This takes place the night before the events of Starcrossed

'It's crazy. I mean, look at us. Just look at us.'

'I see a man and a woman.'

-6 weeks after that conversation

-2 weeks after Christmas

"John." He heard her say in a soft voice that was for his ears only. "Wake up." Shayera lightly ran her nails down his back.

He lay on his stomach with his arms under his pillow, he could imagine her now. She would be sitting up with her body facing straight ahead of her but her face would be towards him. "5 more minutes grandma."

The caresses stopped. "Grandma?"

John laughed and turned his face to look at her. "I'm up. Don't kill me."

John looked towards his angel and smiled. She was so beautiful, the best thing that ever happened to him. He may have thought that about other things before, but that was all before her.

She pursed her lips in thought. "Fine. You live. But only because Christmas was so..." she trailed off as she looked out the windows. Her caress began again.

"Christmas was so...?" John prompted her.

She looked at him and smiled. She moved so that she lay on him. Her face was so close to his. Shayera closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Perfect."

John smiled. "I'm glad you had a good time."

Shayera kissed him. A light, barely there peck. John smiled moved them so that he was over her. "What was your favorite part?" He asked her in between the kisses he was laying down her neck.

Shayera closed her eyes and sighed in pleasure. She leaned her head back as she answered. "The bar."

He laughed. "Of course. Not the snowball fight. Or the dinner. But the fight."

"Of course." She agreed. "The snowball fight was hardly a challenge."

"I disagree." John said as his kisses trailed down her collarbone. "I beat you. Fair and square. The only reason you prefer the bar is the fact that you beat everyone there. And I beat you with snow."

Shayera couldn't answer. Her mind was dizzy with desire. John was now pulling the straps of her cami down her shoulders and his kisses were going further down her chest. She almost gave in, almost. Like cold water, thoughts of Hro jolted her into sitting up.

"What's wrong?" John asked.

"Nothing." Shayera fixed her strap and looked away from him. She moved so that she sat on the edge of the bed. She didn't leave, but she wasn't as close as she was.

"Did I do something wrong?" John asked, speaking his thoughts.

Shayera crossed her arms across her chest. "No." she answered softly.

"Then what's wrong?" He moved across the bed and sat beside her. He gently touched her shoulder. She stiffened, but didn't move away. "You can tell me. Am I moving too fast? Is it too soon? Please tell me."

The past 6 weeks had been amazing. Every since Christmas, the two spent the weekends together, free days together, and nights together. Shayera always came to John's place. She preferred it that way. Her quarters were empty. The only decoration was a framed picture of her and John, and a spot on the wall where she hung her mace.

From what she could understand here on Earth, by now couples would have made it past the first time they had sex. Shayera wanted that. So, so bad. They had only slept in the same bed and held each other. They never moved forward. She wanted it.

But she couldn't have it.

Every time they got close, Shayera would remember Hro. Even in her safe haven, John's apartment, the thought of Hro was enough to stop her. She felt dirty. Tainted, with a burden that she could share with no one else. Oh how she wanted to spill her guts to John and have him protect her when Hro came. After five years, Shayera had a tiny, tiny, hope that they would never come.

"I can't tell you."

John's hand dropped from her shoulder. She shut her eyes.

"Oh." He said quietly. "I see."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's alright. I can wait. Shayera, I will never force you to do something that you don't want to. I want you to feel comfortable with me. There's nothing that you can say or do that will change how I feel for you."

A tear slid from her eye. John caught it and held Shayera's face. "It may be soon, but I love you. I can't explain it, but I do. And I'm pretty sure you feel the same. Correct me if I'm wrong."

When she stayed quiet, he continued.

"Whenever you feel the need to tell me something, go ahead. With me there'll be no judgment. Whatever problem you may have, we can work them out together."

Shayera slowly shook her head then she buried herself into John's chest. Instantly, his arms went around her. "I can't tell you. Please trust me on this. I just can't."

"Ok Shayera. No one's forcing you. I understand. Some secrets we need to keep to ourselves." He held her back so he could look into her eyes. "But you need to know. Whatever it is, it'll never change anything between us."

Shayera nodded and wiped her eyes. Again, John took her into his strong embrace. He murmured sweet things to her, but she wasn't listening. In her mind she thought the same things over and over.

'This is crazy! I need to tell him. I have to. And he was right. I do love him. Hro is nothing but a memory. A scary memory that can become reality all too soon.'

John still held her. "John? Can we watch a movie?"

He smiled. "Of course."

They watched movies the rest of the day, eating chinese. They laughed and they jumped. For that day, Shayera was happy. Just like any other day she spent with John. While they were curled up on the couch, she watched him. 'Maybe I will tell him. Tomorrow. I don't want anything to ruin this night.'

He faced her and smiled. Shayera smiled back and took his hand. She led him off the couch and into his bedroom, the movie they had just started forgotten.

'Tomorrow, after the mission in D.C, I'll tell him. But tonight, I'll show him that I love him. Tonight, we become lovers.'