A/N: Thanks again for the reviews, I appreciate them, and prove it, here's the next chapter :)
Chapter 16 - All coming back to me
Wheeler watched his lovely companion as she slept peacefully beside him, cradled in his arms and with the corners of her mouth curled up into a secret smile. The sun was already high in the sky and trying to make itself known through the curtains of his bedroom but the ex-planeteer had no intention of waking her. She looked too happy and contented.
It wasn't all fake, he thought with some relief, considering their past involvement. She didn't sleep with me out of duty. It would never've happened if she hadn't been compelled to go out with me, but the desire I thought I saw in her eyes back then was real, just like it was last night... I guess she used our relationship to justify wanting me, rather than giving in to me for the sake of the fake relationship.
The revelation made him smile and went a long way to healing his damaged heart.
Did she really wait all this time? I guess she did, I don't think she meant to tell me that… the champagne got the better of both of us. Wheeler wasn't sorry about what had happened and hoped Linka wouldn't be either. She'd certainly had enough time to change her mind, despite the alcohol they hadn't been out of control, in fact it had been slow and deliberate as they proved that they hadn't forgotten a thing about what the other enjoyed.
Linka sighed and snuggled against his side, which he knew meant that she was close to waking. His eyes softened with affection and he kissed her temple as he waited for her to come fully awake. I'll always love this part.
"Happy New Year." The Russian looked up at her partner, her lips curving upward.
Wheeler grinned in return, "Yeah, it really was."
They both laughed and Linka stretched a little before returning to her former position, still cradled in his arms. "I feel wonderful. I am truly relaxed for the first time in ages..." She told him, then her look turned saucy and she spoke slowly as if choosing her words carefully, "I know this has to be a one-time thing, unfinished business if you like, and I certainly do not want to start something casual but... Well, you are more experienced than me with this sort of thing... does a one night stand end when we wake up in the morning or when we actually get out of bed?"
The American's grin widened at her suggestive question. He wasn't sure how they were going to deal with the latest blip in their relationship but his body was already reacting to her and he figured at that point, they couldn't make anything worse.
When the two ex-planeteers finally got up it was close to lunchtime and they were both starving. Having parted to carry out their ablutions in separate bathrooms, they were both very aware that whatever that was, was over, but it was still very much on their minds. Neither was entirely sure that the other would continue to be ok with their little liaison but that just made them more reluctant to mention it, and risk ruining the memory.
"I think New Year's Day dinner will have to be late this year." Linka commented as they sat down to what amounted to their breakfast. "I had planned to get up early and start preparations."
Wheeler shrugged, "We could always see if anywhere is open, some of the pubs do holiday dinners."
Linka shook her head, "You usually have to book in advance I think, besides… I will be going back to Russia soon, I will not have many opportunities to cook for you, and I owe you a few dinners at least."
"You don't owe me anything." The American said quietly, "Friends remember?"
She smiled and nodded. "Does that mean you want to cook dinner today?"
"Hell no!" He laughed and she joined in. For a few minutes they continued with their meal but then Wheeler broke the silence again and this time he took her by surprise. "Do you really need to go back to Russia?"
Linka hesitated, despite all her determination to let go of the past and move forward, at that moment her heart was desperately hoping he wanted her back. Cautiously, she replied, "It is probably for the best, we agreed…"
"We agreed that we should never have been more than friends," He cut in. "No one said anything about it being better if we were on separate continents."
I never said that, she thought sadly, I only agreed that we could not be more than friends while you find it impossible to trust my feelings.
Answering his question she said, "Would it not be though? Would it not be easier to maintain our friendship, if we did not see each other every day?"
Wheeler nodded slowly, "Easier yeah, but not better. I know I made things difficult for you over the last few months..."
Here it was Linka's turn to interrupt, "That is to be forgotten, da? We cannot keep going over all of our mistakes, if we have really forgiven them, they should be forgotten too."
"So stay." Wheeler smiled. Part of him wondered if she was right, and whether he would ever really be able to move on if he couldn't walk away from her, but the rest of him over ruled it.
"I guess, I could find a job here." The lovely Russian replied, trying not to sound as happy as she felt.
Having won his point, Wheeler returned his attention to his food, merely shrugging and saying, "You have one, Tom couldn't get a replacement."
