June 18th 2016

The horses nickered softly as they drank from the stream, eager to be cool, the relentless heat baking all of us to either a sun burnt red or a pleasant tan. My skin had long ago gone from painfully burnt to tan like a farmer, but at this point there was nothing I could do about it, sunscreen was long gone.

I pulled my baseball cap's brim down further and tugged on my horse's reins, guiding her away from the stream and back to the road. Tom stood chatting with a group of the soldiers, laughing and joking; their laughter broke off as I approached, and I tried not to roll my eyes.

If I had my way, I would have left the group behind and ridden hard for Philly, but I had been informed that bandits and rebels were becoming prone throughout the Republic and that it wouldn't be safe.

I scoffed internally and patted my horse's neck, watching Tom out of the corner of my eye. Not safe my foot. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself and they know it. They just want to keep an eye on me.

I mounted the mare and settled my sunglasses onto my nose, nodding to Tom before I nudged her forward, ignoring his shout for me to wait. Waiting was the last thing I wanted to do. I needed to get back and see Miles and Bass.

Eventually the men caught up to me with much scolding and grumbling as we continued down the road. I could hear whispers from some of the men calling me bitch, and saw the dirty looks they gave me, but I felt none of it; I only wished I was alone, in peace and quiet.

Every muscle in my body ached for home, every cell wanted to be back with my family, wanted to feel joy again, to….

I sighed deeply…I wanted to see Bass again.

I wanted to scream and shout at him, slap him, kiss him, fuck him, and tell him to go to hell.

I didn't know what I wanted anymore.

June 20th, 2016

Every inch of me was wet. My clothes stuck to my skin and I shivered as more rain slapped against my face and skin, the cool wind chilling me even further. It had been raining since last night, a steady stream of cold wind and rain that had drenched us as we moved north.

My leg ached fiercely from riding for so long in the cold and I was desperate to get out of the saddle. I could see the Capitol building ahead and a thrill of excitement flowed through me, despite the ugly weather.

Nudging my mare forward, we cantered ahead of the group towards Independence Hall…towards home.

As we rounded the street corner I slowed the horse, excitement and nervous energy making my stomach tumble, hope surging through me when I saw a tall figure standing on the stairs. As we trotted closer my hope died…it wasn't Bass, but Miles.

I kept my chin down as I dismounted; biting the inside of my lip to fight back the tears and the sense of betrayal that came from not see Bass on those steps. A stable hand snatched the reins away and I grabbed my packs, hauling them onto my shoulder as I climbed the stairs, limping.

Miles frowned softly at me and stepped down the stairs, reaching out to take my arm firmly, his brows furrowing as he pulled me up the stairs. "You should have made camp and waited out the rain" he grumbled, towing me into the building.

I shivered in his grip, my teeth chattering softly, "G-glad t-to see you t-too" I muttered.

Miles glanced down at me, a faint smirk appearing on his lips before fading. "Probably caught your death" he muttered.

I nodded, a sharp chill running down my spine as we walked to my rooms, militia gawking as we hurried past. Miles shoved my door open and grabbed my bags off my shoulder, tossing them into the corner before moving to shut the open windows with a low growl and a shake of his head.

He turned back to me with a gentle frown, "You need to get out of your wet clothes, you can't get sick." He gazed at me for a moment with such concern that I smiled softly at him, reassuringly I hoped, and after a moment he sighed and shook his head.

Walking over he wrapped an arm around my shoulders, drawing me in for a tight hug. My arms felt shivery and weak as they wrapped around his waist and I couldn't stop the few tears that leaked out as he hugged me, hushing me softly.

After a few moments I pulled away, snuffling softly and smiling faintly up at him. "I'm sorry. It's been a long road back and I was hoping…" I trailed off, frowning.

Miles sighed, nodding. "You were hoping Bass would be there" he murmured, looking tired and mildly frustrated. He had spoken with Bass about meeting Becca when she arrived home, but he had refused to say if he would be there.

He had instead chosen to leave two days earlier, riding out with a small party of men, insisting that hunting and bringing food back for the town would be the best way to spend his time until Becca returned.

