Alex stopped and looked at them. “Miri, I think they were talking about us.”
Miri twisted her head to the side and eyed her husband, who was wearing a sheepish grin. “I do believe you might be right, Alex. What should we do to punish them for it?”
The blonde put a hand under her chin, and a thoughtful look appeared. “Well, David can’t leave the couch, so we’ll have to think of something else to punish him,” she said, “but I think maybe the other two should help you in the kitchen, getting lunch together. What do you think?”
Miri ignored the shaking heads, and nodded, putting an arm around her friend. “I think it’s a great idea, Alex.”
Ken groaned, and pointed at his leg. “But I can’t stand up for a long time,” he whined with a grin.
“And my head hurts.” Teren pointed at her bandage, and made puppy dog eyes at Alex.
But Alex wasn’t buying. “Nope, sorry, pal. You told me earlier it didn’t hurt a bit. Remember?”
“Well, that was earlier —”
“And your choice is to help Miri in the kitchen, or you can take a pill and go nighty-night. I’m sure I can handle this afternoon just fine.”
Teren stood. “Come on, Ken, we’ve got lunch to make.” He groaned, and she glared at him. “Don’t even try it. You’re not even using your crutches.”
Finally, he grinned, and stood. Teren glanced back at her partner and winked once as she followed Miri and Ken into the kitchen.
Leaving Alex alone with her partner.
She grinned at him. “I guess your punishment is that you get stuck with me, huh?”
He smiled, and patted the couch beside him. “That’s not punishment. Not by a long shot. Come ‘ere, Alex.”
She sat next to him, they leaned against each other.
“I’ve missed you, David.”
“Missed you, too. When Ken told me they were railroading you, and you were on the run with Teren, I —” he shook his head. “Well, I nearly got out of bed, tubes and all.”
Alex smiled at him.
“But, I figured that if anybody could keep you safe it was Teren.” He sighed. “Lord knows I couldn’t.”
His partner narrowed her eyes at him. “What are you talking about? I’m the one that came through without a scrape.”
David raised an eyebrow. “Really? Then why did Ken say Teren needed suture kits to take care of you?”
Her face got hot. “It was just a graze, under my elbow. It’s healing well.”
“Good. Ken said you were dripping blood and wouldn’t let the doctors do anything.”
“It wasn’t dripping, just bleeding a little.”
“Right.” He grinned and put an arm around her shoulders.
Alex grew somber. “David.”
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry. I led us into the ambush, and I nearly got you killed.” She sighed. “If I had it to do over again —”
“You’d do the exact same thing.” She looked up into his serious eyes. “Alex, that ambush was the result of somebody on the inside playing against us. You didn’t have a clue, at that moment, that the whole thing was a set up. None of us did. You went by the book — and somebody else threw the book out. It’s not your fault.”
“But —”
“It wasn’t your fault.” He held her chin, keeping her eyes level with his. “It was an ambush, nothing more or less than that. We’ll all carry scars, but not because of you — as a matter of fact, I think I owe you a thank you.”
She looked at him in confusion. “Why?”
He sighed and turned his gaze toward the floor. “I remember hearing a click behind me, and I turned. As I did, there was this ripping pain, and I hit the ground. I knew my gun was still in my hand, but I couldn’t raise it, couldn’t even yell. I saw the guy above me, and he grinned and cocked his gun again. I thought I was dead.” He closed his eyes. “Then I saw him turn slightly, and he raised his gun and fired. At the same time the back of his head kind of mushroomed out, and I watched as he fell.” He opened his eyes and looked at his partner. “The last thing I remember thinking is that I nearly let him shoot you. I had my gun in my hand, and I couldn’t stop the bastard.”
Alex reached up and brushed the hair from his forehead. “Tell me you haven’t been beating yourself up for this, David.”
He nodded, his gaze dropping again.
Alex sighed. “We’re quite some pair, you know? You get shot, and I blame myself. I get a small bullet scrape, and you feel guilty about it.” She shook her head. “Teren would probably smack us both on the head.”
David grinned a little, and squeezed her shoulders. “Alex, Ken told me you killed that guy.”
She swallowed. “Yeah, I did. Him and a couple others.”
Her partner frowned at her. “I thought Teren took out the others.”
“In Philly? She did. I’m talking about the cemetery in Germany — where Teren was shot.”
“Oh” He paused. “How are you handling that?”
She shrugged. “Sometimes okay, other times not.” Her hands fidgeted in her lap. “I have nightmares — about that, and you getting shot, and Teren . . ” She let her voice trail off.
“How is Teren?”
“Good.” Alex grinned. “She’s like a kid when she’s not feeling good, but other than that, she’s doing well.” She chuckled. “Wouldn’t let the doctors keep her more than one night. Insisted that she wanted to leave the hospital and stay with me.”
David raised an eyebrow, and caught her gaze.
She blushed.
“Something you want to tell me, Alex?”
She thought about that. Did she want to tell him? And if she did, just what would she say?
“No,” she said slowly. “I don’t think so. I mean, I’m not sure what to say, so I don’t want to say anything. It’s just a little early, Dave.”
His smile widened. “But you like her. A lot.”
Alex nodded.
“Are you in love?”
She took a deep breath and let it out. “I don’t know.”
“Have you slept with her?”
“David!”
The smile became a grin. “You have, haven’t you?” Her blush gave him an answer. “That’s cool, Alex. I’m happy for you.”
“David, I don’t know how she feels.” Her voice dropped, and he had to lean closer to hear her. “We haven’t talked. There hasn’t been time.”
He nodded, pulling her closer to him. “It’ll be okay, Alex. You two are gonna end this, and then you’ll sit down and have that talk.” He kissed her gently on the head. “You’ll say you love her, and she’ll say she loves you, and the two of you will be as happy as Miri and I.”
Alex sat up and looked at him. “David, why do I always believe you when you talk like that? I mean, you’re almost never right, but I still feel better.”
He grinned. “Cause you know that eventually the odds will be on my side, and I’ll get one right.”
She laughed and leaned back against him.
Lunch was a comfortable affair, with David and Alex teasing each other, and enjoying their friendship. Even Teren relaxed enough to hold Arlea, feeding her part of her own meal. Ken kept grinning at the picture the two made, which would make Teren growl. Arlea seemed to enjoy the low rumbling in her new friend’s throat, though, and would laugh playfully whenever she heard it.
Finally, after a leisurely meal, Alex and Teren looked at each other and nodded. They had a plane to go meet.
“Well, gang, it’s been wonderful. But, Teren and I have work to do.”
Miri looked up at her. “Are you sure you don’t wanna stay a little longer?”
“Thanks, Miri, but no. It was a great lunch, though.”
“Alright.” Miri reached over and took Arlea from Teren’s arms. The little girl reached out for Alex, who leaned over and kissed her.
“I need to get this little one cleaned up.” She gave Alex a half hug, and did the same to Teren. Arlea tried to climb into Teren’s arms again, and howled in outrage when she couldn’t.
“Oh, you hush, you. You don’t want to go with them anyway.” Miri winked at the two of them. “Alex, you’ll call soon?”
“Sure thing.”
“And Teren — you’re always welcome, alright?”