"Mail!" Connor Firth announced as he barged into his squadron's quarters. Captain Megan Chambers groaned and buried her face beneath the pillow. After five weeks of continuing back to back sorties flown against the Chigs she doubted her squadmate's senses to be so cheerful and wide awake.

"Stop yelling at me!" her voice was muffled beneath the pillow and she suddenly gasped when the pillow was yanked away from her head and bright light blazed into her face and onto her closed eyelids.

"Wake up, sleepyhead!" Connor said teasingly, throwing letters onto her bunk as he plopped down beside her.

"Can't imagine why you're so grouchy after your nine weeks R&R, anyway ..." Chambers creased her nose and sat up resignedly. If Connor wanted to talk there was no way of stopping him anyway but she would rather hang dead over a fence with a Chig than telling him about her liberty three months ago.

"Get lost!" she snarled affectionately and grinned.

"We are skittish today, aren't we?" he asked and laughed when his CO threw him one of her go to hell looks.

"Well, I would be too, if I had returned from a supposed R&R patched up like a marriage quilt ..." Susan Parsons cut in and tore open the letter which Con had given her. The entire Storm Squadron knew that their CO had been away on a secret Op, despite the fact that she had been granted an official leave of nine weeks no one would return from liberty with several severe cut wounds!

After almost three months the number nine-eight squad didn't know exactly what had happened but Susan was sure that it had something to do with the Marines they had met last year as part of the UFEP.
First the Wild Cards had been reported missing and supposedly KIA and then they had been mysteriously united again and Megan had returned with severe injuries. Susan shook her head and after a last look at her CO she started reading her mail.

"I'll be damned!" Connor's shout reverberated through the small crew quarters and more than one of the Storm pilots rose their heads.

"What is it?" Megan asked alarmed and let out a relieved breath when she saw Connor's madhatter grin.

"Unlike you, I open my military mail first," he said smugly and grinned. "Go on, boss, open the Air-Commodore's mail." The old war-horse has granted us 24 hours of R&R ... on the BACCHUS!"

The shouts and cries was deafening and for a moment, Megan thought about leaving her squad mates alone, but watching them being so happy, she had to grin to herself. Trust them to get into all kind of mischief, she thought and wondered what she had to do to bail them out again.

The Storm squad had been granted 24 hours R&R and all were excited as they left the APC that had brought them to the Bacchus, THE pleasure ship for weary marines and pilots. Chambers listened to all the chatter, especially Connor's preposterous claims that he would dine, wine and womanize the whole 24 hours.

She had to smile at that, all she wanted to do is getting a private room and for once sleep without being disturbed by the soft rustlings and breathing of others. She needed a rest and solitude, so she said good bye to her crew and walked over to the counter that offered vacancies.

The deal was set up quickly and after real money had been exchanged, Megan grinned tiredly when she held the cardkey to her room in her hand. Slowly, she made her way over to the hotelrooms but she had not walked far when a voice stalled her effectively.

"Megan?! Hey, Megan!" Shane Vansen grinned when she spotted the British RAF Officer and squeezed herself between Nathan and Cooper who looked on dumbfounded.

Shane hugged Megan long and when she at last released her she was grinning all over her face.

"Imagine you here," she exclaimed her joy upon seeing her friend evident in her voice and face.

"Yes," Megan replied lamely and groaned inwardly, her plan obviously swarted. "Hello Shane," she nodded towards Nathan, Cooper and the rest of the Wild Cards. "Hi!"

Cooper felt a momentary pang when he recognized Megan, she seemed so distant from the last time he had met her. They had joked and laughed but he could sense a deep weariness in the woman opposite of him and all he wanted to do was reach out and hug her.

"Hello Nathan, Coop," Megan said and forced a smile onto her face. "How come you are here?"

"R&R, almost half of the units from the Toga have time off, so I guess Roundhammer is upon soon," Nathan said while he hugged her welcome.

"Yes, it is only a matter of time," Megan answered. "How long are you guys here? Perhaps we can meet up?"

"What do you mean perhaps we can meet up? You will of course join us," Shane exclaimed and before Meg knew what happened to her she was pulled towards the bar.

After Shane, Cooper and Megan had seated themselves, Nathan stood and rubbed his hands together. "So what can I get you guys, it is my round," he asked.

