Aleska quietly makes her way to her quarters after satisfying herself that McDouall is out of danger, She is exhausted, thirsty, hungry and feint from the hammering her body has been subjected to.  With painstaking effort, she slowly lifts her shirt over her head.

'Aleska --- you are bleeding!' 

Aleska quickly holds her shirt in front of her body, silently wincing.  His eyes are riveted to the parts of her chest the shirt is failing to protect.

 'What are you doing in my private quarters?' She demands, keeping her eyes averted from Stone's.

'For heaven's sake Aleska!' Stone marches to her.  'Stop being defensive.' 

He rips her shirt away to inspect the ghastly bruise and swelling forming below her ribcage. It takes nerves of steel to focus on her wound and not look at her petite breasts hidden under her very feminine lacy bra. 

'I am almost more interested in how the hell you managed to practically carry McDouall back, than in the injury you have sustained.'

She mumbles something unintelligible.  He looks away, keeping his eyes on her is unsettling.  He curiously observes the immaculately tidy quarters; clean as a whistle.  There are no personal effects on display.  Just a few items neatly stacked in place.  A very sturdy and comfortable sleeper takes up most of the space in her tent. One section is holding a collapsible table with some electronic equipment. A second smaller table holds a portable kettle, cutlery and canisters with refreshments. The largest foldable table; is holding lots of maps; some books; a laptop; telescope; and some stationery. 

Conspicuously absent in this female's quarters was the compulsory female accessories, like a mirror; girly cosmetics; etc.  He guesses the neat backpacks stacked against the tent on one corner held her personal effects. 

Stone has been inside the tent shared by Jane and Nancy.  There was barely space to walk by inside amidst all the female accessories and gadgets.  He thinks perhaps he should bring the male contingent in here to observe how good organization works.  Their quarters always looks like a tornado has hit it.  He suspects the owner would not take too kindly to such an invasion.

Stone notices a makeshift clothing line strategically set up in front of the window panel to attract the sunlight.  A solitary towel is neatly hanging on the line on pegs connected to two of panels of the tent. 

Stone walks to the makeshift line.  He removes the towel, soaks it in some warm water from the kettle. He takes it to where she is standing.  He takes a deep gulp of air to calm his unsteady nerves before he gently dabs it against her ribcage. 

Stone looks up into her eyes, but she does not blink or outwardly reflect the pain she was definitely feeling.

'Just for the hell of it Major, tell me what happened huh?'

Aleska rolls her eyes.  'I was being shot at. I dived, bruised myself on some rocks hidden under the maze of trees.'

'And you aggravated the wound, practically carrying McDouall back here.'

'What was I supposed to do, leave him there?  Would you have abandoned a wounded soldier Colonel?'  Aleska jerks his unnerving hand away from her body.  She tosses the towel away and slips her shirt on again.

'I should bandage you, Aleska.'

'I'll survive,' she inhales with much effort. 

'Get into bed.' Stone instructs.  'I'll be back in a minute.'

'Excuse me!'

Stone grins.  'I'm going to get you some pain killers Major and some nourishment.'

'Oh.'

'Disappointed?'  He teases.

'I will be, if you did the cooking?'

Stone laughs.  'You use to compliment my culinary skills in Serbia,' he throws over his shoulder as he steps out.

That was a life time ago.
 
Aleska gets into the bed.  She is not sure whether to lie over or under the covers.  She opts for safety... as if.

'Good, I'm glad you obey some of the time,' Stone sees her in her sleeper as he walks in with a tray.  There is a plate with rice, mince balls, canned peas and asparagus.  On the tray is also a compression bandage to take care of the inflammation and bruising around her ribcage.

'I could do with a shower,' she sulks.

'No shower for you tonight,' he peels the bandage out of its package.  'I could ---wash you down with hot water,' he offers.

Is he mad?

'It's okay, thank you.  I'll do it in the morning,' she avoids his eyes.

'As you wish, soldier,' he grins. 'Let's get this bandage on you,' he starts to lift up her covers.

'I can manage,' she grips his hand, stopping him from touching her body.

'Aleska be still!' he commands, as he sits on her sleeper. 

Her hand drops to her side. She looks away, too afraid to close her eyes.  She knows all her senses will focus on his fingers on her bare flesh.  She tries to steer her sense of smell towards the food on the tray.  She vaguely succeeds.  All she feels is his fingers running riot over her flesh.

