Chapter 4: My Lover's the Sunlight

For Abby, the day seemed to drag on and on. Her hangover finally dissipated somewhere between the cup of coffee and the small meal she called her lunch. She couldn't be more grateful of that fact when she'd been called out of medical to the engineering tent to stitch up Sinclair's arm after a worksite accident.

Marcus had been on hand to determine that the cause had definitely been accidental and not intentional. He had met Abby's eyes as she worked on Sinclair. He gave her a knowing smile and a nod as he exited to carry on with his day.

She felt her heart skip a beat as he gave her that hint of a smile that she or anyone else had rarely been privy to. She couldn't stop the smile that pulled at the corners of her own mouth. She blushed when Sinclair gave her a funny look. She had to look away as she finished the last stitch and tied the knot before snipping the excess suture thread. "You'll need to keep this dry, and then come see me in a week to have the stitches removed."

Sinclair nodded. "Sure thing, Madam Chancellor." He lifted a hand to indicate the direction that Marcus had just exited. "So something's going on there, isn't it?" He had known for quite awhile that most of his two friends problems with one another was their growing attraction. "I think that's great."

She snorted softly. "There's nothing going on. Well, there is, but it's-it's nothing." But even she knew she was lying to herself. She then let out a defeated sigh. "It's just dinner and a walk."

Sinclair put his hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Like I said, Abby, I think it's great. You both deserve a little happiness."

She glanced in the direction in which Marcus left and then nodded. "I just wish I knew what to expect."

"He'll be a perfect gentlemen unless you give him reason to not be." He knew Marcus well enough to know that he was respectful and wouldn't ever push her into a situation she wasn't at all ready for.

Abby had no idea how to do her hair. Clothes were scarce on the Ark when it was in Space. Now on the Ground they had what was on their backs and little else. So that wasn't even an issue, but she could still make herself look nice.

In the end, she settled for wearing it down and brushing it until it was nice and soft. Her entire body felt alive with nerves. She hadn't been on a date since before she married Jake. She wasn't sure if she remembered how to behave.

The sound of Marcus clearing his throat just outside her quarters had her jumping slightly as she was jerked from her memories. "Almost ready. You can come in if you'd like." She had seated herself on the edge of her bed to put on her boots.

Marcus slipped into the tent. He held one hand behind his back as he gave her a smile. "I didn't think tonight would ever get here." As she stood, he stepped closer and offered her the hand he had hidden. Between his fingers was a single purple flower with white accents. "Not much else is growing this time of year." His cheeks flushed a rosy pink.

She took the flower and brought it to her nose. "Oh, Marcus! It's perfect!" She stepped toward him and moved up onto her tip toes to place a kiss on his stumbled cheek. "Thank you. Just let me find something to put it in." They didn't have much, but they managed to find a small object that would double as a vase.

As they made their way through the gate, Marcus slipped his hand into hers. He held a makeshift picnic basket and blanket in the other arm. He smiled over at her. "You look beautiful tonight, Abby."

Abby's smile lit up her whole face. Her hand shifted in his to intertwine their fingers together. She leaned in close to him. "You don't look so bad yourself, Marcus." She felt her heart begin to race at the thought of what tonight might bring.

"I found this place awhile ago when I needed some time to think. Some space." He lead them off the main path onto a slightly overgrown path. He helped her over a fallen tree so that she didn't fall. He met her eyes for a moment before they continued on the path. "So I keep coming back whenever I need some time away, and I want to share this with you, Abby. I want this to be our place."

"I can't believe how much everything has changed. Six months ago, we weren't even friends. Not really." She clung tightly to his hand as the terrain became more rocky and uneven. "And now, we're going on a date." She felt her cheeks flush. Her smile brought one of his own as he looked back at her. "I'm sure I'll love it." And she knew she would. Not because it would be beautiful-which she no doubt knew it would be-but because it was special to him, and now he wanted to share it with her.

They were quiet as they traveled along. It wasn't quite dark yet, but it was getting there. The last of the sun had disappeared moments before they'd left camp, but it was still light enough to make out the path before them.

"We're here." They stepped out onto a little flat plane that allowed them to see the area around them for miles. The sky overheard was dotted with stars, and he let go of her hand to set the basket down and spread the blanket over the ground. "I thought we'd have a picnic and star gaze."

She moved around the small area, taking in all the sights and sounds and smells that had no doubt brought him back time and again. She started to wrap herself in a hug as a slight breeze brought on a chill in the air, but she felt him press against her back and wrap himself around her. She leaned back into him. "It's beautiful, Marcus. Thank you so much for sharing this with me."

He placed a small kiss to the side of her head as he held her close to him. "I want to share everything with you. I tried to fight the way I feel for you, Abby." The emotion in his voice caused it to tremble slightly.

"Why?" She closed her eyes as she slipped her hands over his and held him close so that he wouldn't pull away.

He tightened his hold on her, moving his mouth and nose against the part of her body where her neck met her shoulder. "I never let myself hope that you could feel for me what I am feeling for you. All the things that I've done..."

She turned then, searching his eyes. "You're no longer that man." Her hands moved up his chest to his neck and finally onto his cheeks. She lifted herself onto her tiptoes and pressed her mouth to his in a slow, lingering kiss.

His arms moved around her waist and held her close to him. He let his tongue slide along her bottom lip, and instantly, he was rewarded as her mouth opened to him. He melted into the kiss, deepening it, but not rushing it. It felt good to just be with her.

The intimacy of their first kiss wasn't lost on her. It made heat crawl through her body like a slow burning fire, and it thrilled her like nothing had in a very long time. Her hands had slid from his cheeks and up into his hair.

The need for air caused them to pull apart, but only so far as their foreheads still touching. He lowered her back to the ground. His lips curled into a smile. "I'm glad to see that I was wrong."

She loosened her fingers from his hair and leaned back up to press her mouth t his in a sweet, chaste kiss. "Very wrong indeed, Marcus Kane." She then pulled out of his embrace and moved toward the blanket. Her hand grasped his along the way. "And just what did you bring us to eat? I'm starving." She dropped to the blanket on her knees and looked up at him.

He followed her, unable to look away as the last of the light disappeared and the were left with only the moonlight to illuminate their blanket.