"Beer?" Shane asked and when Cooper nodded she stood up, "Hang on, Nathan, I'll give you a hand."

Megan watched the two as they advanced towards the bar.

"You alright?" Cooper asked and watched the RAF officer carefully.

Meg turned towards him and for once she let go of the pretense to appear cheerful and the young In-Vitro saw the weariness in her eyes.

"I'll manage," she replied, putting the cardkey onto the table in front of her. "I wanted to sleep through my R&R but with you guys here that is a no go now."

Cooper could feel the longing and fatigue in her voice, and hesitatingly he reached out his hand put it aginst her cheek.

"You had a pretty rough time, Meg," Cooper said, rubbing his thumb just beneath her eye. It felt good to be with her again but somehow he knew that it was also dangerous. Dangerous because they were on the Bacchus, an unrestricted area unlike the Toga.

Megan smiled and cupped his hand with her own. They just stared at each other, totally focused on each other and almost missed that Nathana nd Shane returned to the table.

Over the next few hours, all four caught up on news and rumours and more than once Megan felt the fatigue leaving her, drawing comfort and energy from the three Wild Cards.

One by one the WIld Cards excused themselves until Cooper and Meg were alone at the table. Suppressing a yawn, megan pushed herself to her feet.

"I think I will turn in, the last few weeks were very strenuous and those back to back sorties wore me out," she said fiddling with the cardkey.

Cooper finished off his beer, then nodded as he stood up. "I'll walk you to your room and I think I will find some quiet corner myself," stretching his cramped muscles he waited till Megan led the way.

They walked in silence, other Marines and pilots rushing past them as they sought fun and laughter on the Bacchus. When Megan indicated the room number, Cooper stopped, unsure of what to do. He waited while Megan opened the door, then he caught her hand in his and pulled her nearer.

"I hope you sleep well, Meg," he said, suddenly shy. He would have loved to spend the night with her, just holding her as he had when he had seen her the last time in the medbay on the Toga. But he knew that however he asked her to stay, he would screw it up ... like always.

Megan watched him, then she slowly retracted her hand to place it on his cheek. "If you need a place to sleep, you can join me," she said, blushing at her own words.

"Meg ... I don't think ... I mean ... I'd love to ... but ...," he grinned sheepishly. "Meg, I think that is a bad idea."

Chambers grinned. "We are both adults, Coop. But I'd love for you to hold me while I sleep, is that too much to ask?"

Cooper stared at her, thoughts, emotions and doubts warring a battle inside of him. But in the end his desire to be with her won out. He nodded and let himself be led beyond the door and into the room.

Chambers felt flutters in her stomach. To calm herself she sat down onto the wide bed and unclasped the boots she was wearing, then she turned towards Cooper who stood like a black silhouette against the twinkling welvet expanse of space framed by the view port.

She slipped into the small head with its small bathroom facilities and tried to calm her raging emotions. She felt like a teenager all of a sudden and for a moment she considered sending Hawkes away, but then she grimaced and watched herself in the mirror.

"Sending him away would be stupid, Megan Louise," she told herself under her breath, inhaling deeply. With another look into the mirror, she turned and opened the door.

When Meg stepped into the room, her steps faltered as she saw Cooper's still form lying on the bed.
He was lying with his legs crossed at his ankles. His feet were bare and he was only wearing a pair of slacks, his blue soft shirt easily discarded at the end of the bed.

The trousers bisected his long strong body midway where his belly button should have been. Megan realized she had been holding her breath for a long time and she closed her eyes. Exhaling on a slow sigh, her eyes were drawn to Cooper's body again.
Almost against her will her eyes trained on Cooper's tummy and lap. With each breath his stomach rose and fell, setting his muscles into play in a hypnotizing and erotic ballet.

She could not tell if she had moved or not but suddenly her fingertips found that sleek part of his stomach, feeling the silky texture of his skin beneath her hands.

He was so warm and alive. Energy emanated from him and sent electric currents chasing up her fingertips. He was raw masculinity and she felt weak and defenseless. Slowly, she caressed his stomach, his chest and when she lightly stroked his nipples, a soft sound made her head turn towards him and what she saw made her cry out softly.
Tears were glistening in his eyes. He hadn't moved, he hadn't altered his position in the slightest, hadn't said a word, but his eyes were filled with emotion. That touched Meg in a way that transcended the physical.

