Kate pushed open her front door, surprised she'd only left it less than twelve hours ago, and waited for Buffer to finish thanking Mark and join her. She leaned into the door frame, resting her head against it. She was so thankful that Buffer had insisted that they were done for the day, her arms and legs ached and there was a stinging pain down her back she wasn't looking forward to examining.

"X." Buffer's voice was suddenly close behind her and he sounded concerned. She pushed herself off the door frame to turn and face him but his hand on her shoulder held her in place. "You're bleeding."

Well, that explained the stinging and the trickle of liquid she had assumed was water dripping from her hair.

"I don't think it's too bad, I'll check it after I shower."

She could feel his hesitance as he pulled away from her and let her lead him into the house.

The power was still out but there was enough light to see the way to the spare bedroom. He dropped his bags against the wall and stood awkwardly in the open space. There was a little relief in knowing she wasn't the only one finding this whole situation uncomfortable.

"I'm going to shower. If we don't want to get skin infections we need to wash off the flood water." She pointed him to the main bathroom and the linen closet and retreated to her ensuite.

She dropped her wet clothes in the sink, noting the tear in the back of her wet weather gear and the way her skin stung as she reached back to unclasp her bra.

There was no hot water, as she had known there wouldn't be, but even the cold water felt glorious as she sloughed off the foul smell that had been clinging to her skin. The soap stung her back but she let it, rinsing her hair until it ran clean. She stepped out quickly, not wanting to waste what she assumed would be limited water.

She patted herself dry, leaving her back to last. The towel stung and when she pulled it back it was spotted with blood. She turned her back to the mirror, craning her neck to see a large, sluggishly bleeding scrape from her left shoulder blade diagonally across her back. She reached back to touch it and hissed loudly at the pain.

"X?" There was a knock at her bedroom door. Buffer's voice was quiet but he'd obviously heard her noise of pain.

"I'm fine, Buffer!" She called back, draping the towel across her back so the wound was covered.

"I think you should let me take a look at your back." His suggestion was very sensible and she knew it. She just wasn't sure why she found the concept so worrying.

Kate took a deep breath and then let it out.

"Just let me get dressed and I'll meet you in the living room."

She heard his steps retreat from her door and sighed, it felt less uncomfortable to imagine baring her back to him on the lounge than on her bed.

She pushed herself up, slipping on a loose shirt that would be easily pushed up and collecting the first aid kit from beneath the sink before she could second guess her choice.

Buffer was perched on the edge of the lounge, his hands rubbing at the fabric on his shorts. He stood up when she entered and she handed him the first aid kit. They stepped awkwardly around each other until Kate sat on the end of the lounge, her back facing him.

Neither of them spoke and she felt a strange sense of anticipation as she waited for him to touch her.

She still jumped when his hand touched the hem of the shirt.

"I'm just going to pull this up so I can see." The statement sounded like a question as he just barely lifted the fabric.

Kate mentally shook herself.

"It starts on my left shoulder blade, you'll have to push it right up." She reached behind her to do it for him but the movement made her flinch. Buffer's hand caught hers.

"I'll do it." His voice sounded a little strained and she wondered if this situation left him as off kilter as it did her.

She heard him clear his throat and then he lifted her shirt, tucking it into itself at her neck.

"It looks like a tear." His fingers were calloused but gentle on her skin, pressing into it around her wound. "It's not too deep but it is pretty ragged."

"I've got some antiseptic cream," She told him, swallowing around the tightness in her throat. "And some dressings."

He reached for the first aid kit, uncharacteristically fumbling with it before he found the cream and dressings.

"This'll probably sting." His voice was gentle as he applied the cream but he was right, Kate flinched back from it as her wound stung fiercely. He smoothed his hand across her skin, soothingly, and she was sure unconsciously, as he spread the cream the whole length of the scrape. His hand pulled back abruptly with a sharp intake of breath and she missed the warmth of his palm against her skin.

His hand returned with the dressing but this time he smoothed it out quickly and efficiently and she was surprised at how disappointed she felt. He released her shirt and stepped back.

"All done." His voice was a little tight but he smiled at her as she turned to face him.

"Thank you, Buffer."

The silence stretched for just a little too long so she stood, clasping her hands together.

"Okay, let's see what we can save from the fridge before it goes bad."

Later, Kate lay in the dark, halfway between her side and her front to stop the way her skin pulled at her wound.

And yet all she could think of was the way his hands had felt on her back. It had been months since the last time a man had touched her, since she and Jim had called it off for good, but that should not have been enough to explain the way his touch lingered on her. She remembered feeling this way. Remembered the way 2Dads' rumour had pulled away a filter she held between herself and her shipmates. The way Buffer had looked at her when her fingers had touched his face. The way she was sure neither of them believed his words about his purely professional feelings.

She'd pushed them away then, her knowledge of his not-so-professional feelings, and her knowledge of her own. But there was nothing now to stop them and she found it harder than ever to ignore them.