Author's note: The song for this chapter is Maroon 5 - Daylight.

Daylight

Harkness

We made love several more times that night, each time more spectacular than the last, which was saying something since the first time had been so great. I tried my best to wear Elle out so she'd stop worrying and get some sleep, and I was moderately successful in that aim. As I lay in the dark hotel room with her tucked up under my arm, her head resting on my chest, listening to her even breathing, I reflected on how strange our relationship had been up to this point. We'd connected so quickly on such a personal level, and I had to admit, we were an odd pair; a wide-eyed teenage adventurer and a runaway android who thought he was a grumpy old soldier. But we made it work after a fashion, and it was almost like love at first sight, if you could call it that.

Then it hit me. Love was exactly what I'd call it! Somehow, some way, Elle had snuck herself into my heart and soul and I'd fallen in love her without even realizing I was doing it. I could hardly believe that I could even fall in love, given that I wasn't even technically human, but my human memories recognized it for what it was. For just a moment, I was absolutely terrified. What if Elle didn't feel the same? What if she'd just wanted to get laid and I was convenient? What if she didn't want to be saddled with an old synth almost twice her age?

I held her a little closer, and she responded by throwing her leg over me and burrowing her face into my chest. I reassured myself that she couldn't possibly be that mercenary; this was Elle, after all, and she could barely tell a lie with a straight face. Worrying about whether or not Elle returned my feelings would get me nowhere, so I forced myself to fall asleep and not spend the entire night staring at the ceiling.

Elle had said she needed to be up before the sun the next day, so I set my internal alarm for an ungodly hour of the morning and dutifully woke her up at the appointed time. I could tell she was still nervous about the coming battle, but she seemed a little more relaxed since our night of lovemaking, even cracking a joke or two with me as I helped her get ready. I assisted her with her armor, checking every buckle and connection twice to make sure that they wouldn't give way in battle. As I ran my hands over the plates of her armor, I checked for structural integrity in each one. When she'd recalled my android memories, I had discovered that the hunches I sometimes had when I thought myself only human were actually the result of very low level scanning equipment built into my frame. I'd had more exacting scanners before, but had traded them to Pinkerton as part of his fee for making me forget who I was, and I found that I didn't really miss having the extended senses that they had granted me.

When Elle was dressed and armed, I forced her to eat a little something so she wouldn't be going out on an empty stomach. After she'd crammed enough food into her mouth to satisfy me, I escorted her up to the entrance, trying to make the moment last before she crossed the bridge and left me behind, perhaps forever. She steadfastly refused to let me go with her, saying that she had to handle this by herself, and I didn't want to get into an argument about it right before she went off to fight a possibly losing battle.

"Elle, I…" I opened my mouth to tell her that I loved her, but reconsidered. If I told her now, it might distract her, divert her attention at a critical moment into thinking about what I'd said, might get her killed.

"Harkness, what?" she gave me a curious look.

"Just…come back to me," I said softly.

"If I can, I will," she said, equally as softly. "I'll always come back to you, if I'm able."

She kissed me sweetly, her lips lingering on mine for a long moment, then set out over the bridge, taking my heart with her.

Author's note: Sorry for the super short chapter, but now on to the grand finish.