Love had never been demonstrated for him. He had never been fondled or smothered with affection. Loving touches had been absent from his young life and he had been deprived of unselfish giving ... until now.

Meg smiled sadly and lay down beside him. They had come here to get some peace and quiet and not to have a quick tumble. She was not sure about her feelings towards him. Of course, she yearned for his touch, but she was also afraid, afraid that if she let down the barriers surrounding her heart, she would be hurt again eventually, losing her love on some godforsaken planet.

That was not true ... Woolfe had not been her lover, it was true that he still inhabited a large part of her heart, but never as a lover.

This time it was different. With him being a Marine, a pilot and ground pounder, there was even more risk of him going down in battle. And she wasn't there to keep him safe.

"Why have you stopped?"

The question lingered in the silence of the room and Megan raised her head. For minutes they just stared at each other, then Megan turned her head away.

"It doesn't feel right," she whispered. "It's not fair ..."

She felt the bed beneath her shake a little bit and all of a sudden she felt Coop's arms around her. Burying his nose into the crook of her neck he inhaled deeply.

"I think .. I .. know what you mean," he said. "I was in this situation before ... here on the Bacchus..." he shrugged. "A gal called Suzie ... didn't know she was ... was a hooker. Nate had paid her ..."

A sudden flash of anger rose up in Meg at his words, but she tried to suppress it. We are just friends, she told herself but still it hurt. Cooper had felt her sudden stillness and for a moment he stared at her, then it dawned on him.

"I'm sorry ... I ... " he mumbled but Megan shook her head.

"It is okay, Cooper, it's not as if I'm your girl-friend or wife. Guys get up to this kind of stuff," Megan replied, trying to keep the anger out of her voice but not quite succeeding.

Cooper frowned then took one of her hands, rubbing his thumb over her palm.

"I was so high on the meanies and I couldn't think straight. I ... Nate and I thought .... well as I had never done it before ... I thought it was good to have some experience, to know how to ... when we would," he took a deep breath. "I passed out!"

Meg turned her head and looked deeply into those grey-blue eyes.

"You passed out?" She could only barely suppress her relief and hid her smile despite the seriousness with which he had uttered his confession.

"I ... think ..." Cooper admitted sheepishly. He sat up straight and raked his hair. "Kinda stupid, huh!?"

Megan smiled, sat up and softly planted a kiss on his cheek.

"It's not, Coop, absolutely not." Slowly she traced the lines of his face, taking in every turn of his strong masculine face. Silence had once more drawn a veil over them and they just stayed on the bed, embracing, caressing.

"I know this is gonna sound crazy," Coop breathed. "I've never ... done this stuff ... I think."

He was expected to know, right? If he had done it with Suzie. Besides, all those films he had watched with Paul and the others had shown men his age dealing with sex in a deft, self-assured way. Cooper had no recollection of having touched a woman before and he was afraid - absolutely frightened.

Megan stilled his lips with her fingertips to end his confession.

"That's okay, Coop. I know," she whispered. She laid back on the bed again, drawing him with her. The hugged each other, comforting and giving strength until they fell asleep.

It was dark when Cooper woke up. After his eyes had adjusted to the dim light in the hotel room, he smiled to himself and hugged the woman beside him. For the first time in weeks he felt calm, almost at peace again, as if all his anger and pain had dissolved over night.
He put his face into Meg's dark hair at her neck and took in her scent. He closed his eyes for a moment and let the peace of the moment wash over him. He smiled and looked down on Meg who stirred at his side.

"What time is it?" she asked in a sigh and lifted her head sleepily to put a kiss onto his lips.

"Shortly before reveille," Cooper murmured and answered her kiss.

They stared at each other, both too knowledgeable of the fact that in less than six hours they would be back on their respective ships, back to their own squadrons, back to the coldness of war. Something changed between them. Whereas they had been friends the moment they had woken up now the question of whether to remain that or take their relationship further stood between them.

"Meg?" Cooper asked, doubt lacing his voice. Blue eyes met dark brown and suddenly, they moved in unison, both having decided.

Slowly, they undressed each other, discovering each other's bodies with their hands and tongues as one garment after the other fell to the floor. Touching and tasting Meg, her skin, her hair, was a revelation to Cooper. For a little more than seven years he had to live without the sensory and sensual sensations of touching and hugging and all this was new to him.