Stone's warm hands work gently over her tummy.  Instinctively she raises her hips as he wraps the bandage  under her lower back and secures it over her wound.  Even after the bandage is secure, his hands hover over her stomach.  His thumb slowly runs over the bare flesh of her stomach ... discovers the well-defined core muscles. 

She flinches ... not from pain.  Her eyes meet his.  She wants to tell him to stop but speech deserts her. 

'Smooth like velvet,' he murmurs gruffly.

'Stone ---.'

He stands up, looks away.  'Stay in bed and finish your supper.'

The moment was gone.  Aleska wonders if it even happened.  She props herself up to eat her supper.

'I will return to check on you in about four hours,' he states.  'Don't get out of bed until I tell you to.' He leaves her quarters.

Aleska forces herself to do justice to the meal.  She barely tastes what's on the plate.  She is in too much pain and only manages to finish half the contents from the plate.  She observes pain killers and bottled water on the tray.  She swallows two pills and washes it down with the water, shuts her eyes and allows the medication to dull her senses.   Three hours later Aleska awakes feeling refreshed, and tries to find a reason to get out of bed.  A blessing in disguise comes in the form of a powerful thunderstorm.

The humidity and transpiration from the surrounding jungle makes for strong winds.  Powerful electrical displays and heavy downpours, mercilessly strike at will over the base camp.  Aleska wants to shower and clean herself up, but the sudden storm over the camp site raises her concern.  She makes her way to the medical tent to check on McDouall.  The wind and the rain lash at her body.  She clutches her tummy, bucks her head from the storm and makes her way to the medical tent.  She hovers at the doorway.  Stone is there calmly trying to pacify a restless and delirious patient.  He sees her.

'What the hell are you doing out of bed?'  Stone barks.  I thought I told you to stay put!'  Why is he surprised?  Not like following orders was in her make up.

Aleska ignores him, not offering any answers.  She checks on McDouall.  He was looking rough after Stone had stitched him up.  She is relieved that McDouall is still sedated and sound asleep.  His vitals look stable.  Nature's healing process needs to take its course as McDouall rests.

'I'm going,' she murmurs and leaves.  She returns to her quarters, checks her emails, responds to a few.  She opens the map and is studying the various access routes from the river, when her mobile emits a signal.  The tracking sensors were picking up disturbance.  She grabs her phone, scans the images and runs out to find Stone.

'Stone you have to ---.' She stops in mid- sentence when she walks into his private tent and sees him shaving.  He has a towel around his neck but no shirt on.

'See this,' she finishes her sentence.  It was her turn to lustfully stare at his naked upper body.

Stone laughs immodestly.  'You have seen a man shave before Aleska.'

'Why don't you do that in the morning?' she looks away.

'I shave twice a day,' he washes the soap of and dabs at his face with the towel, then carelessly throws it on the floor.

'Where --- is your shirt?'  She stammers as he walks towards her, shirtless showing of his defined muscular physique.

Stone smiles.  She is so beautiful.  He watches her with intrigue beneath his lowered eyelids.  The long sweep of her blonde lashes, the smooth line of her high cheek bones, the sensuous symmetry of her perfect lips has him breathless.

'You have seen me without a shirt, Aleska.  More to the point, I don't think there is a single part of my body you have not touched,' he offers a thin lipped smile , whilst eyeing her below the luxuriant fan of his back lashes.  He is so sensually challengingly so devastatingly sexy to her; standing so close ... barely a postage stamp could fit between them.

'That was a long time ago,' she looks away.

He uses his index finger under her chin to force her to look at him.  'Yet the attraction between us still rages like an inferno.  And I know that you know it.'

Her ice blue eyes lock with his stirred grey ones.  She is aroused.  He can see it in the passionately awakened depths of her eyes.  There is something in her hand.  He removes it, places it in the pocket of his trousers. 

'Stone ---.'

Stones lifts her hands, places it on his chest.   'I crave your touch,' his tone is guttural, tormented.

Mechanically, her fingers spread over his muscular chest, the tips glide over the well- toned surface.  Stone closes his eyes.  He moans softly.  Her mouth reaches for his.  Her hands rake over his body, hungry, eager, impatient.

His arms circle her, tighten fiercely.  The kiss goes on and on until the device beeps in Stone's pocket.

'Stone ---,' she pushes him away.  'It's what I came to show you.'