I nodded, shivering. My clothes stuck to me like a cold second skin and I was suddenly tired, tired enough to want to lie down and sleep. Closing my eyes I shook my head, "Forget what I was hoping for Miles. I just want to get warm now."

I turned away and unzipped my jacket, stripping it away and hanging it over the railing of the bed. I shivered harder at the touch of the cool air and went to my dresser, rooting through until I found a sweater and leggings, pulling out clean underwear and tossed the bundle of dry garments onto my bed.

Miles sighed deeply and shook his head, "Get some rest kid" he murmured before pulling the door shut behind him, leaving me in peaceful silence. I quickly stripped off my wet clothes and hurried into the dry ones, tugging my wet hair out of its braid and fluffing it around my shoulders.

Dumping my bags out onto the floor I piled the dirty clothing in the hamper before setting my journals and files aside to review after I had warmed and cleared my head. The last item in the bag was a book that President Foster had given me as we left, a gift she had called it.

It was a copy of the collected works of the founding fathers of America, and it was incredibly interesting, if a bit dry at points. I carried the book to my bed and curled beneath the covers, opening the book to my last stopping point and began reading, trying to take my mind off of Bass and his conspicuous absence.

As my hair dried and I grew warmer beneath the covers my eyes grew heavy, the book slipping from my fingers and onto the bed. I rolled onto my side and tugged the blanket closer to my chin, sighing in contentment, my eyes drifting shut.

It was good to be home…I suppose.

As we rode back into the city the people crowded into the streets, eager for the fresh meat we had brought back. The livestock had been producing milk and eggs, and even pork and some veal, but with more people flowing into the city and the surrounding area, more meat would be needed.

The chickens bred easily, the cows less so. Rabbits were becoming a meat that most consumed without a second thought, and nearly every house had a garden growing, while miles of crops surrounded the city.

It was not an easy thing, expanding the Republic, and fighting rebels on multiple fronts was taking up a vast majority of our resources—food and men—but we were making progress every day.

As I walked down the hall to my office Miles stepped out of his, blocking my way, glaring at me, arms crossed over his chest. I lifted a brow, "What's got your panties in a twist?" I asked with a smirk.

He rolled his eyes and shook his head, "As if you don't know" he muttered, glowering at me with such a fierce expression that I almost stepped back. Instead I stepped forward and brushed past him, heading for my office.

"She's back then?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant. My voice sounded too high, desperate, even to my ears, and I hated it. I moved around my desk, shuffling papers, trying to look busy, avoiding Miles's gaze.

"She got back this morning. She was soaking wet from riding through the storm because she refused to stop and wait it out. She was hoping you would be here to see her. She was…upset that you weren't."

I looked up at that, frowning softly. "You told her where I was?" I asked, wondering where she was. If she knew I was here, I would have expected her to come find me, to fight with me, to do something.

"I did. She didn't seem interested in seeing you, just in resting. She's sleeping in her room."

"She hasn't woken up yet?" I asked, stacking papers and shuffling them around idly. Miles shook his head, giving me a knowing look, one that said he knew what I was thinking. I ignored him and stepped around the desk, unbuttoning my jacket.

"Great, I'll see you later."

I walked out quickly, leaving a sputtering Miles behind me. My feet carried me down the halls to Becca's room, trying to keep my pace slow, disguising my eagerness. Multiple members of the militia stopped me on the way there, congratulating me on our victories in Jersey and North Carolina, slowing my progress.

By the time I made it to Becca's door my hands were jittery with nerves—something I hadn't expected. I eased the door open and shut it carefully behind me, wincing as the floor creaked beneath my boots.

Becca shifted beneath the covers, making soft sleepy noises. I watched her, feeling trapped, unable to move. Her long dark lashes lay heavily on her softly flushed cheeks, her lips parted as she breathed, her finger curling into the blankets.

The urge to lie down and gather her into my arms was so strong it was practically a physical feeling. She looked tired…and I couldn't help but think that it was my fault…if I wasn't so hard headed and unwilling to trust her she would have been home weeks ago.

