‘Prin,’ Keyop hollered, bouncing up the stairs before Jason could halt the tiny body. Bursting into the room, the smallest member of G-force came to an abrupt stop. ‘Sorry,’ he muttered, eyes popping and cheeks burning with embarrassment as he shut the door.

Panting in an effort to catch up, Jason took his customary position on the landing to wait for the fall out. Shoulder against the wall, legs crossed and one hand resting on his chin, the Condor’s reflexes hadn’t been quick enough. He knew the Commander and his new love needed to let off a little steam after the last mission. They all did.

Chief Anderson required the usual three hour post mission debrief. Jason watched the pair chaff as the man continued to drone on. Finally the entire team came back to the J for a more informal bonding and bellyaching session. They’d managed twenty minutes before the Eagle and Swan disappeared separately.

Fifteen minutes later, Keyop started wondering where they’d gone. Managing to give the pair another ten, the nimble Swallow slipped the Condor’s net. Hopefully Jason managed to give the couple enough time to complete their reunion before being interrupted. Allowing a sardonic smile to cover the tension in every muscle, he waited for Keyop’s reaction to the naked, entwined bodies on Princess’s bed.

‘Seen enough,’ Jason drawled.

‘You knew!’ Keyop accused, anger in his tone.

‘Yep,’ Jason agreed easily, his body language not giving anything away.

‘How long?’ the Swallow demanded, pointing to the door. Not exactly unhappy at the discovery, he felt betrayed they hadn’t told him.

‘How long what?’ Tiny finally lumbered up the stairs, his glance bouncing between his teammates.

Jabbing his finger at the door, Keyop’s eyes accused Jason. ‘In there,’ he stammered, ‘Mark and Princess, together, lovey, dovey.’

‘Really,’ Tiny’s expression turned from wonderment to defeat in a flash. Glancing at Jason he finally put the picture together. Reaching into his pocket and pulling out his wallet, the Condor pushed the money away.

‘Seems,’ Jason teased softly, ‘I owe you fifty. At least that’s what Princess says.’

‘Oh, man,’ shaking his head, Tiny stuffed the cash back into his pocket. Turning around to go back to the J, he called over his shoulder, ‘so, it finally happened. I’m not sure I can believe this. Mark and Princess together, the Chief’s going to go spare. Hey, does he know?’

‘Nope and I’m not the one who’s going to tell him, especially as it’s taken forever to get them together,’ Jason couldn’t help the dig at the pair lying just beyond the door as he shook his head in the negative.

‘We can hear you,’ Mark called out, accompanied by the sounds of someone getting out of bed in a hurry.

‘Lucky,’ Keyop felt justified in shouting back with an evil grin, ‘Anderson can’t.’

‘Come on kid,’ Jason playfully clouted the Swallow on the head as he led the group down stairs before Mark and Princess dressed, ‘you’re as happy for them as the rest of us. Let them finish what they started and you can grill them when they come down.’

‘Still not going to let them live it down,’ Keyop
grinned. ‘Caught, in the act, well almost!’

‘Just think,’ an evil grin covered Jason’s face as he looked down at the Swallow, ‘how much teasing you can get in before the Chief finds out and our Commander can’t do anything to you.’

‘Yah,’ Keyop smiled in return, feeling the beginning of a bond with Jason. ‘Get one up on Mark!’

‘Hey, I’ll even back you up,’ Jason aimed the comment at the closed door.

‘I guess,’ Princess sighed hearing several sets of heavy footsteps descend into the kitchen, ‘they had to find out some time.’

‘I wouldn’t have chosen to break it to them this way,’ Mark picked up his lovers clothing from the floor. Handing it to her, he started looking for his own civilian uniform.

‘That’s what you get,’ she grinned, siting up and allowing the sheet to fall to her waist as she pulled on her t-shirt, ‘for sneaking off and getting carried away.’

They’d been in too much of a hurry to worry about neatness, the first time. Intending to slip away for a quick tryst, they’d planned to be back to the team within ten minutes. Only once hadn’t satisfied either of them. Terrified by Mark’s close call, Princess needed more time and skin contact to be reassured he’d survived Zoltar’s mecha. Luckily, Keyop walked in with Princess spooned in Mark’s arms, talking about how his almost freezing to death affected her. They needed to take every opportunity, just in case the day arrived when one or both of them didn’t return from a mission.