'What!'  His breathing is haggard.  There's a tremor in his voice.

Aleska finds his shirt thrown over a chair.  She shoves it against his chest.  She retrieves the tracking device from his pocket and shows it to him.

'Look,' she shows him.  'It's picking up movements.'

'Aleska,' he groans loudly.  'You should have said so.'

'I --- wanted to,' she looks away as he buttons his shirt hastily.

'How many men do we need?' He asks.

'I can go alone and check it out,' she suggests.

'No!  You are not going alone!  Not when you have an injury.'

She struggles to contain her impatience.  'Stone --- I can manage.'

The brilliant grey eyes narrow sharply.  His eyebrows pucker at her ridiculous suggestion.  He is not sending her out there alone.  'No!  That is an order Major.'

'Perhaps it's just an animal the tracker is picking up.'  She raises her voice, her accent becomes more pronounced.

'If that was the case, then you would not have come to me now, would you Major?'  His eyes bore into hers.

'We are wasting time,' she looks away again.

'Take Harris and Edgar with you,' Stones orders.

'I don't need ---.'

'Colonel, I'm picking up ---,' Nancy comes barging in and stops when she hears Aleska's raised voice.

Does everybody just barge into his private quarters?

'Major Maric and I are going to assess it,' he nods at Nancy calmly.

'I told you I can handle it alone,' Aleska argues.

'And I told you Major, you are not going alone.  You are not a one man band!' his eyes locked with hers warningly.  He checks his pistol and slips it into his holster.

Aleska turns around.  She rattles a litany of words in Russian something to the effect of accusing him of trying to impress his computer geek girlfriend.

Stone is shocked.  Where does such an accusation come from?  He finds himself staring at Aleska's back as she leaves his tent.

'What did she say?' Nancy enquires.

'I must hurry or she's not going to wait for me,' Stones lies with a wide grin.

'Be careful sir.'

'Thank you.  Tell Harris he's in charge until I return,' Stone races out.

'Yes sir.'

They walk stealthily deeper into the heart of the rain forest.  Their footsteps are undetectable.  Stone is just a step behind Aleska.  She feels the warmth of his body even through the long sleeve uniform shirt she has on. Aleska smiles to herself. When she worked with others it was just a mission that needed to be accomplished, but with Stone, it was pleasant, enjoyable, companionable.  Aleska reaches out her hand behind her to caution Stone.  The very same instant his fingers lace thorough hers and he swaps position with her.  His advanced training at covert ops kicks in, Protectively, Stone is in front of Aleska.

She cocks her ear, taps Stone lightly on his shoulder.  He turns a vigilant eye towards her.  Aleska sees he is all alert.  His eyes grey, focused on the possibility of imminent danger.  Aleska points an index finger to her left.  Stone nods.  He heard it too.  Stone's entire arm moves diagonally across Aleska's chest.  Simultaneously he moves left in front of her, passes her and assumes a position of attack.  Aleska waits.  She is calm, patient, alert, in attack mode.  Cautiously she removes the knife tucked in its holster on the seam of her trousers.  She slips it into Stone's right hand.  He grips it at the handle, ready to strike.   Aleska removes her hand from Stones'.  She turns around.  They are back to back.  Their movements synchronised.  He takes two guarded steps forward.  She moves with him.  Aleska is patient.  She knows the sounds are coming from somewhere in front of Stone.  But she has trained soldiers to attack simultaneously from the rear as well as from the front so she is on full alert.

They wait twenty seconds...thirty ...forty five as they move in a circular manner.  Stone senses Aleska relax.  He turns to look at her. Sees she is lowering the knife in position in her hand that was ready to strike.

'Told you,' Aleska whispers with a smile.

Stone smiles, slips her knife into the sheath on the side of his knee.  The tracking sensor has picked up the movements of a huge Jaguar Panthera.  Stone trains his  eyes acutely on the feline lazing on one of the tree branches. The spotted cat is cleaning its paws fastidiously.  It looks so beautiful, its glossy spotted fur more resembling a leopard.

'We should have worn helmets,' Stone whispers.

Aleska nods.  She knows the jaguar is known to attack its prey on the head between the ears, where it delivers a fatal bite to the brain through the skull.

'Let's back track,' Stones whispers. 