At first, he felt embarrassed and shy as Meg started stroking and caressing him all over but soon he overcame his shyness and he in turn tried things, liked to discover her soft body with his hands, his tongue, even his teeth, deeply taking in all the emotions, scents and tastes.

Megan enjoyed Cooper's ministrations thoroughly but after a while, she knew she wanted to give it back. Softly, she pushed against his shoulders and pushed him back onto the bed. She answered his questioning raise of an eyebrow with a smile, then Meg turned his head and kissed him slowly, teasingly. Every time he wanted to kiss her for real, she drew away. A deep growl escaped his lips but Megan kissed him, a small lick of tongue against lips while her hands roamed endlessly over his body. She brushed his cheek lightly, then followed the contours of his throat and shoulders down with her hands.

"Let me make love to you, Coop," she whispered almost pleadingly. "Let me show you."
All Cooper could do was nodding his consent and watched as Megan Chambers sat beside him, her eyes never leaving his face or his body as she started to caress him.

She was used to male perfection, especially IV perfection for her brothers had all inherited the physical beauty of her father's but Cooper's body was unique and for once she was glad that some technician had played God and created something as beautiful as Coop.

She could feel his muscles tensing beneath his skin as she caressed his chest, slowly making her way down to his stomach. When she came to a scar across his left ribcage she bent her head and put a soothing kiss onto the injury.

"This could have killed you," she said huskily, brushing her hand over the scar and Cooper nodded, not trusting his own voice. The young woman continued to caress him, her long black tresses falling down over her back, brushing over his hand as he started to stroke the soft skin of her lower back. She teased him but he basked in the feeling, his eyes closing shut, this time, this very first time he realized what it meant to be loved.

All Megan could do was stare at the young man lying so carelessly before her. He was hers, it told her, hers to take, to give and to love. Stopping her caresses, she shifted slightly and watched his face. From time to time she brushed over his face, his throat, trying to memorize every little detail of his face and body.

Opening his eyes he watched Megan for a long time. He saw the soft smile when she bent forward, putting a kiss on an old scar or just rubbing her nose on his skin. From what he had heard from the other Marines, sex had always seemed to be a quick, hard thing, not something as soft, slow and intimate as this. But he liked it, if he had a choice between what he had seen on SpaceNet and cuddling with Meg, he would choose Megan all over.

But Cooper wanted to feel her skin next to his own so he put his hands onto her hips and pulled her on top of him. He liked the way she fit his big body, liked the way her hair enshrouded him and herself like a soft but reliable prison. When Megan stretched out onto his tall, lean body languorously, a deep purr of delight escaped his lips.

"You like that, don't you?" she asked softly, nibbling her way around from his throat to the back of his neck. Cooper almost jumped off the bed when her tongue encircled his navel, and when she started slowly caressing and sucking on the omphalo he groaned.

"Yeah," he replied hoarsely and clutched the sheets with his fists.

Man, he thought, if she continued doing this he could not be held accountable for anything that would happen.

The kiss they shared grew more heated, the passion surged between them, rolling off them like a living wave. Cooper never had thought it could be like this, that he could so utterly lose himself in another human being. He needed her in a way that was more than the physical gratification, if he needed only that he could have stayed back on the 'Toga.

He rolled her down on her back, covering her body with his own. Slender legs tangling with his as he settled between her legs.

"Oh-oh," Megan cooed. "Getting smart with me?"

"Yeah," he replied and started teasing her like she had only minutes before. Two could play this game and he was intend of giving her some of her own. Avoiding her lips, he put smacking kisses onto her shoulders and breasts.

"Stop it, Coop. That tickles!" she giggled and tried to avert his questing hands and his head at the same time.

"A weak spot, huh?" he rasped as he nudged her nipple with his mouth, licking it with the tip of his tongue, suckling her like a baby.

Megan could not reply, the surge of passion, love and respect for this man speared through her like a Chig's scythe. Yes, she thought, she loved Cooper. Loved him with all her being and this was what she had been waiting for all her life.

Cooper inhaled Meg's scent deeply as he encircled her navel with his tongue. He was fascinated with her belly button, being an In-Vitro his stomach showed no signs of this particular birthmark.

