A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing as always, I love hearing your thoughts on my stories

Chapter 18 – Make You Happy

Wheeler laughed loudly as Peter's face turned a lovely shade of crimson, and addressed Linka with humour sparkling in his eyes. "I think you mean 'masticate' Babe, you want him to eat quieter, right?"

The Russian nodded, confused. "Da, what did I say?"

Karen snorted with badly contained amusement and both she and Peter looked away. Nicolai too was suddenly very absorbed by his work but the other two team members looked just as puzzled as Linka.

Grinning from ear to ear, the American got up and sauntered around to Linka's desk. Leaning down to whisper, his lips brushed her as he got a little too close but fortunately the others couldn't see that, and her face was destined to match Peter's in colour anyway.

"Christ Jason," Karen said after a few moments, "The girl doesn't need a biology lesson! Give her the short version."

"Short, is not my style." He waggled his eyebrows at the older woman and received a light slap on his arm from Linka who had by now, joined the others in laughing.

Olga then complained that she still wanted to know what it meant but as Wheeler took a step toward her, Linka caught his arm to stop him, as he'd guessed she would. She said one word in Russian that clearly made Alexi uncomfortable but Olga grinned "Not exactly something that comes up in everyday conversation."

"That depends on who you're talking to," Wheeler quipped and, during the new round of laughter went to answer his phone, as it had just started ringing. "Anderson's here." He called over a minute later, "I'll go bring him up."

The American's colleagues watched him go, and then Alexi commented, "Someone has a new woman in his life."

Linka lowered her head to study her work but the others laughed and agreed. Karen said, "I don't know though, I've never seen him quite like this before, even before you guys arrived and he started acting like he had a stick up his arse, I don't think I've seen him this… happy."

A small smile crept over the wind planeteer's face, but she kept it hidden.

"Karen's right." Peter chimed in. "If I didn't know better I'd say he was in love. What about you Linka? He seems to be being nicer to you since we got back, any ideas?"

For a terrible moment the Russian had thought he was implying something else but she recovered well, shrugging but not looking up and keeping her voice steadier than she expected. "Da, he seems to be in a better mood, I cannot tell you why though."

"Well I for one do not care why." Olga stated, "As long as he is in a good mood I say we make the most of it."

The others laughed and agreed but Linka could feel Karen's eyes on her.

"You nearly done Babe?" Wheeler got up from his desk and stretched. They'd pulled another late night, and it was still only their first week back after the holidays.

Linka adjusted herself in her seat and began rubbing her neck which was stiff from the position she'd be sitting in for so long. "Da, do you want to call for a pizza?"

She grew still as Wheeler moved over and began kneading her sore muscles. "Wow, you're tense." He commented lightly and continued without waiting for a response, oblivious to the way the rest of Linka's body was responding to his touch. "I don't feel like a takeaway tonight, it's Friday, let's stop somewhere on the way home."

Home. Linka couldn't help but notice how easily he included her in that, like he had already forgotten it was his apartment and that she was only a temporary guest. "Ok, do you have anywhere in mind?"

"Yeah there's a nice little Italian place not far from here, I haven't been there in a while but I think you'll like it." Apparently satisfied that he'd worked out the knots in her shoulders he moved back to his desk and grabbed his coat.

Amused, his friend said, "So we are still having pizza?"

"Of course!" He grinned, "They do other stuff though, if you want to risk it, are you ready?"

She nodded and stood up, putting away the last of her things and gathering her coat and purse. "Hungry Yankee moy?"

"You bet." He replied, "It's been a long day… really long when you've had to talk to Anderson. Again!" Wheeler pressed the lift button but let her enter first when it arrived.

"Da, I cannot believe he is still not happy with the plans, they are perfect." She agreed.

The American snorted, "Like he'd know! He doesn't understand a word we say to him, he just wants to stick his nose in and say he was involved. He reminds me of Greg."

"Greg was not like that!" Linka said, more in surprise that Wheeler would bring him up than in actual defence of him.

"He kinda was Babe," Her friend told her, "He was a know-it-all boss-man and Anderson is the same, no one knows better than him, even, when it's their job and not his."

They exited the lift and said goodnight to the security guard, making their way down the street toward the tube they had started to take together. Though the London streets were safe at that time of day, Wheeler had made a point of walking close beside her on their first night going back to his flat from work and it had already become a habit.

"Jason," Linka continued their conversation a little hesitantly, "Do not let him get to you, whatever interference he might want to make, you do know better. Just stand your ground."

Wheeler grinned at her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders to give her a hug, leaving it there as he guided her away from their usual route and into a small, neatly decorated restaurant. "I know, and I will, I just hate having to tell him the same things over again."

"Maybe the inspection on Monday will help." She suggested.

"Ha, yeah, well we'll see." He smiled at the waitress approaching them and confirmed that they wanted a table for two. He hadn't yet released her and only did so now because they had to walk single file through the busy eatery.

Once they were settled and the waitress had taken their orders, Wheeler asked, "Ok so how am I doing at not being an arsehole?"