This is the natural habitat of the Jaguar.  It had more right to be there than they do.  Stone allows Aleska to precede him out.  The danger was behind them.  If the feline attacks, it would give Aleska the opportunity to run whilst he battles with it ... not that he suspects she will do the wise thing and run like any sensible girl.  She is more than just a girl.  She is bright, resourceful, reliable, dependable, curvy and sexy...

'Look Stone,' Aleska smiles brightly.  She curves her hand around his arm, pointing to some dodgy looking plum coloured cherry like specimens.

'Are you sure they are edible?'  Stone raises an eyebrow suspiciously.

Aleska laughs softly.  'Yes.  It's call Camu Camu.' 

She finds a spot for them to sit down and plucks one off the tree, uses her knife to slice it apart and bites into the flesh of the citrus like fruit.  Stone squats down next to her.

'Try some,' Aleska hands one half to Stone.

'Why haven't I heard of it?'  He stares doubtfully at the fruit in his hand.

'It does not hold for long,' she answers.  'No point in trying to export it.  It will rot before it reaches its destination.  Go on, take a bite.'

'I am going to wait five minutes to see if you drop dead,' he grins.

Aleska laughs. She removes a segment and feeds it to him.  Stone wrinkles his face at its acidic taste.

'That is horrible.'

'Great source of vitamin c,' she smiles.  'Let's head back to camp.  You're out of your depth here,' she teases him

'Like you were the day I first met you?'  He rallies right back.

'In my backyard!  Don't kid yourself Colonel.'

'Or you knew I would happen by then?' He mocks.  'That has to be it.'

Aleska ignores him as he heckles her about their first accidental meeting in their previous mission in Serbia, when Aleska's vehicle had been stuck in the snow.

 'You engineered that, just so I could rescue you,' he teases. 

Aleska marches on silently.  She had not engineered the breakdown.  The snow fall had just become thicker and more severe and she had not known it, when she'd set out on duty, six hours earlier that morning.

'You knew I was coming on duty after you,' he taunts.  'You wanted me to come to your rescue.  I was your knight in shining ---.'

Aleska turns around, her body rams into his chest. She ignores his hot breath fanning her cheek.  'You were no knight,' she spits out in Russian.  'Neither did you have a shining armour.'  He had the same drab uniform on, that she and he were now attired in.  'Besides,' she threw at him, 'had you not arrived Colonel, I would have rescued the vehicle without you.  I was doing fine until you interfered ---.'

'"Interfered?'"  He challenges.  'You were ecstatic to see me.  You were freezing to death and ready to collapse,' he exaggerates.

She had been freezing, but nowhere near collapsing.  Inwardly he had been duly impressed at her strength in carrying the huge pole with such ease to rescue her vehicle.  It had been taller than her own height.

'Your ego is king sized,' she accuses, recalling that initial time when she thought, she had never seen a male so utterly attractive and good-looking.  And she'd met many pompous males like him during her career in the army.  But Stone had not given her any indication that first time that he found her attractive or that he recognized her as an attractive member of the opposite sex.  He'd just in a very civil manner offered his service to a fellow soldier.

'I saw that look in your eyes, Major.  You were begging to be kissed --- like now,' he taunts, with that arrogant smirk on his face.

Aleska glares at him, angry at him for being so accurate and at herself for being so transparent.  'You think I want to kiss you?' She closes the gap between them, her chest pressing against his, her mouth just inches from his.'

'I know you do Major.' 

He is not sure at all.  Infact he suspects, she is going to spin around and start marching again, just to spite him.  She has nerves of steel, he knows this, first hand. 

He is wrong this time. 

Aleska lifts her mouth to his and kisses him slowly.  She teases his lips apart as her tongue dips into his mouth, deepening the kiss.  A fire ignites within her.  She presses into him, her arms tightening around his body as her mouth erotically teases, taunts and arouses him.  Aleska drags her lips away, her arms still around him.  She is panting breathlessly.

'Where'd you learn to kiss, like that?' Stone groans hoarsely.

'It's you,' she whispers.  'You do that to me,' she confesses.

Stone just stares at her awestruck.  Never in a million years did he expect her to admit to the attraction between them.  Back in Serbia, she always changed the topic when he used to broach the subject of them starting a relationship.  The minute she would sense the intimacy between them, she would clam up and run away.

'Aleska ---.'

'Time is going,' she cuts him off, and begins walking again.

'Wait! I want to talk,' he grips her arm tightly.

