Sometimes there was a kiss. A brief contact, lips against lips, never more than that. It happened almost unconsciously, an almost chaste contact just before one left the room they had shared for a night. It was always in private. It was never something that led to more.

Touches were more frequent. Especially after an assignment that had them confront a Mysteron replicant. On one occasion Blue held his friend as Scarlet recovered from a bad fall that left him weak and trying to heal a dozen broken bones, as well as take care of the stab wound in his chest from where a wooden stake had speared him.

Adam had had to remove the stake.

He had nearly thrown up over it.

He had had to look at his friend in all kinds of states, from burns to acid to radiation poisoning. Somehow he had gotten used to it, but then again, not so much. He was human and he knew the pain Paul was in was real. He experienced it just as intensely as any of them would have.

Touch helped. It eased Paul's mind, let him rest more easily as his body did its amazing trick. Every time he woke, he looked more relaxed, younger, calmer. And waking up no longer was a sudden gasp or eyes opening wide, fighting for that first breath.

After one such recovery, Adam pressed a relieved kiss to his forehead, smiling brightly.

"Good to have you back."

Paul's smile was real; tired but real.

The next kiss was on the lips.

Warm, deep, slow, speaking of emotions Paul was still working through.

X X X

Rescue found them half a day later, none the worse for wear. Blue was simply happy to get out of the woods and back into civilization, even though he was a passionate outdoorsman. This hadn't been a vacation, though. There had been nothing to enjoy.

X X X

Paul kissed him again when they were in Adam's quarters, both reluctant to leave the other alone.

This time it had been on his initiative.

X X X

Nothing else happened.

Until one morning, in a hotel suite they had spent the night after a grueling week of chasing a Mysteron agent.

Blue had ended up a hostage, with the chafed wrists and concussion to show. The agent was dead, both field agents more than ready to go home, but pick-up wouldn't be until the next morning. His new healing factor had taken care of the headache and the raw skin around his wrists looked a lot better, though it was still red and tender.

It was Paul who initiated the kiss then. It was almost desperate, the pale blue eyes burning. Adam followed his gut feeling and opened up under the kiss, letting their tongues slide together.

It wasn't the angels singing or sparks flying or explosions of lights behind his eyes. It was far more subtle, like a hum between them, a confession made without words.

Paul pulled back slowly, looking into his eyes, quizzical and slightly hesitant. Adam waited.

He was paid in full for his patience by another kiss.

One that was by far deeper and more meaningful than before.

Paul didn't fight it.

For the first time, he didn't fight it.

He went with the flow, touched and kissed, and Adam held him close. That connection between them, the anchor, seemed to hum and vibrate with something that seemed to want to get out, too close to the surface and still not breaking free.

"Paul," Adam murmured against the other man's lips. "Let go."

It was a soft groan that answered him. Adam rolled on his back, Paul easily settling over him, and taking the lead. The blond took a gamble and slid his hand under his partner's shirt. He was rewarded with a stuttering breath.

"Adam…"

"Hm?"

"Don't."

"Not doing anything. Your lead."

Paul groaned again and buried his head against Adam's neck. Svenson just curled his arms around him, a smile playing over his lips. His fingers carded into the longish, black strands. He lightly scratched his nails over the other man's scalp, feeling Paul relax a little more.

A soft sigh confirmed it.

He kissed the square jaw.

"Paul?"

It got him a grunt.

"You okay with this?"

"I think I'm still human enough to enjoy it, yeah."

Adam chuckled. "You always stop. And you are human."

Paul pushed himself up, looking into the bright blue eyes, taking in the ease, the calmness, Adam's relaxed state.

"You are, Adam. Fully human."

"Hopelessly human, as I've been told," he joked. "Doesn't make you alien when it comes to your own emotions."

Paul exhaled sharply.

"Stop thinking, Paul," Adam said softly. "You won't know what happens until you give in just a little."

He curled a hand around Paul's neck and pulled him into another kiss. Opening up. Inviting Paul in. Giving him the choice. He nipped at the retreating lips, grinning when he took in the flushed cheeks.