‘At least,’ she sighed, climbing out and dressing, ‘he didn’t come in a few minutes earlier,’ trying to hide a giggle, ‘that could have been exposing, for all of us.’

‘I’m having a hard time,’ Mark leaned in for one, long, last, passion filled kiss, ‘believing Jason could keep this to himself for the last six weeks.’

‘You mean,’ Princess pushed him away. If he got any nearer, she’d want to take up where they’d left off, ‘apart from the constant innuendos and teasing whenever he could managed it without letting Tiny and Keyop in on the secret. I thought we’d have found the opportunity to tell them before this but the time never seemed right.’

‘That’s because we used the time for other activities,’ Mark reminded.

‘We’ve,’ she smiled, completely comfortable around him, ‘taken every opportunity to be alone together. I’m not sorry, Mark.’

‘I don’t want to keep this quiet any longer, Prin,’ he stated seriously. He’d slipped out of civilian mode and into the Eagle. ‘I’m sick of hiding our relationship. I want to hold your hand in public and spend the night in your bed or you in mine without sneaking around to do it just in case anyone else finds out.’

‘It would be nice,’ she commented, leading the way out of her room, ‘to wake up next to you and be able to forget about this conflict for a few seconds.’

‘We get a call,’ Mark agreed, ‘and our personal lives go into stasis while we battle Spectra.’

‘That’s how it needs to be,’ she reminded him of their promise to act professionally while in Birdstyle.

‘You’re right, Princess,’ Mark stopped her, placing a hand on each shoulder and turning the young woman to face him. ‘But what if you or I had died out there today? I want to have normal with you any chance I can get while we’re at war. Being with you gives me a little inner peace and balances the person I have to become when I lead the team.’

‘I know. It’s the same for me. Let’s start by explaining that to the team,’ Princess nodded in agreement. In many ways the more sensible of the two, she could see Mark’s reason. ‘They’ll understand. Then we have to tackle the Chief.’

‘Nice of you to join us!’ the Condor sneered the moment he noticed Mark and Princess walking into the main room at the J. Hand in hand they sat down in a booth and signalled the others to join them.

‘Can it Jason,’ Mark rebuked. Still in full commander mode, he launched into an explanation, not letting anyone else get a word in edgewise. Recounting the evening Jason dragged him out on the town only to find Princess playing the jealous girlfriend for Marci’s benefit, it culminated in the start of their relationship. They’d been seeing each other since, their bond growing stronger daily.

‘Six weeks,’ Keyop, so astounded by the fact he managed to get the words out without his normal speech impediment.

‘Yes,’ Princess grinned with pink cheeks. ‘I thought you would have worked it out, all those day’s Jason came to help at the J when I disappeared suddenly.’

‘Nope,’ Keyop turned to the Condor. ‘Thought, maybe Jason sweet on Jill. Want to stick around to be with her.’

‘Watch it squirt,’ Jason clipped the youngster around the ears playfully, ‘you’ll give away all my secrets.’

‘So,’ Tiny chimed in, ‘when are you going to tell the Chief?’ When Mark and Princess exchanged guilty looks, he added, ‘I think, you’re going to have to be very tactical in how you go about this. It’s kinda like flying. You might have an object in sight, but sometimes you have to consider every vector before approaching your target. While we might be happy for you and don’t consider it a problem, Anderson’s another matter.’

‘What you’re trying to say,’ Jason grinned, ‘is ambush the Chief because he’s going to throw every rule in the book at you.’

‘And,’ Tiny agreed, ‘a few that aren’t.’

‘Blind side,’ Keyop added, ‘work best.’

‘How,’ Princess allowed an eyebrow to rise, ‘do you propose we do that?’

‘That,’ Jason elbowed Mark in the ribs, ‘is our Commanders area of speciality and the reason he’s team leader. I’m sure you’ll come up with something, oh master tactician.’

‘Thanks,’ Mark frowned, his mind already analysing this new problem.

Four sets of eyes glanced at the Eagle. They knew that look. Jason turned his gaze on Princess. Both shuddered. Mark, the commander could be completely ruthless when he took on a mission.

‘Look out Anderson,’ Tiny broke the moment with his comment. ‘I get the feeling he’s not going to know what hit him.’