They were in the jungle on a covert mission.  They can not allow themselves to become distracted, or for an intimate relationship to interfere with the success of the operation.  Aleska knows once feelings are involved, the ability to be objective or think rationally becomes compromised.

'There's no time now,' her eyes bore into his.  She jerks her hand out of his grip. 

'You always do this,' he shouts angrily.  'Why the hell can we not have a civilised conversation?  You always resort to running away?' Her hips sway attractively in the gauche drab uniform that hides her shapely curves

Aleska tries to block out Stone behind her.  She hastens her pace, trying to create some distance between her and him.  It was futile.  He was athletic, fit, quick and a very able match for her.  Infact she knows he is stronger, fitter and faster than her.  They had often competed in Serbia.  Stone had beaten her on more occasions than she cared to remember.

Two years ago, when they'd worked in Serbia,  he had thought he'd successfully peeled back all the layers of her reserve, that he was making progress with her.  She became alive in his arms, sensuously responsive making him want more, so much more than she was prepared to give  but then he'd been stunned to learn, she had requested a transfer back to Russia.  She had just disappeared without a single  word to him. 

He remembered the very first day he'd met her.  Her vehicle had broken down in the snow.  The tyres of her vehicle were stuck in deep snow and she had been astute enough to know, not to press the accelerator that would have only sunk the vehicle deeper.  When his vehicle had driven pass, he'd found Aleska, carrying a huge pole.  He'd been very impressed at her resourcefulness.  She was going to position the pole underneath the front tyres as leverage, to lift the wheels from beneath the snow to free the trapped vehicle.

Her skin was like transparent porcelain.  She had the figure of a young goddess and moved with such grace.  He had not been able to keep his eyes of her, but the necessary rescue mission had been distraction enough ... barely

'Aleska stop!'

'No!'

He tackles her at the ankle, drops her to the ground. 

'It is unsafe here.  You know that,' she battles to keep her eyes of him.

'I want five minutes Aleska.'

She closes up like an oyster protecting a pearl.  Even though he is the most attractive man she has ever laid eyes on, they can't get involved.  He is beautiful, the perfection of his taut muscles under his tasteless uniform trousers presses into her.

She tries to get up.  Stones pushes her shoulder down until she is lying on her back.  'You know that Jaguar might just creep up on us,' she murmurs.

'It's taking a bath,' Stone replies huskily, his mouth descends on hers hungrily.

Her lips part.  His tongue enters her mouth adventurously.   They kiss passionately.  Her tongue entwines sensuously with his.  Stone pulls her closer, pressing his pelvis firmly to hers.  She feels his arousal, feel a deep aching need between her own thighs.

'Aleska ---.'  His lips move to her throat.  His hands are undoing her buttons.  He groans satisfactorily when his lips find her aroused nipples.

She whispers his name back, starts speaking a litany of Russian.  'Priyatno... mne nravitsya.'

"'Nice!"  He lifts his head, translates a word she has passionately uttered.

Aleska smirks.  She gets to her feet, re-buttons her shirt.  'I also said, I like it,' her eyes locks with his.

Yes she did.  'Then why did we stop?'

She had not wanted to stop.  Luckily he had broken the spell.  Her fingers cup his face gently.  'My dolzhny vernut'sya' ... we must go back.

And at that precise moment, Stone's radio beeps.  'Yes?'  Stone speaks calmly into his radio.

'Sir --- are you and the Major okay?'

It was his beloved Nancy.  Aleska turns away, begins walking in the direction of base camp.  Stone reaches out, links his hand into hers.

'False alarm.'

Aleska hears him say into the radio.  'It was a Jaguar.  We are on our way back,' he snaps the radio of.

'I liked it too.'

'What?'

'The kiss,' he grins.

'Watch your head!' Aleska murmurs suddenly, but too late, a branch slaps Stone on the forehead.

'Ouch!'

Aleska laughs.  'Focus Colonel.  The jungle is wild, perilous and unfriendly.'

'Tell me something, I don't know.'

'Stop brooding.  It does not suit you,' she increases her pace as they near the exit of the deep part of the forest.  There is just one small climb to the top, but Stone's hand circles her wrist.

Aleska turns around.  'Stone --- what are you doing? She looks at his hand still tightly on her wrist.