"That does not mean he would want me back, besides… I am not sure it would be a good idea." Linka looked down at her plate without seeing it.
"Was I that bad of a boss?" He teased, feeling much better now that he knew she'd still be a part of his life.
His friend looked back up to meet his eyes, a look of challenge and defiance in her own that was both familiar and oddly reassuring. "In the first place, you were not my boss, we were equals. Secondly, da, you were that bad but that is not why I am reluctant to go back."
"Hey! I thought you said it was 'forgotten'!" Wheeler protested, his face giving away the fact that he didn't mind her retaliation one bit.
"That was before you tried to pull rank." She replied smugly, comfortable in their banter.
The two ex-planeteers laughed together and it was a few minutes before Wheeler became serious again, "Why don't you want to work with me anymore? Seriously, if it was the way I behaved, I promise…"
"Nyet," Her hand reached over to brush against his and she didn't protest when he caught it, holding it in a firm but gentle grasp. "It… it is, it was, working for my government, my duty as you call it. But Yankee it is not important to me, it is not a career I would have chosen, not like your engineering work. I do not want something like that to ever come between us again, to cause doubts, even in friendship, and especially when it really does not matter."
Wheeler sighed, rubbing his thumb over her hand as he thought about the best way to respond. Finally he said, "We're past that babe, I like working with you and besides you have to let me show you that I'm not a complete ass at work."
She smiled but there was still some hesitation. "As long as we are clear that I am only staying because you asked me to and I will only phone Tom because it is what you want... I would like to work with you as friends again but it is not worth it if you doubt me later, I could do something else."
"You could, but you don't have to." He told her. "And what's the point of staying if I never see you anyway? It's better this way, it'll certainly make my life easier at work. And I promise you, I won't ever blame you for taking the job back…." A frown flittered over his brow as a thought occurred to him, "At least, you should do it until you find something you really want to do, I don't ever want to hold you back."
Linka give his hand a squeeze, "Do not worry, you are not keeping me from anything."
"If that changes, you'll tell me, right?" he pressed, "I'll be supportive, even if it means you leaving… just not yet, ok?"
She nodded with an affectionate smile, finally feeling like she could be herself again, even if her true feelings for him had to remain her secret.
"Call Tom." Wheeler said, handing her the cordless phone.
Linka rolled her eyes and ignored it in favour of the tv remote. "It is New Year's Day, remember?"
"So wish him a Happy New Year first." Her companion pressed, gently taking one device from her hand and replacing it with the other.
"You are not going to let this rest are you?" She asked, though she already knew the answer.
Sensing a victory Wheeler grinned and lounged back against the sofa cushions, "Not until I know you're staying, no."
"I am staying." The Russian replied with a smile, "Whether I get my job back or not, so it can wait until tomorrow."
He just looked at her until she sighed and gave in, dialling the number from memory.
"Hello Anna? It is Linka Orlova, I am sorry to disturb you on New Year's Day… oh Spasiba, Happy New Year to you too." She paused, listening to the woman on the other end of the line. "Da, if he is not busy?"
Linka drew her knees up to her chest as she waited for Anna to fetch her husband to the telephone, suddenly nervous about the conversation she was about to have. Watching her, Wheeler couldn't help but notice her shift in mood and he reached over to take the hand that was picking imaginary fluff from her jeans, eliciting a grateful smile.
"Tom, Happy New Year to you too." Linka shook her head, though he couldn't see her, "Nyet I am calling from England, I was too sick to fly in the end." She paused again. "Spasiba, but I am fine now. Tom, the reason I am calling is that I have been thinking a lot about my decision to go back to Russia, in fact I have been discussing it with Jason and he said…. that is, he thought that you had not replaced me yet?" She swallowed as he spoke again, "Da, that is it exactly. I know that I have caused you a lot of trouble and if you would prefer not to…" He interrupted her and it was a little while before she spoke again. "Spasiba, it is kind of you to say so."
Wheeler watched her face, trying to work out the other half of the conversation. He was sure that they couldn't have found a replacement since the Christmas party and yet couldn't help but be a little worried.
"Nyet…" She blushed, and he wondered what his boss was saying. "Nyet everything is fine." She glanced briefly at Wheeler before studying her jean clad knees once more and this time the pause was longer. "It… it was never a problem." Her hand tightened on her friend's and he squeezed hers back to let her know he was there. Finally she relaxed, her smile returning to her face as the conversation approached its conclusion. "Thank you again… and I am sorry to interrupt your New Year celebrations." She chuckled, "Da, I am going to do that shortly for Jason." a pause, "Da, did I not say?" She laughed again. "I will, see you on Monday."