Sighing, I stepped softly across the room and sank down in the chair beside Becca's bed, running a hand over my face. I had all I wanted within my reach; the Republic, my militia, my best friend…Becca.

Yet somehow it felt like I could lose it all in the blink of an eye.

Warmth…a cocoon of warmth. It enveloped me perfectly and though I would have liked to drift back into sleep, my stomach rumbled, urging me to rise and eat. I sighed softly and rolled over, stretching and opening my eyes.

I froze, my eyes connecting with Bass's. His deep blue eyes wrinkled around the edges, the only hint of warmth on his otherwise stoic face. We watched each other, the silence growing in the room until it became so heavy I felt like it was choking me.

I sat up slowly, pushing my hair back, one shoulder of my sweater falling down to expose my bare collarbone. Bass's eyes followed its movement, filling with heat, his lips parting. His hands clenched the arms of the chair and he leaned forward, capturing my gaze with his own.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked, his voice low and rough, sending a soft thrill through me. It had been months since I heard it, and I hadn't realized how much I missed it.

I nodded, "Better now that I'm home." I frowned softly, "Why were you watching me sleep?" I demanded.

Bass shrugged and leaned back, looking out the window. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay" he murmured.

"Hmm, right" I muttered sarcastically, rolling my eyes, the emotions of the past weeks bubbling up again.

Bass's eyes narrowed, his head tilting, "What's that supposed to mean?" he demanded.

"It means that if you wanted to make sure I was okay, you should have listened to me and stopped the guerilla attacks, trusted me." I shook my head in disgust and threw back the covers, striding across the room to sit on the windowsill.

"You should have resolved the treaty sooner, regardless of the violence" Bass accused. I could hear him rise from the chair as I stared out the window, trying to control my anger.

"I can't do my job if you do nothing but undermine me Bass. I thought you trusted me. I thought you knew that I have your back, no matter what." I could feel him behind me, his body radiating heat against mine.

His hand spread on my back and my eyes closed, fighting the urge to lean back into it. "I do trust you Becca…but there are certain things I cannot control."

I sighed and dropped my head forward against the cold glass, "You could have controlled this Bass. You humiliated me and made my job nearly impossible to do."

I felt him sigh behind me and his hand slid up to my bare shoulder, cool against my warm skin. "I'm sorry Becca" he whispered, his breath skating across the skin of my neck. His fingers curled around my neck, brushing softly over my skin and I shuddered faintly, trying to repress the feeling of pleasure that shot through me.

I turned slightly, looking up at him, my heart aching. "You hurt me Bass. I thought I could trust you, and you made a fool out of me" I whispered, my eyes burning with unshed tears. I hated that he was making me tell him this; that any of this had happened, that we had been brought to this point.

Bass lifted his hand to caress my cheek and I couldn't hold back from leaning into his hand this time, despite my feelings. "I'm so sorry Becca; I never wanted to hurt you. I don't deserve you and if you don't forgive me, I will understand…but I won't ever forgive myself."

His voice was rough with emotion and I could see unshed tears in his eyes as his fingers cupped my face, his thumb rubbing over my cheek. I reached up hesitantly and laced my fingers through his, bringing his knuckles to my lips, brushing a soft kiss across them, my eyes on his.

"I forgive you, but I need time before I trust you again. I need you to prove I should be able to trust you." I searched his face as I clutched his hand, hoping he would hear me, hoping he would prove himself. He had disappointed Miles and me before, but the issue of breaking my trust had only gotten worse since he had avoided me while I healed from my gunshot.

Bass squeezed my hand and his lips curled into a soft smile, "I understand. I'm going to do everything I can to earn your trust again." He tugged on my hand, pulling me up from the windowsill, his smile widening into a grin, "Come here" he murmured.

I smiled softly as he tugged me against his chest, his arms wrapping around my waist. I sank into his embrace, burying my nose into his shirt, inhaling his familiar scent like it was some kind of healing therapy for everything that hurt within me.