'This ---,' he murmurs, lowering his head, pressing his lips to hers.  She sighs softly, wraps her arms around his neck.  His kiss becomes more demanding.  Her tongue entangles with his.  The kiss deepens.  Stone's hands roam ravenously all over her body until she pulls away breathlessly.  Her arms still around his neck, she looks into his passionate grey eyes.  They are dark, aroused.  Aleska smiles, her fingers cup his face lightly, before she steps aside and makes the final climb to their base camp.

It is dark when they return to base camp.  They only had the occasional light from the moon as a guide.  But Aleska was confident of the path she needed to take back.  They return in silence.  She leading the way.  It was the reason she was on this mission, because she knew the Amazon better than any of the squadron. 

Stone tires of talking to himself.  She refuses to respond to any of his tauntings or accusations.  He thinks it wise to reserve his energy and just quietly follows her.  When they were fairly close to base camp, Stone eases his pace.  He lets her walk on at the accelerated pace she is maintaining all the way.  He marvels at her speed and athletic ability.  She is super fit. Stone sips from his water bottle.  He looks around him, taking in  his surroundings.  They had picked a good spot to set up base camp.  There was a spring nearby with clean, fresh water.  The dense forestation was perfect to hide their position.  Whilst their heightened position gave them a perfect panoramic view of their immediate vicinity, approach to their camp site was inhibited.

'Where is Colonel Bretton?' 

Stone hears the voice of Nancy Stuart, his Geek Lady.  He also hears weapons cork. He growls softly.  When will they start to trust Aleska?  He was certain their weapons were pointed directly on Aleska.  He smirks to himself.  He knows she can handle herself.   He knows his team is unsure of Aleska's loyalty to the squadron.  They had asked him on the first day,
"What if she exposes us to the enemy?  She is not one of us?"

Because she was of a different nationality, his men still hold reservations of her loyalty to the British Army.  Stone knows her.  He knows without a doubt that she would never betray the team.  She has integrity.  She will never be a double agent. When she offers her commitment, she honours it.

Aleska uses her fingers as support to hoist herself up to climb the last few feet that would bring her to their base camp.  She knows Stone has slackened his pace, not because he was tired or unfit.  She suspects he wants to be alone; by himself.  She  gives him the space, not waiting for him or turning back to join him. 

She is incensed now that his soldiers are pointing their rifles at her like she is the Judas of the team.   She observes they are strategically spread out.  She no longer possesses the element of surprise. 

If she attacks Harris who was closest to her, any or all of the others will spray her with bullets.  

Where the hell was Stone? 

Why is he not speaking up to confirm that he is still alive and that no harm has come to him by her or by any other means? 

Not like she is in fear.  They need her alive here, more than she needs them.  She will be able to get out of here in a matter of hours.  They on the other hand will probably run around in circles for days or weeks before they find their way out of this deceiving jungle.  Aleska suspects Stone will be resourceful and may find his way out quicker than the others, but the rest of his team were more dependent on technology and equipment.  She needs neither and thinks it about time she shows this thankless bunch, how self-sufficient she really is. 
She supresses the urge to hit out ... instead yells at Stone in a stilted voice.

'Otvet' im chyort vas voz'mi, pochemu vy molchite'? ...
Answer them! Damn you!  Why the hell are you keeping quiet? 

She knows Stone can hear her.   
Stone smiles inwardly.  Aleska tends to revert to her own language when angry or in the throes of passion ... like earlier.  He hears more weapons cork.  The smirk disappears of his face.  He figures it's time to show himself.

'Hello!'  Stone hauls himself up and smiles.

'Vy dumayete, chto smeshno?' ...You think you're funny? 

Aleska lashes Stone with a glacial stare and marches away to her tent.
Some forty minutes later, Aleska feels refreshed from the cold water wash. She puts on a cotton T shirt and a pair of sweatpants.  She is surprised when she hears Stone's voice outside her tent.  She is not fooled by that formal tone of voice.  She is not going to allow him into her tent.  As it is, his soldiers dislike her.  She is not going to give them more ammunition.  Stone calls out again and Aleska contemplates pretending to be asleep.

 'Aleska!'  She hears his voice go much softer.  'I know you're awake.  Come out or I am coming in,' he instructs.

She grunts softly and walks out.  She is surprised to see Stone standing there with a plate of food and a can of soda.  She stares at him, dumbfounded.

'You did not come to supper,' he speaks quietly.

'I'm not hungry,' Aleska lies.  Her stomach is grumbling.  It prevented her from falling asleep.