His partner's eyes were glacially blue, blown wide, his control waning.

The next kiss was initiated by his partner and Adam happily replied. He left his hand under the shirt, felt the warm skin, the muscles underneath, and he knew they were good. Paul was good.

x X XX xx X XX xxx x X XX xx X XX x X XX

Paul Metcalfe had never known how much he needed human contact, had missed it and wanted it, until Adam had forced him to accept his needs.

Accept himself.

He was different from everyone else and then again he wasn't. He was a Mysteron, but he was also human. He was Paul Metcalfe, he was Captain Scarlet, and he was the man who needed Adam Svenson, Captain Blue, as his anchor. And who had bound Adam to him because he would always need him.

Forever.

As long as he lived.

There was a soft huff against his skin and he smiled when the arm around his waist tightened.

"Thinkin'," the blond complained sleepily. "Loudly."

"Sorry," he replied.

Blue eyes, darker than his own, cracked open, glaring. Adam looked tired, but not worn, and Paul turned to kiss him softly. It had become an addiction and he liked it.

Nothing had happened between them. It had been a make-out session, almost like they were teenagers, getting to know each other.

In a way they were.

They were moving slow; glacially slow, if he was any judge of it. It was fine by him and Adam had made no move to change the speed. Tonight had been a lot closer than they had ever been before. He had never allowed himself to lose himself in the kisses and touches.

Part of Scarlet was still terrified of what would happen if he gave up control completely. He was a Mysteron and Mysterons didn't have physical relationships. That much he had gleaned from the memories surfacing sporadically. This wasn't anything he could reliably call upon from the leftover Mysteron mind control. Adam had been a very patient man, listening to his fears, and then he had simply pulled him into an embrace.

"We'll burn that bridge when we get there," he had replied philosophically.

"I thought we should cross it."

"Semantics."

Yes, semantics.

Paul let his partner pull him closer and he rested his head on the muscular chest, his right hand playing over the flat stomach.

They were mostly naked.

A first time for them. They had seen each other naked throughout their Spectrum careers, but that had been before a new flavor had been added to their partnership. Wearing only pajama pants, no shirts, was a novelty.

And the playfulness was new, too. His fingers brushing over the warm skin, feeling the life underneath the deceptive vulnerability.

The scar from that fateful shot was still visible. It was a clear reminder of the day he had chosen Adam Svenson over everything and everyone else. It was a reminder that his anchor was still human, not a Mysteron, not a monster.

Adam caught the hand and placed his own over it. Paul let a soft sigh escape.

"Paul?"

"I'm good."

Adam's fingers were in his hair, playing with it. "Good," he only said, smile audible. "Your speed, Paul."

He looked into the ruggedly handsome face, took in the still present ease.

Paul leaned down and kissed him, pouring everything into the contact.

x X XX xx X XX xxx x X XX xx X XX x X XXx X XX xx X XX xxx x X XX xx X XX x X XXx X XX xx X XX xxx x X XX xx X XX x X XXx X XX xx X XX xxx x X XX xx X XX x X XX

It had been his father's sixty-fifth birthday and while Adam hadn't been ecstatic to go, he had gone. White had given him four personal days, though he had argued two would be enough. Of course, no one knew if there wasn't a mission or a Mysteron plot. No one cold plan for that and it would have put a crimp into his plans.

As it was, nothing was on the horizon, though Adam was reluctant to leave. It wasn't as if he was truly welcome. His father would lecture him about throwing away his education, his high grades, his career in business. He would tell everyone who listened that his son had had such a promising future and now was nothing but a mere soldier for an international organization that would get him killed.

Adam would hold his tongue, would bite back his comebacks, and he would try and escape the scathing remarks to talk to the few people in his family he counted as true family. Like his younger sister. Or one of his brothers.

Yes, he would have loved to remain on Skybase. His new relationship, the meaning he had for his partner, was still slightly rocky. Paul would have these moments of broodiness, the faraway look in his eyes that told Adam he was going over everything again and again. He would try to figure out a way to handle the anchor connection, give Captain Blue a measure of privacy and freedom, and Blue would argue with him until Paul folded once again.

