A/N: Thanks again for reading and reviewing, and I want to say a special thank you to Becks here for putting up with a lot of indecision, revisions and random extra bits! And I hope you all like the result... just one more chapter to go after this!

Chapter Seventeen

The police chief shook the Planeteers' hands before they left the police station in the dawn light, having signed their statements that night.

"You ready Beautiful?" Wheeler asked as they walked towards the Geo-cruiser, her brother and friend a little way ahead.

Linka kept her eyes lowered, "I think I will drive back with Mischka, and make sure Gram is ok. You should take Susi straight back to the hotel to meet the others."

He moved closer and spoke quietly, "Babe the police are happy it was self-defence, they're more likely to give you a medal than press charges, stop worrying about it."

"That is not what I am worried about," She said miserably, not bothering to deny that there was something on her mind.

"What then?" When she didn't say anything he stopped her gently and turned her towards him, "Babe? Talk to me."

She shrugged, "I know you saw and heard what happened, you were closer than anyone else. Are you not disgusted with me?"

"Of course not!" He replied with some emphasis.

"You should be!" She told him, no longer able to hold in her feelings. "I should be better than that."

The American took her carefully into his arms, "Hey, I thought we agreed that neither of us is perfect? Linka, seriously, you were defending the people you love… given half a chance I might have done worse."

"I am not sure that it was not revenge, Yankee…" She swallowed, blinking away tears, "I am not sure… I keep telling myself that I had to make an end of it, that he left me no choice, but there could have been another way..."

"I love you."

She looked up at him in surprise, her eyes seeking and finding confirmation in his. Finally she gave him a watery smile. "Then I am very lucky… and, I love you too."

"Mischka, what happened?" His grandmother asked as he opened the door to their house. It was full daylight and she'd been up for a while, not that she'd had much sleep the night before.

Mischka said nothing, just shook his head and leaving the front door open, headed for his room. He heard her exclaim again as she greeted Wheeler and Linka but right then he was exhausted and just wanted to be alone.

"Gram we have a surprise for you," The American said, noting with some worry how Linka would not meet her grandmother's eyes.

She was being as communicative as her brother, who had insisted on driving himself home despite their offer to take him and then bring him back for his car when he'd had some sleep. About the only concession Mischka had made was to give his sister quick hug by way of apology and perhaps, thanks.

Wheeler indicated the still open doorway and the suddenly shy girl framed within it.

The older woman looked confused for a moment but then remembered what she'd been told, "Susichka?" When the young woman nodded Grandmuska held out her arms and Susi almost fell into them. "It is good to have my other granddaughter home."

"I do not deserve your kindness, you do not know what I have become." Susi tried to pull away but the old woman took and kept a firm clasp on her hand.

"Linka told me," Gram shook her head, "None of that matters, you will always be welcome here."

Through the tears she couldn't hold back, Susi tried to thank her, and was led over to the couch so that she could unburden herself in the comfort of her surrogate grandmother's arms. Linka sat on the other side and rubbed her back, wanting her to know that she was there, though her own face was deathly pale.

"Jason, why don't you go and make us all a nice hot drink?"

"Sure thing Gram." He shut the front door and made his way to the kitchen, returning shortly with a tray holding five mugs of hot chocolate. Picking up the last he said, "I'll take this in to Mischka, I doubt he's asleep yet."

The American had been right, but though Mischka thanked him for the beverage that was left on his bedside cabinet, he hadn't made any move to take it while he'd been in the room and clearly hadn't wanted to talk.

"Now," Grandmuska said, as Wheeler took a seat and a taste of his own drink, "Perhaps you will tell me what happened?"

Wheeler glanced at Linka and Susi but they were both seemingly absorbed by their drinks and he shrugged, "It was pretty much like we'd suspected. Svetlana was heavily involved in the crime syndicate Skumm was running and she's been arrested." A thought occurred to him and he started to add, "Oh Skumm is…"

"I am quite aware of who he is and what he has done to this family," Grandmuska said coldly, and then gave him an apologetic smile, "It is not something you forget easily."

"Yeah well he won't be hurting anyone again so you don't have to worry." Wheeler assured her.

