As they watch what is going on with the news, Ace, who has been leaning against him the whole time can feel that something is bothering him. She shoots a look at Nyssa who is texting Tegan. "Graham, do you want to come with me to make some tea?"
"Sure," they get up and head to the small room right off of Ace's office. She puts the kettle on.
"What's wrong," she asks him.
"What," Graham stops talking knowing that something is on his mind and he doesn't want to tell even a white lie to her.
"Graham, Ryan asked to make sure you were going to be ok. Is it something deeper?"
"It is," he looks deeply into her eyes.
"Graham, you can tell me anything."
"I am afraid of losing you like I lost Grace. I know you can take care of yourself, it's just that."
"You love me and are worried that if I do something risky I might get myself killed."
"I am."
"You have no idea how glad I am that I met you after you were done traveling with the Doctor. I knew how dangerous it was."
"I never thought I would live a dangerous life and be blessed twice with finding a love like this," he gestures between them.
"Graham, I can't promise you that I won't die; what I can promise you is that I won't take unnecessary risks."
"I don't want you to change who you are. I fell in love with the Nitro-9 carrying, not afraid to talk back and the woman with a heart of gold."
"Graham," Ace steps closer to him.
"Yes."
"I love you too," she raises on her feet a little and she bestows a kiss on his lips. As the kiss grows deeper. Instead of it feeling like a thousand explosions all at once. It feels like a stroll on a rainy Sunday afternoon. "I won't change who I am."
"Good, I wouldn't want that."
"Just as long as you don't change who you are."
"I won't."
"Good because I love you for who you are." Graham puts his index under her chin and thumb in front of it and brings her lips to his. They share another slow and tender kiss.
While Ace and Graham are having their moment, "what is taking them so long," Liam is getting rather impatient.
"Ace gave me a look that she needed to talk to Graham."
"About what?"
"Do you know about how he lost his wife?"
"No?"
"When he first met the Doctor she fell to her death, trying to save everyone and help the Doctor. With the life that they live sometimes."
"He is worried and with us being in a lockdown."
"He is."
Back in the small room. "I'll tell you this, I have this room only one other person knows about. I just need your biometrics, same as Liam. Nyssa's has already been uploaded. While I may have a favorite way to get yours. I will have to do it the proper way."
"In your mind what is proper?"
"With us no DNA swapping." She steps a bit away from him.
"Like this," he lays his hands on her hips and brings her closer again.
"Graham, the tea should be ready."
"It can wait for this," he lays his lips on hers. This kiss was a little more demanding on his part. "See," he says lightly, "the tea was able to wait."
"You couldn't?"
"I have a feeling we are going to be here for a while. I spent a year, well almost a year, about 11 and a half months wanting to kiss you."
"What was going on in the other few weeks."
"Trying to figure out what was going on in my mind."
"What was going on," she turns away, fixing the tea to everyone's liking.
"Was it ok for me to like someone this much again."
"You felt bad?"
"I talked to Ryan."
"He knew you were ready to move on?"
"He was, and when met you. He liked you in an instant."
"I'm glad," she smiled at him and handed him two steaming cups. "Those are yours and mine. I have my brother's and Nyssa's."
"Got it," they walk back to her office both thinking about the three kisses and how each felt different.
"What took you so long," her brother asks.
"We had a talk." Nyssa looks and can tell there was more than talking. She decides not to make a comment as Ace hands her the cup of tea. After handing Liam his, Ace reclaims her spot next to Graham. "Liam, Nyssa. If this gets more dicey, I have this room in the basement that can keep us safe."
"What do you mean?" Nyssa says angrily.
"After what happened at UNIT last year, I upgraded the security."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Nyssa, I didn't want you to be afraid to work here. I know you refuse to do anything with UNIT. You even don't like to go to the meetings for the Companion Support Group half the time. I don't want to lose you as a friend or my COO."
"You wouldn't have lost me in any of those ways. I would've understood that you are taking precautions to protect us. I just wonder what would've happened if you were out and I needed to hide there?"
"I set up this thing that would alert you to where it is. It is also the reason why I haven't done too much with UNIT in the past year."
"Kate has been asking about you," Graham informs them.
"You didn't tell me that."
"I told her that if she wanted you, she had to ask you."
"Still you could've said something."
"I know, but you were also busy planning the big fundraiser."
"That was tiring," Nyssa adds, wanting to assist Graham.
"Okay," Ace relaxes again, drinking her tea as the news continues on. After she is finished she lays down her head on Graham's lap. His hand goes to her hair as he starts to run his finger through her locks. She falls asleep.
"Graham," Liam says his name.
"Yes," he replies quietly.
"You really love my sister?"
Graham looks down to the sleeping Ace and smiles, "I do." Nyssa, who hopes Tegan isn't worrying too much about what is going on. Knows how much the two feel for the other.