had made a mistake in leaving me, that he still loved and wanted me and then we would live happily ever after… but this is real life, and it does not work that way.

Linka continued, I still need him to understand. I need to know that I have not ruined his life as well as my own.

"You're right, you can't stop me hating you." His words reverberated around her head. "Is there anything you won't stoop to for the sake of your fucking duty?" and the one that played on her mind most often, "There's nothing you can ever say to me that'll convince me you ever cared about me."

"It was real, Yankee." She whispered, "I swear it was real."

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