Linka stood up suddenly, "We should go… the others are waiting for us at the bed and breakfast."

Her grandmother protested, "Why did they not come here?"

"Spasiba," The Wind Planeteer smiled for the first time at her Grandmother's desire to welcome their friends, "But we are all in need of sleep and there is not room here. We will be in Russia for a while though, at least I will… I mean there is so much to clear up, you will have time to see everyone."

"You must all come to dinner tonight." She said as Wheeler moved to encircle his girlfriend's waist with a comforting arm.

Linka bit her lip, "I am not sure Mischka is ready for that…"

"It will not do him any good to shut himself away and brood," Susi said, reaching out to squeeze Linka's hand for extra support, "Or you either."

"Yeah," Wheeler agreed, "Let's get that sleep so we can think about things with clearer heads, but we'll come to dinner and we can talk about everything then, thanks Gram."

Susi stood but she hesitated, "Actually I am not ready to sleep, would it be ok if I stayed here for a while to catch up with Grandmuska?"

"Of course it is!" The old woman beamed, obviously wanting the company, "And you can always nap in Linka's room if you feel tired."

"Will she be safe?" Linka asked Wheeler, worried but not able to think well enough to work it out for herself.

He nodded, "Yeah I think so. The police are going to be keeping an eye on the house for a few days anyway and we won't be far away."

The girls embraced again though they'd only be apart for a few hours and then the Planeteers departed.

"Are all hotel receptionists in Russia that suspicious of strangers?" Wheeler joked as he sat on the end of the bed and kicked his shoes off.

"Yankee, Mrs Chudov has known me since I was a baby, and she knows my house is five minutes away, and yet I want a room here with my boyfriend." She sounded irritable but he knew it was just the stress and exhaustion rather than any real annoyance, "What else is she going to think?"

He sighed, "I guess it would have been better if the others had actually made it back instead of opting for a couple of hours sleep in whichever town they're in, huh?"

She shook her head and flopped back on the bed beside him, "I would rather publically announce that I am having sex with you than face them right now."

"They'll understand," He said quietly and then as the rest of her words sank in, "I'll try not to take that personally."

That drew a small chuckle from her, but all she said was, "I am not sure I have the energy to get into bed, can I just stay here?"

Wheeler smiled at her affectionately and then stood up and walked around the bed to pick her up and move her so that her head was on the pillow. He gave her t-shirt a small tug, "Want some help?"

"Sure." Linka shrugged, smiling in spite of herself, "What would I do without you Jason?"

It was only a couple of hours later when her restless sleep disturbed him. He pulled her closer and gently woke her, "It's ok Beautiful, it was just a nightmare."

"Bozhe' moy!" she gasped, tears escaping from her eyes, "What have I done?"

"Hey, it's over." Wheeler kissed her forehead. "Everything's ok now."

Linka nodded, pressing tightly against him, "It was an old dream, I have them sometimes, only… instead of Boris it was Mischka and…"

"Shh, Babe that didn't happen, "Mischka's fine and so is Gram, and Susi, you'll see them again tonight."

She was shivering but she nodded, "I am sorry, I am fine honestly."

Wheeler kissed her again, rubbing her back and arms though the cold she was feeling was internal. "There's nothing to apologise for. See if you can go back to sleep ok?"

Nodding, the Wind Planeteer closed her eyes but opened them again almost immediately, "I cannot, not yet, my head is full of… bad things."

"Ok Babe, then let's talk for a while," he suggested though he seemed near to falling asleep again. "Tell me what sort of birds you get 'round here."

"Da because that will keep you awake," She laughed quietly and he gave her a squeeze. After a moment she said, "Are you too tired to… make love to me?"

"When I'm six feet under, maybe." He said and then opened his eyes, "Are you sure that's not taking advantage when you're vulnerable?"

The Russian smiled at him and said seriously, "I think as long as it is already part of your relationship it just comes under comfort."

He kissed her, now fully awake and already exploring, "You've convinced me."

"Somehow I thought I would," She chuckled and began to reciprocate.

When they finally did fall asleep they slept soundly and peacefully, and only woke in time for dinner because of the arrival of the rest of the Planeteers.

To be continued…