His fingers wound through my hair, holding me close. A soft noise rumbled through his chest and a moment later he pulled away, gazing down at me warmly. "You need to eat" he murmured, squeezing my waist, "You look like you lost weight."

I snorted softly, shaking my head. "You try living in sweltering heat for nearly three months with your only real options for fun being horseback riding, yoga, and boxing."

Bass's brows shot up, "Boxing?" his hands trailed over my arms, squeezing my arms, feeling the muscles there, "I'd like to spar with you sometime" he murmured, his eyes darkening with pleasure.

I laughed softly and pulled away, dancing on my feet, punching his chest and jaw in feather light jabs. Bass laughed and grabbed my fist, pulling me close, wrapping his arm around me, pinning me to him as he kissed me.

I melted against him, kissing him back with just as much hunger, running my hands over his chest, feeling his muscles ripple under my hands, his hips pushing against mine. His hips pushed me back against the wall, his hands skimming up beneath my shirt as his mouth ran over my neck, his teeth grazing lightly on my skin. I gasped as his hand cupped my breast, his thumb running over and over my nipple until it was hard, sending thrills of pleasure through me.

My back arched, pushing my body further into his hands, desperate for more. Bass's mouth trailed down to my collarbone, sucking lightly, teeth scraping across bone, and I bit my lip, moaning softly.

A knock at the door was followed by Miles's loud voice, "Hey guys, dinner is ready if you haven't killed each other."

Bass paused, his lips hesitating above my skin, and I could sense his smile. "We're still alive Miles; we'll be there in a minute. Goodbye." After a moment I heard Miles's footsteps recede and Bass stood straighter, leaning a hand against the wall behind my head, smiling down at me.

I grinned and tugged his shirt out from the waist of his pants, running my hands along his stomach and around to his back, scraping my nails over his skin, watching as his eyes darkened further.

"I guess we should go get dinner" I murmured, tilting my head up to brush a kiss across his jaw. Bass made a low noise and turned his head to meet my lips, kissing me softly before breaking away.

"I guess we should" he murmured, stepping back and taking my hand, a move that surprised me, despite our recent intimacy. He tugged me away from the wall and towards the door, pausing when I pulled away.

I pointed to my boots, "Need shoes" I murmured, lifting a brow and smiling softly. He smiled and waited while I slid socks and my boots on before reaching out to take his hand. We walked down the hall together, hand in hand, and to my amazement, Bass never once let go when we were approached by militia members or other members of the government.

Miles sat at the dining room table picking at the food on his plate when we entered, his brows skyrocketing at the sight of us holding hands. Leaning back in his chair he frowned softly and nodded sharply, "Hey kid, you look better."

I smiled as I sat across from him, Bass moving to the head of the table, "I feel better. A nap was just what I needed." I lifted the lid on my plate and inhaled gratefully, my stomach rumbling at the scent of the food within.

I dug in enthusiastically, taking a deep sip of the wine while Bass and Miles talked. Miles leaned forward and waved his fork at me, "So should we expect you to stick around Becca?" he asked, taking a sip of wine as he watched me.

Sipping my wine for a moment I glanced between Miles and Bass, the feelings of frustration and betrayal from earlier boiling up again. I set the wine glass down, running my fingertips over the surface, staring at the thick red liquid inside.

"Becca?" Bass probed, his voice unsure.

I looked up at both men, frowning faintly. "You both betrayed my trust and my ability to do my job. You asked me to be your Ambassador because you needed someone who could stand up to you and make good decisions for the Republic, yet when it came time for hard political decisions to be made you threw every roadblock in my way that you could and then acted like it was my fault that the negotiations were failing."

Bass opened his mouth to speak and I lifted a finger, "I'm not done. You disrespected me in a way you would never allow yourselves to be disrespected, and it says a lot about both of you that you would do it to me, someone you both supposedly care about."

I sighed and shook my head, "I've received word that some of the rebels in the Maine area want to surrender and negotiate. I'll be leaving within the next three days to go to them, I've already sent riders ahead to let them know I'll be coming and set up a meeting location. In the meantime you both need to settle our Carolina fronts. Jersey is peaceable for now, so send more men to the south and try to get the rebels there to surrender. If you need me, I'll come."