Linka laughed and teased him, "Do you not mean ass?"

"Nope." He grinned back, "Karen definitely said I was an arsehole... not that I cared much at the time."

The Russians eyes softened as they always did when she was smiling at him, "I think you are doing a great job of not being an arsehole… what?"

Wheeler was laughing hard. "Sorry Babe, it's just hearing you swear… it's kinda cute." She laughed, slightly embarrassed and he continued. "I wasn't laughing at the situation though, I promise. I don't want to hurt you like that again."

"I know." She smiled, "It is past. Let us talk about something else entirely."

"Like what?" He took a drink from the glass the waitress had brought and waited for Linka to make a suggestion.

The Russian thought for a moment and then said, "Your family? I told you about mine… or should I not ask?"

Wheeler shrugged, "You can ask, not much to tell really. Dad's doing okay, considering. He's dry according to Mom, so that's something."

"You have not seen for yourself?" she asked cautiously.

"I haven't been home." He replied casually, "It was never my favourite thing to do and without you guys to make me feel guilty… " he shrugged again but a moment later winced and let out an expletive. "Shit, I forgot to call Mom back."

Linka raised an eyebrow in enquiry and Wheeler ran a nervous hand through his hair, "She left a message at Christmas."

"Wheeler!"

"I know, I know. But it was right before the message from the hospital about you and it just went out my head… guess I better call her later, huh?" He gave his companion a sheepish grin.

Rolling her eyes, Linka nodded, "That sounds like a good idea, da."

Their conversation paused as their dinners arrived but Wheeler picked it up after a while, "Oh hey, did I tell you? Joey is studying to be a vet?"

"Nyet you did not mention it." Linka beamed at him, "That is wonderful. I guess what he went through with his puppy had a lasting impact on him?"

"Yeah." Wheeler nodded and his pride in his young cousin shone in his face, "I can't believe he's not a kid anymore though, it makes me feel like an old man."

Linka agreed, "I am definitely feeling my age."

The American laughed, "You're a baby compared to me."

"You are only a year older!" She protested, but she was laughing.

"One year and two months." Wheeler replied, as if that won the argument, and Linka shook her head, still chuckling affectionately.

"It's perfectly safe down here." Anderson commented as he led the ex-planeteers through the machinery strewn sub-basement. It's inspected independently every year."

Wheeler eyed the rust with distrust, "When was the last time?"

"Last March." Anderson responded defiantly.

"So it's due?" The American was having a hard time keeping his temper.

Linka stepped between them and spoke gently to their host. "All we are saying is that it can save money in the long run to replace equipment before it breaks, often it causes damage to other parts as it begins to fail."

Anderson's face changed as he tried to be charming, fortunately he didn't notice the way Wheeler's fists clenched. "Well I'll certainly take your recommendations under consideration Linka. Shall we?"

He gestured for her to continue, which she did, shooting an apologetic look over her shoulder at Wheeler.

The red-head knew he should be paying attention but there was something about their new client that just made him tune him out. He felt a bit like he was a teenager again, letting Linka do the technical listening, knowing she would explain it later, but he couldn't seem to help it.

As they turned a corner, they saw that one of Anderson's employees was attempting to tighten a bolt on a pipe joint where some steam was escaping. Having contained the leak he nodded politely for them to pass but still earned a look of disapproval from his boss.

The bolt was too tight on the old pipe and the mixture of pressure and rust began to buckle just as Linka stepped in front of it. Wheeler, who had been contemplating the repair with a critical eye, saw it and with a split second to act, gathered his friend in his arms, pushing her to the ground and protecting her with his body.

The sound the ripping metal and rushing steam was terrible, but fortunately the hot gas was not outpouring in the direction of the two eco experts and they were able to crawl to safety. Anderson had made it out before them and was shouting orders to his staff... Though Wheeler noted that he wasn't telling them anything more useful than that they had to fix it, and quickly, before more damage was done.

"Yankee you are bleeding!" Linka demanded Wheeler's attention, turning him so that she could look at his arm.

"It's just a scratch." He assured her, but she shook her head.

Ripping off the bottom of his already torn shirt, she tied it around the wound in an attempt to staunch the flow of blood. "It is not just a scratch Jason! Your shoulder and arm are a mess and there is rust, the pipe must have caught you, you could get and infection. I am taking you to the hospital."

Her voice was firm, not that Wheeler had any intention of ignoring her since the shock was wearing off and it was beginning to hurt. Anderson came over to speak to them just then but took a step back when he saw the look of fury on Linka's face. "We are going to the hospital but you will be hearing from us and if you know what is good, you will shut down before the inspectors get here so you do not endanger more lives!"

Linka was already directing Wheeler to the elevator before she finished speaking and was in no mood to listen to Anderson's platitudes as he followed them. She said something in Russian, that might have been in response to him or not, but which Wheeler translated as, "She's pissed."

Anderson frowned for a moment wondering why Wheeler would think she was drunk, but fortunately fell in before he said something to make things worse. "Ah right. Should I call an ambulance?"