"Mmmmmh," Meg murmured and arched her back. Watching him helplessly, his head advanced slowly down to the soft curls between her thighs. Deeply he kissed her there, tasting, drinking her.

"Coop ... PLEASE!" she almost yelled at him when his tongue delved into her. She dug her fingernails into his muscled shoulders and he grunted in pleasure when the pain shot through the flesh.

"Did you like that?" Cooper asked when she let out a trail of whimpering sounds, her body shivering in his arms as she reached her climax. Meg opened her eyes and nodded in reply. She almost laughed when she saw that smug expression on his face.

"So you remember?" she asked in a teasing way, but Cooper frowned nevertheless. When it dawned on him that she meant his night with Suzie, he shook his head.

"I saw it in one of these movies Paul and some of the guys watched during their private poker nights. I ... I thought I'd try it ... Was it good?"

Megan had to bite her lips. One moment Cooper was the self-assured male, feeling smug at having brought a woman to climax and the next he was a little boy unsure of his actions. She put her hand against his cheek and smiled.

"You did everything right, it was wonderful," she whispered then drew him down onto her, planting a soft kiss on his closed eyelids. "It was perfect. I knew InVitroes can be such quick learners ... but this?"

They chuckled together, arms encircling, hands roaming over soft, heated skin. Both groaned when their tongues battled for dominance in each other's mouths, tasting, drinking. It was as if the concept of sex had only been developed for them, everything was new in this age old dance of two bodies in perfect unison.

Meg urged him on, she needed him, needed him inside her, feel him, caress him, engulf him and when they joined their bodies, both cried out in surprise. Coop froze the instant he heard the almost painful cry that tore from Megan's lips.

"I didn't want to ..." he broke off when she moved slightly, squeezing him.

"I sure hope you wanted!" she replied tartly and grinned. Cooper flashed her a smile and moved inside her and soon they were engulfed in passion. They both went for it for all it was worth, never knowing where one body started and the other ended, as skin rubbed against skin and soft sighs and groans filled the room. When it was finally over, Meg felt as if she came crashing down from somewhere in space, her heart drumming in the same racing rhythm as Cooper's. Coop drew her tightly into his arms and rolled to his side, still deeply embedded inside her, but keeping his weight off her.

"I could get used to that at every reveille ..." Cooper murmured and nudged her neck with his nose. Megan laughed throatily and slipped her arms around his back.

Cooper grinned and hugged her closer, the movement drawing their attention to their still bonded bodies. Both groaned softly and Coop buried his nose in Meg's hair.

"Promise me something," he whispered softly, so that Meg had to strain her ears to understand him.

"What is it?" she whispered back just as softly, smiling at the serious face he made, when she propped herself up on her elbow.

"Never cut your hair, I like it. It is so soft and smells nice ..." Meg had to grin to that. She still felt amazed about how Cooper experienced life around him. They both knew that their time on the Bacchus was drawing to an end.

They had still an hour left so in silent consent they took a shower and slowly they prepared to get ready. Sitting side by side on the bed, both laced their boots up, enjoying each other's company in silence. When they were all done, Cooper shyly looked at her, unsure of what to do.

"Will I see you again?" he asked, his voice almost a whisper and Megan took his hands in her own.

"I don't know, Coop," she answered softly, squeezing his hands. "Everything can happen in this war ..."

"No I don't mean that," Cooper replied and shook his head. "Megan, if ... if we both survive this ... after the war, will we see each other again?" His voice held a seriousness that normally wasn't there. Megan shivered beneath his intent stare.

"Yes," she whispered. Knowing deep down in her heart that she would make sure that she would survive this.

"Thank you," Coop said and drew her into his arms, pressing her close. Both closed their eyes, silently vowing that they would do their damndest to survive the insanity of war, perhaps to find out if this love they felt for each other would survive peace times.

Megan watched her squadmates boarding the APC and for the last time she looked back. Cooper was standing in line with his squadmates but his intent gaze was focused on her and her crew. A fleeting smile rushed over her face, then she nodded once.

Cooper grinned and answered her nod. For long moments their eyes locked together, an understanding and promise passing between them. Soon, it said, soon when this war was over, they had to think about what was to come, were they friends, comrades or lovers ... or perhaps all of these and more.

The End