I took a long sip of wine as both men stared at me incredulously, clearly at a loss.

Finally Miles nodded and leaned forward, his face a mask of regret. "I'm sorry Becca. I'm an idiot. You know that." He looked distinctly uncomfortable as he continued, "What can I do to make it up to you?" he asked.

I smiled softly, "Listen when I advise you, and trust me. I don't need you to make it up to me, just trust me."

I glanced over at Bass, lifting a brow and giving him a questioning look, asking him silently if he could do that, wondering if he was remembering our previous conversation. He nodded his eyes sad.

"Good. Then let's eat" I murmured with a soft smile. I turned to Miles, smiling wider, "You still seeing a woman about a thing?" I asked lightly, lifting a brow.

A faint blush spread across Miles's cheeks and he shook his head, "She's uh…not around right now. Been busy."

I smiled faintly and rubbed a hand over my mouth, "Well I hope she comes back." I leaned back in my chair, sipping on my wine as the conversation began to flow, the evening sky darkening. Bass and Miles began to tell stories from their childhood and soon we were all laughing, drinking more wine and relaxing—a feeling filling the room that hadn't been there in ages.

When my yawns began to come thick and fast I stood and went to Miles, brushing a kiss on his cheek, smiling when he blushed. "Night Miles" I murmured as I rounded the table, squeezing Bass's shoulder, lifting a brow, "You coming?" I whispered before walking away.

I could hear their soft laughter behind me and the soft rumble of Miles's voice, but I was already halfway down the hall when Bass responded, his voice faint. I turned down the hall and pushed the door open to my bedroom, shutting it softly behind me.

Leaning against the door my eyes slid closed, contemplating the evening. It seemed like Bass and Miles had taken what I said to heart, but I wanted time with Bass, just us, to see if there really was still something worthwhile between us.

I moved away from the door and pulled off my sweater, tossing it aside before kicking off my boots and shimmying off my pants, kicking them into the corner. Yanking open my dresser drawer I hunted through the fabrics until my fingers found the silky material I was looking for.

Pulling the negligee on over my head, it whispered down to my thighs, the slit gaping up to my hip. I quickly pulled on the matching underwear and fluffed my hair around my shoulders, sinking down on the bed to wait for Bass.

Minutes later the door opened slowly, creaking on its hinges. Bass stepped through the door, shutting it behind him, his eyes widening in pleasure. He leaned against the door, staring at me, his mouth curving into a small smile as he studied me.

I leaned back on my arms and bent my knee, wiggling it side to side slowly, watching as Bass's eyes followed it. "Take your jacket off" I murmured. He glanced up to my face and I lifted a brow, challenging him.

He smirked softly and ran his fingers over the buttons, quickly undoing them before he shrugged out of the long coat, tossing it over the end of the bed. Reaching behind his head he tugged on the collar of his shirt, pulling it over his head, revealing his well defined abs and chest.

My breathing grew shallow at the sight and I lifted a hand, beckoning him over, my mouth dry and my core growing wetter by the second. Bass smirked and sauntered over, his muscles rippling in the soft glow of the candlelight.

He leaned down slowly, his arms caging me in, biceps swelling as he knelt above me, his head dipping down, nudging his nose against mine as his lips hovered softly above mine. His breath smelled faintly of mint as his lips closed over mine and the taste flooded my mouth.

I sighed and collapsed backwards slowly, running my hands up his sides, tracing my fingers over his muscles, feeling them ripple under my hands. Bass made a low noise of pleasure as I scraped my nails down his back, reaching down to grab his ass tightly.

His hips swiveled down against mine, his growing erection rubbing against the thin fabric of my underwear, creating friction I so desperately wanted. A low moan escaped my throat and I rubbed up against him, eager for more.

Bass's hand skimmed down my waist, his fingers bunched up the material of the negligee, shoving it up to my hip before his fingers moved back down to grab my thigh and pull me tighter against him.