Now this.

"Go," Scarlet simply said.

"You could come with."

"As your plus one?" he teased.

Adam grinned. He liked the light-heartedness of the remark. "Maybe? Sounds about right."

"I'm on duty."

"The Colonel might just say yes."

He probably would. White was very much aware of the growing closeness. Doctor Gold was keeping a record of things and their commanding officer was the recipient of frequent updates.

And it might shock his father into silence for a while, until the moment he would rant about something else about his no good son.

"Go, Adam. Have fun."

He grimaced. "Yeah, right." But it would be good to see his family again.

So he went.

x X XX xx X XX xxx x X XX xx X XX x X XXx X XX xx X XX xxx x X XX xx X XX x X XXx X XX xx X XX xxx x X XX xx X XX x X XXx X XX xx X XX xxx x X XX xx X XX x X XX

Three days later, coming home from a family dinner, actually on his last day and a day after his dad's birthday, Captain Blue received a call. His father raised an eyebrow as the Spectrum-issue cell beeped.

"I thought you were off duty until tomorrow," he remarked, voice acidic and sharp.

Adam ignored the tone of voice, like he had done a hundred times in the last days. Part of him had hoped for a call the moment he had walked into his parents' home, seeing his old man, meeting the cold, gray eyes full of disdain. He hadn't been that lucky until now.

"Must be urgent."

"Well, you're not the only agent in that superfluous, pseudo-military…"

Adam ignored the rest and just stepped away to check the messages.

His father was correct that he wasn't the only agent, which was something that worried Adam. For White to call him, there was only one single reason: Paul. Something had happened to Paul, to Captain Scarlet, and it had to be severe. If he had been sent on a mission and injured or killed, well, as bad as it sounded, it was nothing new. So it wasn't something as straight-forward as this.

Adam pulled up the message and found his fear verified. 'Scarlet down,' it read. This was bad.

"I need to call," he murmured, already turning away and hitting the call button, ignoring his mother's expression. This was more than serious.

"Captain Blue," Lieutenant Green greeted him, voice tight.

"What happened?" he demanded, stomach already constricting at her tone of voice.

"Captain Scarlet was injured on a mission. Colonel White requests you return ASAP. You'll get briefed the moment you are on the way."

He didn't need more. Something was utterly wrong.

"Pick up?" he only asked.

"On their way. ETA ten minutes."

"Understood."

Adam turned to his parents, ignoring his father's constipated expression. His mother sighed and just hugged him.

"Take care, Adam."

"I always do. Sorry. I gotta do this. It's my job."

His father huffed, but he was saved another speech when his siblings said good-bye just as he heard the rumble of the approaching Hummingbird.

X X X

Adam immediately called Skybase the moment Lieutenant Silver lifted off. He didn't even look back at the quickly disappearing members of his family.

The image that greeted him with that of Lieutenant Green. She looked serious, maybe a little gray around the edges, and her smile didn't reach her eyes.

"Captain Blue," she said.

"What happened?" he demanded, voice maybe a bit sharper than normal.

"Captains Ochre and Grey investigated the disappearance of the lead scientist and founder of PanEn, a research lab under military funding. PanEn handles Mysteron research," Green told him. "Their goal is to find a way to detect and neutralize Mysteron energy in replicants, biological and non-biological."

Adam felt something inside of him constrict with foreboding. He had read about this kind of research, that it was top secret, that Earth was trying to keep it under wraps in case the Mysterons caught wind of the research facility. Adam had felt more than apprehensive the first time he had heard White mention PanEn's final goal. One of their own was a replicant and whatever they did, it would prove to be fatal to Paul Metcalfe.

"When Ochre was injured, Colonel White ordered Scarlet to take over."

"Shit," Adam muttered.

Serena nodded, face serious. "Colonel White knew it was dangerous, but it was the only way. Captain Scarlet agreed."

"Of course he would," Blue muttered under his breath.