Linka turned the phone off and handed it back to the man waiting beside her. "Tom wishes you a Happy New Year and he says he owes you one."
"I take it that means he wants you back?" Wheeler grinned, already knowing the answer.
"Da, he was delighted by the news and is going to ring around tomorrow and fix it, he even said that as no one but you knows that I was going to leave, we do not even need to mention it." She smiled.
The American tugged gently on her hand, "What are you going to do for me?"
Linka looked surprised by his question, "What do you want me to do?"
"No…" he laughed, dismissing the inappropriate responses that came immediately to his mind, "You told Tom you were going to do something for me shortly…. Actually I was surprised that you told him you were with me."
"Oh… da, he said that I had not interrupted anything, that he and his wife were preparing their dinner, and I said that I was going to cook for you." Linka shrugged, "I had already told him that I had spoken to you, it did not seem unnatural that we had decided to spend the day together, we are both on our own after all… should I not have said anything?"
Wheeler pulled her into a hug, "Of course you should, I wasn't complaining, I guess I just thought you wouldn't want anyone to know."
She relaxed against him but sighed, "I do not feel the need to keep our current friendship a secret, but I do not intend to tell anyone about… our history."
"Yeah, that makes sense." He rested his head against hers, noting how natural it still felt to hold her. Then testing their newfound bond slightly he said, "It's probably best not to tell them exactly how we celebrated the New Year either… at least not the bit after midnight."
Linka chuckled at his teasing. "Really? I think Karen would love to hear all about it, she has expressed a certain curiosity about you on several occasions."
Wheeler froze and for a few moments there was complete silence, "Please tell me you're joking?"
A more natural laughter escaped the Russian than had appeared since before they broke up and it felt good to both of them, "Nyet I am not joking about her speculation, but do not worry Jason, I have never enlightened her and I do not intend to do so now." She looked into his eyes, her own soft and filled with an affection so warm, that it was almost enough to make him wonder if it was something deeper. "You are right, we should keep that between us."
His throat had gone dry so he nodded and pulled her back against him. As they sat there he remembered something else about the conversation he wanted to ask, "What was it he said that made you uncomfortable, you said it wasn't a problem but you went red."
"Oh, just that he notices more than we give him credit for." She snuggled into him. "He said he wondered if my decision to leave was down to the way you spoke to me, that given my lack of reaction he had convinced himself you were joking but after I had left he began to worry about whether he should have said something."
"Shit… sorry Babe." Wheeler winced.
Linka poked him in the side, "Stop apologising, remember. I told him it was fine and since I am here with you I am sure he was convinced."
"Yeah well, it won't be a problem any longer anyway." He said positively.
"Da, so now I just need to find somewhere to live." She continued happily, "I can get a hotel room for now but…"
Wheeler interrupted her, "Why? I mean, why not stay here until you find an apartment you like? It's not like it's a problem and it just doesn't make sense to go to a hotel when I have a perfectly good bed."
It was impossible for them just then to not to think of his perfectly good bed and what they'd been doing in it so recently, but other than their faces taking on a slightly heightened colour there was no mention of it.
"Well, I will stay until I can find a good flat – or until we cannot stand spending that much time together anymore –, but on conditions." The Russian said thoughtfully.
"What conditions?" He looked smug, knowing he'd won another round, whatever her provisos.
She looked up at him and smiled, amusement in her eyes, "I get the spare room and you move back to yours, and I pay you rent."
Her new flat mate gave her a look, "Firstly, I know you just want me to tidy up the spare room, (being so close to a complete mess must be driving your 'neat freak' crazy,) but fine I'm happy to swap, but there's no way I'll take money from you. I don't need it and I'm not making money off my friends."
"It is not about making money," She argued, "I will be using the resources too, I should contribute… do not shake your head at me, I can still move to a hotel."
He glared but there was no fire in it, "How 'bout you do all the cooking instead? It'll be cheaper, and healthier."
"Like I would not have ended up doing it anyway!" Linka agreed, laughing but silently promising herself that she would also buy the food. "But you get the washing up!"