He kissed slowly down my neck, trailing over where his mouth had been just hours before, this time though his mouth was rougher, leaving marks that ached painfully, pleasurably. His mouth closed around one of my breasts, sucking on it until the fabric was wet and my nipple was painfully hard.

I gasped and moaned his name, writhing against him, fingers digging into his skin desperately. "Fuck Bass, yes" I whispered, my hips moving restlessly against his.

Bass grabbed the negligee and tugged on it, pulling it up over my head with a soft rumble of satisfaction. "You're so beautiful" he whispered, leaning down to place kisses to my chest, his mouth moving slowly over my breasts.

My eyes slid shut in satisfaction as his lips and hands trailed over my breasts, my hands clenching on his shoulders; I was unable to stop the soft moans that escaped me at his ministrations.

Bass's mouth trailed lower, skimming over my stomach before his teeth grazed over my hip. His fingers tugged on the hem of the underwear, pulling them down over my knees before tossing them aside.

I didn't realize I had been holding my breath until his mouth descended on my clitoris, his tongue circling on it before swiping down to dart inside me. I gasped and writhed against him, my fingers digging into the bed.

"Oh fuck…yes Bass…don't stop."

I could feel the pressure building slowly within me as Bass continued to lick and stroke me, his strong fingers holding down my thigh as it shivered with pleasure. My back arched and I moaned loudly when a moment later he pulled away, replacing his mouth with his fingers, two delving deeply within me.

My moans grew louder as the fire within me grew, my hips moving mindlessly against his hand, desperate for more. "Bass! Yes! Oh yes!"

I could feel the pressure building within me and gasped as Bass's fingers continued to move against the soft pressure point inside me, driving me harder toward release. He leaned up and took my breast in his mouth, sucking on my nipple, tugging it until it crossed the line of pain and pleasure, his thumb still rubbing relentlessly against my clit.

I gasped for air, crying out his name, begging for release.

Moments later it came, my legs shaking and my toes curling into the bed as I cried out, my eyes sliding shut. "Bass!"

As I lay breathing heavily, limbs still shaking, Bass drew himself up and tugged his pants off, tossing them over the side of the bed before rolling back down to join me. Grabbing my hip he rolled until I was laying on top of him, flush against his chest, my knees pulled around his waist.

His hands trailed up my back to tangle in my hair, his eyes blazing with lust as he leaned up to kiss me, stealing away what little breath I had managed to gather. I could feel his erection pressing up against me, and despite the release I had just had, I wanted him inside me.

I swiveled my hips against his, smiling softly against his lips as he groaned, feeling my wet lips brushing against his erection was the most blissful torture. Dragging my nails through his curly hair, I pulled his head back and fisted my hand in his hair, holding his gaze on mine.

"No more lies Bass, and I'll come back to you, every time." I gasped out the words as I moved my hips against his, watching him. His pupils were so wide with desire that the blue of his eyes was a thin rim, but he nodded, his hands at my waist tight.

"I promise" he whispered, his voice hoarse.

At that I tugged hard on his hair, pulling him up to kiss him, my other hand snaking down to grasp his erection, guiding him to my entrance. Bass gasped against my lips as I sank down onto him, and I could feel my thighs shudder, the pleasure of it running up my spine.

I bit down lightly on Bass's lip, tugging on it as I began to ride him, slowly. Despite the chill in the air outside and how cool the old building was, it felt like the room was a sauna. Sweat beaded on my chest and Bass's; I could taste it on his neck where I licked him, biting him softly.

Bass made soft noises of pleasure as I thrust against him, his hands still firmly grasping my waist. I leaned back slightly, arching my back as I moved and moaned; Bass had thrust up just a bit harder and it was perfect.

"Mmm like that Bass" I moaned, continuing to thrust slowly, feeling the slow burn of pleasure building within me again, larger jolts hitting when Bass thrust particularly hard. We moved against each other, slowly increasing our pace, our breathing growing unsteady and our cries of pleasure growing louder.