'You hardly finished the last meal,' he sticks out his hands, extending his offerings to her.

Aleska looks down into the plate.  It smells delicious.  It is supper made from various cans of tinned meat and vegetables.  'Thank you,' she mumbles, accepting the plate.  'What about you?'

He smiles.  'Mine's over there,' he points to the wooden table near the small camp fire that has been lit for warmth.  'How about you join me?' he invites.

Aleska nods and follows Stone.  She squats on the ground and hungrily begins digging into the food.  After a few seconds she observes the rest of the team are seated at the far side opposite the fire, looking sheepish.    The men rise and walk to where she is seated and fiddle uncomfortably.  She lifts her head to look at them curiously.

'Sorry.'  They each mumble individually.

Clearly Stone has taken them to task about their distrust of her.  Aleska inhales.  She nods and begins eating again, without lifting her eyes from her plate.  After about ten minutes, her plate is empty.  She also only then realizes the rest of the squad has discreetly disappeared.   Only Stone was sitting on a deck chair, close to her, his eyes trained on the cracking fire.  The moonlight bathes his olive skin in tones of shimmering light, detailing his toned physique.  If only they were not soldiers ...

'That was lovely.  Thank you,' Aleska voices.

Stone smiles.  'Pleasure,' he nods, and rises.  He relieves Aleska of the empty plate.

'I can attend to it,' she resists.

'Allow me,' he speaks softly.  Flames of light danced in his eyes.  'There's coffee too,' he offers, nodding his head towards the pot above the fire.

'I'd love some.'

Stone does not get up to bring her the coffee.  Instead, his eyes are trained admiringly on her beautiful face.  Blonde wild curls blow around her face.  Her slender arms creep around to hug herself.  Her slender form holds so much grace, beauty, desire. 

She looks away.  'You offered me coffee.'

Stone takes her plate away.  He places it in a dish of soapy water on a makeshift rack and pours out some coffee for her and himself. 

He sits across from her, sipping his coffee.  He is quiet, reflective not saying anything.  When his coffee is done, he stands up.

'Good night Aleska.'

He does not wait for her response but strides hurriedly to his own tent.

Aleska leans back in her chair.  She looks around.  It is quiet, peaceful.  Soft sounds from the night creatures can be heard in the air.  Stirred by the night wind, the branches whispered applause.  The temperature has fallen quite low.  She zips up the jacket she has on. 

Aleska sees the silhouettes of the two soldiers on duty.  They are on opposite sides, watchful, pacing, protecting the rest of their resting colleagues... and their colonel.  She marvels at the respect and esteem they hold for their leader. It isn't like that back home.  Leaders hardly engage much with their subordinates, let alone take meals with them, irrespective of how small the unit was.  But these British ones seem to act like ... family. 

She sighs thinking about her dedushka... grandfather back home.  Her only living relative. She loves him, hates leaving him for long periods, she had no choice, but to join the mission.  She yearns to hear her dedushka's voice.  Aleska takes her cup and Stone's and washes them out.  She adds some wood to the fire for the soldiers on duty and walks to her tent. 

She makes a call home from her satellite phone.  Aleska is happy.  Her dedushka sounds well.  He was happy to hear her voice.  His breathing seemed a bit strained.  He was recovering from a chest infection and at his age, Aleska was not surprised. 

She cannot sleep and stealthily makes her way to Stone's tent.  She thinks he's still awake, but it was in darkness.  She steps in.  He is already on his portable, yet comfortable mattress.  Aleska smiles.  He looks relaxed, asleep, one hand casually across his naked chest.  She holds her breath, hankering to touch him.  She walks softly further in, kneels down next to Stone's bed.  It was her intention to just kiss him goodnight.  Instead, she finds herself on her back.  Stone's knee has her imprisoned, a knife in hand, ready to strike.

She watches him take his fill of her, her ivory skin, her soft curves, her tender lips, her shapely hips,  She watches him become aroused, watches his grey eyes darken ...

'If you want me, just say so,' she whispers.  'No need to get violent.'

But he is not fooled by her light-hearted retort.  Her body is trembling. Her thickened accent gives her away.  She is aroused as he is.

She was all woman with lush curves, too wide mouth, honeyed soft curls... Stone smiles.  He slips the knife back under his pillow.  His thumb caresses her cheek.  He removes the band holding her hair together.   

'I want you,' he whispers her name.

            -end chapter 5-