"It seems that half of the team had been replaced by replicants and all the research had been compromised, corrupted or completely eradicated. The probe went out of control, attacked everyone, including Captain Scarlet. Grey was knocked out, as were several security guards, and Paul… Doctor Gold thinks he received a massive energy shock, like an electrical overload, before the probe… hurt him," she added, voice hesitant.

By now they were in approaching Skybase and Silver skilfully landed on the flight deck.

Colonel White's tall, slender form was easily visible through the huge glass windows that led into the base. His face was neutral as he faced Blue, who was hurrying from the helicopter inside.

"Thank you for coming back, Captain."

"No choice."

They walked briskly to an elevator that took them to med bay. There was no one else around and the grave expression from the nurse Blue passed by told him everything.

"I wouldn't have recalled you for anything but a dire emergency," the Colonel went on.

"I understand. Lieutenant Green just filled me in. How is he, sir? Really?"

"In a very serious and unstable condition," Doctor Gold answered from behind. His voice sounded clipped, slightly stressed. "Captain," he nodded at Adam. "Thank you for coming."

"He was hit by electricity?" Blue probed.

"Not mere electricity but a plasma energy designed specifically to eradicate Mysteron energy from a replicant, not unlike what happened to Captain Scarlet when you shot him that first time. Dr. Ortiz, the chief researcher behind this new weapon, theorized that if Scarlet's personality and memories persisted in the replicant after the Mysterons' control over his mind was broken, the same could be effectively done to any captured replicant."

"The research was highly secretive and only a handful of people knew," Colonel White added, voice slightly brittle. "We have yet to understand how the Mysterons caught wind of it."

"And Paul was hit by this weapon?"

"Yes. Rather severely. Now, we have to understand that Scarlet has already shucked off the Mysterons' control and is himself. His body is that of a replicant and basically Mysteron and alien. Unlike other replicants you have faced, he can completely recover from almost everything that is thrown at him," Gold explained patiently. "As such he isn't the perfect test specimen."

He's not a test specimen at all, Adam thought angrily.

"The effects are different for him. I believe if the probe hadn't physically attacked him, too, he might already be whole again. As it is, his recovery rate is incredibly low. The probe close to tore him apart. Luckily there was no loss of limbs and most inner organs have restored themselves."

Adam bit back a grimace.

"The outer wounds have barely closed and Captain Scarlet is in no condition to leave med bay," Gold added.

So far this sounded like a purely medical problem, though a very serious one and also one Blue would have come back for no matter what. This was his best friend they were talking about.

"Why was I recalled?" Blue asked, the sense of dread rising.

"Because the good captain is highly combative, has trouble focusing on where he is and who we are, and he seems to slip in his memories."

"Amnesia?!"

"A form of it. He knows where he is most of the time, as well as who he is, but he keeps slipping."

"And you think he recognizes me?"

"You are his anchor, Adam," White said, voice even. "So we hope he recognizes you."

"And if he doesn't?"

The two men looked equally serious and Adam groaned silently to himself.

Well, fuck.

x X XX xx X XX xxx x X XX xx X XX x X XX

The sight that greeted him was… terrifying.

Quarantine. Heavily secured. No one inside but the one patient who was strapped to the bed and hooked up to two IVs. Captain Scarlet was out of uniform – and actually out of most clothes. His upper body was bare except for the bandages wrapped around most of it, and he was wearing gym shorts.

Adam had watched the unconscious, or sleeping, man for a while, making up his mind.

He could do this. Alone. Only alone. No cameras, no surveillance of any kind.

The Colonel had nodded, even though Doctor Gold had voiced his protests.

"The IV goes," Adam decided. "As do the restraints."

"That is highly dangerous, Captain Blue. We have kept him sedated ever since he attacked the staff…"

"Doc, you wanted me here because you think he recognizes me as his anchor. So let me work as that. I'm pretty sure Paul won't attack me."

Gold didn't look happy, but White nodded his agreement.

"It's why we called Captain Blue," he reminded the chief medical officer.

So the IV was removed, as were the restraints. Surveillance was switched off.

And Adam Svenson walked into the quarantine unit.

tbc...