Chapter Four
The others had teased them for entering the kitchen hand in hand, but since neither had seemed to mind, the comments dried up before the end of the meal, and no one even mentioned how Linka had curled up in Wheeler's lap, in the common room afterwards.
The new couple were completely wrapped up in each other, though they were tired and happy to hold each other and whisper quietly while the others watched a film. Linka would normally have given up the fight to remain awake by that time, but she was reluctant to leave her new boyfriend so soon and he was content to have her there.
"I won't be offended if you doze off Beautiful." He offered. "I'll even carry you to bed and tuck you in if you want?"
She smiled sleepily. "That sounds nice, but I would rather stay here for now." She emphasized her words by snuggling her face into his neck.
"Me too Babe." Wheeler grinned and rested his head against hers, his eyes revealing far more of his feelings to his friends than he realised. In fact his whole posture around the Wind Planeteer was markedly different, he was relaxed and content and it showed.
After a couple of hours, just after Ma-Ti said good night and headed for his cabin, Gaia's voice called to Linka. "Your grandmother is calling, would you like me to tell her you'll call her back when you've had some sleep?"
Linka sighed and got up, allowing her hand to trail along her boyfriend's arm as if she were reluctant to let go. "That is kind of you Gaia, spasiba, but it is okay, I will speak to her."
The Russian smiled at Wheeler and then headed to the crystal chamber.
"Grandmuska, is everything okay?" Linka of course was speaking in Russian and the concern in her voice sprang from the paleness of the old woman's face.
"Da Linka, it is good to see you." She replied with a smile, and countered with. "You look tired though?"
The blond stretched a little. "We were on a long mission. I will go to bed soon."
Her grandmother nodded. "Well then I will not keep you, I just wanted to know if you were coming for Mischka's engagement party? You received his letter I hope?"
"Da." Linka tried somewhat unsuccessfully to smile. "I got it… I forgot, I am sorry."
The elderly woman was obviously still waiting for an answer so Linka tried again. "I will be there as long as there are no emergencies… and I will be bringing Wheeler with me too."
"You know I am always happy to see Wheeler." Her grandmother didn't look at all like she meant that, a suspicion that was borne out as she continued. "It is a family occasion though and well… I'm not sure it would be appropriate."
"Wheeler is as much family as that…!" She took a breath. "Grandmuska, do you really think they would object to my bringing him?"
Her grandmother shrugged. "I do not know, Mischka has very strong ideas about family, but he does like Wheeler. I cannot tell what Svetlana will object to, but darling, do you really want him to meet her?"
I take it that means she has not changed! Linka thought, but only said. "If Mischka is determined to marry her then da, they will have to meet sooner or later. Besides, I trust him."
Grandmuska smiled. "Has something happened between the two of you? As I remember it, the last time I spoke to you, you said he was a womanising idiot."
The Wind Planeteer blushed. "That was… we had had an argument… but he really just flirts a lot, and it is different now anyway."
"I see." Her grandmother's smile grew wider.
Linka laughed in embarrassment and confirmed what her relative was thinking. "We are together … officially. So if I have to get used to Svetlana, they will have to become accustomed to my Yankee."
Her grandmother chuckled in return. "Very well, tell Wheeler I look forward to seeing him again… oh, do you mind sharing a room with him? I cannot see Mischka being happy about sharing his, though you could always come in with me if it makes you uncomfortable?"
The young girl's face was burning but she kept her voice steady as she answered. "We do not… live together. But I do not think it will be uncomfortable for us to share a room for a few nights, we are both adults after all, I do not think we need to act like teenagers."
"That makes things easier then." Grandmuska smiled. "Get some sleep and I will see you soon."
"Da, good night Grandmuska." She replied.
Once the screen had gone dark and Linka's face had cooled down slightly, she called softly to Gaia and waited for the motherly spirit to appear. "I am sorry Gaia, I just realised I should have asked you first. Will it be okay for Wheeler and myself to visit my family over the weekend?"
"Of course." The Gaia smiled down at her, her other worldly presence full of caring as usual. "Unless there is an emergency of course. But if you take the Eco-copter, you can just meet up with the others if something happens."
Linka nodded and thanked her before returning to the common room. When she got there the Wind Planeteer saw that only her boyfriend was present.
"Have the others gone to bed?" She asked, resuming her place on his lap.
Wheeler pulled her close as she settled against him. "Nah, they're making drinks. Is everything okay with your family?"
Linka nodded. "I do not think Grandmuska is any happier about this engagement than I am, but she is not saying so. She did say that she would be happy to see you again though... if you still want to come with me?"
"You know I do." He kissed her soft lips lovingly. "I want to be with you all the time."
The Russian's smile grew as she remembered the sleeping arrangements she had made with her grandmother. "Do not worry Yankee, we will be together the whole time."
She closed the distance between them once more, running her fingers through his short red hair.
"I wish I were not so tired." Linka sighed after a while, not wanting to be the one to end their time together but knowing she couldn't stay awake much longer.
"You want me to walk you to your door?" The American offered affectionately. "I mean I know this isn't exactly a date but I kinda feel like I should, you know?"
Linka nodded, her eyes shining and a huge smile on her lips. They'd not had much of a chance to just spend time together and they certainly had had no time for dates, at least since they had been a couple. He was being very sweet though and she liked it, it made her feel safe and loved, just as he always managed to do when he wasn't trying.
Slipping off his lap and holding her hand out to him, the lovely Russian couldn't help marvelling at how neatly her hand fit into his larger one.
"So, where should we go for our first date… though I guess we won't have time before your brother's party?" The American gave her hand a squeeze to show her that he didn't mind.
Linka smiled back. "It does not have to be something fancy, you know most women think a walk along the beach is a very romantic date."
"Yeah but most women don't practically live on top of one." Wheeler looked down at her. "You'd want to do that?"
"Da, why not?" The Wind Planeteer stopped in front of her cabin door and turned to face him. "Dating is just about spending time together, it does not really matter what we do."
Wheeler pulled her into his arms and held her close, teasing gently. "Then we've been dating for years."
Linka chuckled. "It does not work quite like that Yankee."
"Tomorrow then? We ditch the others for a while and go for a walk." He kissed her nose. "You can even wake me up early if you like and we can have breakfast together."
Faking shock, his girlfriend gasped. "Bozhe' moy Yankee, you must really be serious about me!"
"I am." His quiet response, coupled with the fire in his eyes, took her breath away.
The kiss that followed was passionate but not uncontrolled, and though it took several more before they could bear to part, the new couple eventually did separate, Wheeler to head back to the common room and their friends while Linka slipped into a peaceful sleep filled with dreams of her Yankee.
To be continued…