Bass grabbed my ass, squeezing it as I moved, his occasional gasps of my name like music to my ears. I was getting closer, but it wasn't enough…grabbing Bass's neck I pulled him up, flush against me, my lips going to his ear.

"Harder Sebastian…I need you harder" I demanded.

Bass groaned softly and nodded, responding immediately. As he thrust into me harder I cried out, wrapping my arms around his shoulders, biting into the crook of his neck, my own hips moving wildly against his.

"Yes Sebastian…oh yea baby…oh fuck yea"

I moaned praises in his ear as he drove me higher, my orgasm building again. I was getting so fucking close…

"Come on Rebecca…come for me" he encouraged, his voice hoarse, his hands almost painfully tight were they grasped my hips.

I leaned back until my back was bowed and cried out softly, the new angle was almost too good. "Fuck!" I gasped and moaned, my hands running restlessly over my body, searching for release.

When my fingers found my clit I was lost, gasping Bass's name on repeat as he thrust into me at a relentless pace. I could hear how desperate I sounded as I cried out, the bed shaking beneath us, Bass's voice as he moaned my name, but all of it faded moments later as my world narrowed into blinding pleasure.

This time when I came it was with Bass inside me, his body still moving against mine, his voice still whispering hoarsely in my ear as I cried out, his hands holding tightly to me, as though he would be lost if he let go.

Bass continued to thrust into me for mere moments before he came, crying out loudly. I could feel him spilling white hot inside me, his body shuddering violently beneath me, his breath rasping in and out.

I collapsed against him, my head resting in the crook of his neck, my breath coming in gasps as my heart raced. We lay together for long minutes, catching our breath and letting our thundering hearts slow.

When I felt like I could stand without falling down I rolled off him and went to the small basin of water on my dresser, wiping down my body. I heard the bed shift behind me and a moment later the soft sound of Bass's footsteps.

His strong calloused hand brushed aside my hair and his mouth at my neck made me smile softly. I turned and offered him the washrag, "Here, clean off" I murmured. He nodded and wiped off his body quickly, watching as I went back to the bed, crawling beneath the covers.

Moments later he was lying on his side, smiling softly at me. His fingers trailed over my bare arm, "What are you thinking?" he asked quietly.

I lifted a hand to his cheek and brushed my thumb across the dark circle under his eye, watching as his eyes fluttered closed. "That you look tired" I murmured.

He snorted softly and opened his eyes, "I've had a busy couple months." His tone was glib, but I could see lines on his face that hadn't been there before. He smiled softly at me and leaned in, kissing me sweetly. "I was worried about my Ambassador, she was being held in hostile territory."

I grinned and ran my hand down his chest, "Hmm, really? Did anyone assuage this worry of yours?" I teased. "I've noticed some attractive new militia members since my return, and they seem quite taken with you, President Monroe."

Bass shook his head, smirking softly. "I told you before I wouldn't cheat, and I didn't. They might be taken, but I'm taken by you." His smile softened into something fonder, more intimate, and I felt part of my anger at him chip away, some of the trust beginning to rebuild.

"I liked you calling me Sebastian" he murmured, running a thumb across my bottom lip.

I smiled softly and nipped at his thumb, "I liked you calling me Rebecca." I smirked faintly, "But let's save it for just between us, hmm?" I suggested, lifting a brow.

He laughed softly and nodded, pulling me into his arms. I sighed happily and lay there for some time, enjoying his embrace.

As I began to tire I nudged him, "Go blow out the candles" I whispered. He nodded and rose, extinguishing the candles and plunging the room into darkness. A moment later I felt the bed sink and he rolled back towards me, pulling me against him.

"I thought you wouldn't come back" Bass whispered, his lips pressed to my shoulder.

I sighed softly and squeezed his hand at my waist. "I almost didn't. But I don't run from my problems. I won't run from you Bass, I've told you that."

He nodded and squeezed me, "You're my family now" he whispered.

I swallowed hard, it was as close as he would come to saying I love you, and it meant nearly as much.

"You're mine too Sebastian" I whispered, choking on the silent, unspoken words between us.

Would either of us ever have the courage to say them?