Viper Returns

A knock on the door startled all of us. Andrew and I looked at Doe and Jared. Jared and Doe looked at us. All four of us shrugged.

"I'll get it," Jared said finally, standing up.

"Who could that be?" I asked.

"I have no idea," Doe answered. "It's too late for anyone I know to be coming by."

I yawned widely and deeply, and then turned over so my face was against Andrew's stomach. My eyes were already closed and I was trying desperately to stay awake, but the steady in and out of Andrew's breathing and his fingertips in my hair weren't helping...

"Kacey?"

I groaned.

Andrew touched my face a bit.

"Come on," Andrew crooned. "Wake up. You're going to want to be awake for this."

I shook my head. "Nope, I just want to sleep. Can I go to bed?"

Andrew chuckled, bouncing my head a bit on his stomach. "In a minute. Open your eyes, baby."

"Why?"

"Are you really that averse to seeing me?"

My eyes shot open and I bolted upward. "Viper?"

Viper was standing in the living room, his arms crossed, and that familiar smirk on his face. I scrambled to my feet. Viper met me halfway across the living room. I threw my arms around him and he returned the embrace.

"I can't believe you're here," I mumbled into his shoulder. "I can't believe it."

"Well, I am."

After one last tight squeeze he let me go, but kept a grip on my shoulders.

"Looks like a lot has changed." He shot a quick glance over at where Andrew was still laying on the floor.

I smiled but didn't say anything.

"We'll talk later."

I nodded as I yawned. "Definitely."

Viper dropped my shoulders and looked over my shoulder.

"You taking her to bed, Jay? She looks dead on her feet."

Andrew's arms slid around me from behind and he rested his chin on my head. "Yeah, I am." One of his arms released me and he extended his hand. "It's good to have you back Alex."

Viper's face tightened for a moment as his eyes flickered across each of our faces. Finally, his thin lips tipped upward a bit and he took Andrew's hand, shaking it hard once. "It's good to be back."

--------------------------------------------------------

"So how did it happen?"

I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face as I recounted the ridiculous situation from the previous week.

Alex smiled back at me, propping himself up on his elbow. "I always knew you two would end up together."

"Really?" I asked. "I always figured we all were too jaded to believe in fate."

We gazed at each other through the darkness for a few moments. I tightened my grip around my pillow.

"I don't know," he said finally. "I certainly believed in you two."

"That's kind of scary to think about," I admitted.

"Do you love him?"

I scoffed a little bit. "Love him? I have no idea. Love is forever, you know?"

Alex gave me a serious look that I couldn't decipher.

"What are you thinking?"

His lips pressed tighter together before finally speaking. "Those aren't words spoken by someone who's truly jaded. If you were jaded, it wouldn't frighten you so much."

"I'm not frightened."

"It's okay to be scared."

"I'm not - "

Alex held up his hand and gave me a look. "Save it for someone who's less intuitive and not an empath."

"Okay, okay," I conceded. "It scares me a little."

"Why?"

I propped myself up on my elbow too, mirroring his position. "You're the empath, you tell me."

"Oh please, I can tell you how you feel, I can't tell you why."

"So what good are you?" I teased, grinning.

"I've been asking myself that same thing for years..."

---------------------------------------------------------------

It was nearly 8 o'clock when Andrew's cell phone rang. He checked the callers ID and frowned.

"Work?" I asked.

He nodded, pressed a button, and slipped into the other room as he put the phone to his ear.

"So..." Doe continued, taking a sip of her coffee, "do we get to met the lucky guy?"

Alex tried to keep his face in its normally passive state, but his eyes twinkled. "Actually, I kind of - "

The doorbell cut him off.

"I'll get it."

Jared pushed away from the table and stood, as did the rest of us. We followed him into the foyer where Jared turned the deadbolt and opened the door. A young man, maybe early twenties, with blond hair and blue eyes stood on the porch. He was dressed in a pair ragged jeans, a faded t-shirt, and flip flops. It was obvious his highlights were natural, probably streaked from hours in the sun and saltwater.

"Derek," Alex sighed from behind us.

"Hey," the blond answered slowly. "Guess I'm in the right place."

Alex stepped forward. "Yeah, c'mon in."

We all stepped back to allow him in. Jared shut the door behind him.

"Guys," Alex started, motioning towards the newest arrival. "This is Derek, my..." he trailed off, glancing at the floor for a moment. "My boyfriend," he finished finally.

We all glanced at each other, grinning like idiots. As friendly introductions and handshakes ensued, I realized Andrew had slid in behind me. He laid a hand on my waist and bent to murmur in my ear.

"I have to go."

"What?" I turned as his arms wrapped around my waist. "What's going on?"

Andrew released my waist and took my hand instead. He pulled me aside.

"There's a situation in Atlanta," he explained, his voice low to avoid being overheard. "HRT is down both of their snipers. Apparently an awful round of the flu is circulating. They want me there within the hour."

"But, why you? Why not -"

He cupped my face in his hands and ran the pads of his thumbs across my cheekbones. "They call, we answer. You know that."

"I know," I sighed. "But -"

This time it was his lips that silenced me. The soft kiss took my breath away.

"I'll be back as soon as possible, I promise."

I nodded and he kissed me one more time before dropping my face and taking my hand. Andrew led me back into the kitchen where the others were now gathered.

"Hey, Jared," Andrew said, laying a hand on Jared's shoulder, "I have an assignment in Atlanta, so I have to head out."

Doe looked disappointed. "Are you going to be gone long?"

Andrew shrugged. "As long as they want me."

"Keep safe," she told him quietly.

He nodded and turned to Derek. "I'm so sorry, man. I'm Andrew." They shook hands. "I wish I could stay but duty calls."

Derek nodded and gave him a wide smile. "I understand, don't worry about it."

Andrew laid a hand on my lower back and we moved toward our bedroom. Neither of us spoke as he retrieved his duffel from the top shelf in the closet. I took a seat on the bed as he checked his gear, loaded his weapons, and shrugged into his holster.  Andrew grunted as he messed with the straps on his holster. I stood up and gently pushed his hands away to help him.

"They're too loose," he murmured. "I've gone soft."

I finished tightening them for him and then laid my hands on his broad chest. "You're far from soft. And I like you just the way you are."

Andrew laid his hands over mine and bent down to meet my eyes. "I like you the way you are too."

"Good. Now get going; there's bad guys to shoot and damsels to rescue."

A smirk tipped his lips as his hands dropped to my hips and he pulled hips flush against his. "You know you're the only damsel I want to rescue."

"I'm not a -"

"Damsel? No, you're more a dame." The smirk widened. "Definitely a dame."

My bottom lip was trapped between my teeth as I tried not to grin too much.

"Gotta go," he whispered finally. "Come on."

Andrew let go of me and snatched up his bag. I followed him out to the foyer and opened the front door. A sudden tsunami of anxiety crashed over me, so I shoved my hands in my pockets to keep them from trembling.

"Be careful," I said.

"Always."

Andrew wrapped his free arm around my waist, pulled me tight, and then dropped his lips solidly to mine. He kissed me hard once, pulled away, and then pressed a soft kiss to my forehead. My hands were fisted in his shirt around his waist and my heart hammered hard against my ribs.

"I'll be back soon, in one piece. I promise."

My head bobbed like a hula girl on the dashboard. "You better."

"I will."