Author's Note: Thank you very much for the favs and alerts! And a special thanks to EzriMallory. :)

— † —

Will didn't get to use his analysing skills just yet. As soon as they had arrived at the safehouse and went in to set up camp, Benji entrenched himself in a heap of screens, cables and all sorts of equipment the analyst wouldn't be able to categorize even if his life depended on it. He knew better than to interrupt the working pace that the technician had set, for he had made that mistake only once, at the very beginning of their relationship, and he didn't plan on doing it again. Despite his cheerful and gentle nature, Benji didn't take kindly to anyone who kept him from working. Time to take advantage of female intuition.

"Jane? Can I talk to you for a moment?"

She looked up from the gun she was cleaning and smiled at him. "Of course." Was it just him or did her voice already hold a knowing undertone? Women are eerie. He smiled back despite the feeling of being caught that had settled in his stomach.

She patted the empty space on the couch next to her. "Is it about Benji?"

Will let himself fall into the cushions with an undignified noise that expressed all the pent-up frustration he felt. He raised his hands to rub his tired eyes. "Yes. How did you know?"

Jane shot him an amused glare. "I don't have to be able to read minds to see that there's something between you two that you don't talk about."

"Is it that obvious?," he groaned, hiding his face behind his hands.

She gently touched his wrist to coax him to look at her. Waiting patiently for him to meet her eyes, she offered another small smile when he found the courage to give up his hideout. "Listen, I don't know what's going on between you two and it's none of my business. But I can tell that Benji is not yet used to the concept of someone worrying about him more than the average team member." She sighed. "I think he might feel cornered."

Will opened his mouth to protest, but a pointed look from Jane shut him up in advance. He held up his hands in surrender. "Okay, I see your point." Heaving a sigh, he stood and started pacing. "I didn't mean to scare him off. I was just worried sick, you know?"

Jane held out a hand to stop his nervous rant. "I know. And there's nothing wrong with that. The only advice I can give you is to give him some space – and time to get used to your presence in his life that, for the most part, he's been leading all on his own."

Will wouldn't be able to say what had come over him if someone decided to ask him about it later, but he instinctively bend down and pressed a kiss to Jane's forehead. "Thank you," he whispered before leaving her to her task. He had work to do after all.

— † —

"So, this is the plan." Typical Ethan. Their team leader had been in the house for five minutes before he had assembled the team in order to define the course of action for the upcoming mission. Will frowned. The extraction of an IMF agent was always a delicate issue. Could be IMF's idea of compensation for the easy missions of the last month.

"Benji listened in to some phone calls of the men who are connected with the abduction. He has used the information to narrow down the possible whereabouts of the hostage to that one building here."

Will leaned forward to have a better look at the map that showed a few corporate buildings in the middle of an industrial park, lined with a high fence. "So, we're going in at the opening party, right?"

Ethan nodded. "Yes. Most of the security guards will be busy at the main building and the front gate, here and here." He pointed to both locations on the map. "Will, Jane and I, we're going to attend the party as guests and complete the extraction as soon as Benji has established control over the servers. By the way, did you manage to figure out their location yet?"

Benji shook his head, his eyes glued to the screen of his laptop. "No. I'm still hacking the blueprints." All of a sudden, his fingers paused over the keyboard and he looked up at Ethan. "How am I going to get in, by the way?"

"The company requested a few extra electricians to be on location, because they don't want any technological hiccups crashing their party." Ethan's grin suggested that he thought to disturb the party in a different kind of fashion. "We'll be able to sneak you in as one of them."

"Right, okay." Benji nodded and went back to typing.

Ethan rubbed his hands together and looked at his team with his eyebrows raised. "So, are there any more questions?" Jane and Will traded glances, an identical expression of amusement on their faces. "No? Okay then. More details will follow once we have the blueprints. Brandt, you're with me. We're going to use a few local contacts to get us tickets for that party. Jane, you're helping Benji with the escape routes."

Benji looked up at the mention of his name with a big question mark showing on his face, but when he spotted only Jane at the table, he didn't ask. It wasn't their first extraction mission after all. "So, Mrs. Pink, where do you wanna start?"

— † —

Will stood in the dark hallway leading to the room he shared with Benji. He had waved Ethan good night minutes ago, but he just couldn't bring himself to cross the last few meters to the door. So he stood in the corridor instead, lost in his thoughts. It had become a habit for them to share a room, ever since their relationship had changed from team members to so much more. He had never before been afraid to enter their room, for fear of endangering the bond they had created and so carefully strengthened over the last few months.

Throughout the tiring business of calling on contacts all day long, he had turned Jane's words over and over in his head and he had come to the conclusion that she was most likely right. He had been cornering Benji, had been trying to make him go to the doctor immediately instead of letting him handle the situation on his own. It shouldn't have made him even more insistent when the technician had distanced himself in the face of that overwhelming concern. He should have backed off instead. Will considered banging his head against the wall when the realization hit him.

I'm such an idiot. With the need to apologize right then and there, a sudden surge of courage rose in him and he crossed the hallway with a few steps, determined to make amends on the spot. He paused again with his hand on the handle. Don't be a coward now! Taking a deep breath, he gently opened the door and peered through the gap.

In the dim light of the street lamps, he was able to spot his boyfriend in an instant. Benji lay sprawled out on his side of the bed, wearing only a comfortable pair of jogging pants, his head resting on top of a closed laptop in standby mode. Will had to suppress a laugh at the sight. He tiptoed into the room and soundlessly closed the door behind him. Shedding his shoes, jeans and shirt, he went to gently pry the laptop from Benji's grip.

The technician shifted and mumbled incoherent things when his warm pillow was removed, but he didn't wake up. For a moment, Will just sat on the edge of the bed, watching him sleep. He shook his head when his emotions went haywire all over again and he could already feel the constant concern take over his mind. So he quickly lay down on the bed, pulling the covers over both him and his lover. As soon as he reached out to pull Benji into his arms, the technician moved forward until he came to rest against the analyst's chest.

"Glad you're here," Benji mumbled against Will's shoulder. In an instant, his breathing evened out again and the analyst wondered if he had even been fully awake. He couldn't stop the stupid grin that threatened to take over his features. Maybe Benji had already forgiven him and he had no need to worry any more.

— † —

Once again, thank you very much for reading! I'm dying to know what you think. ;)