It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth, the minor fall and the major lift

[lt_paula]

Two days after the battle, and Paula had only been in her quarters for a brief shower and what felt like an even shorter nap. She'd found Hikaru passed out on the bed, a towel wrapped around him as though he'd meant to wait for her but had fallen asleep before he could even get under the covers. She'd curled up next to him, and vaguely remembered

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[flying_katana]

Private to Comd. Paula Collins
Helping out in Engineering, if you can imagine. Scotty thinks we might get the warp engines revved up, for just a little bit, getting us to the NVC sooner.

I'll be home soon, I hope.

It was a lot later than he'd hoped when Hikaru finally made it to Paula's rooms, but given the option to work on one more project for Operations in exchange for a half shift of in the morning, he jumped on it. Entering her room, he headed toward the small kitchen area and poured himself some ice cold water, flopping down on the sofa. He didn't see her, but if she were napping, he didn't want to disturb her either.

[lt_paula]

The word "home" made her smile, that simple word conveying so much. Paula put her communicator away and walked home wearily. When she got there she unfastened her belt, checked that her phaser was locked and put it in its place. With luck, she might manage seven or eight hours of rest, but her mind was churning with the events of the past few days, and she knew she needed to wind down and eat something before she could sleep. Waiting up for Hikaru was also in the back of her mind, so she bypassed the replicator and went straight for the shower, discarding her clothes in a heap and relaxing as long as she dared under the spray. It wasn't long, and the water shut off before she was ready, but she felt a million times better once she was clean and dry and wrapped in her bathrobe

[flying_katana]

She looked like an angel as she floated toward him, a look on her face that he'd waited for all day. "Hey you," he murmured, turning his cheek to find her mouth, soft and full as it met his own. "Did you sleep well?" he asked, nuzzling her neck, warm and clean and that scent that was just her.

It just took a tug to pull her into his lap, both his arms around her as he kissed her deeper.

[lt_paula]

"I slept some," she said between kisses, her arms winding around Hikaru's neck as she straddled his lap, pressing close. "Missed you, though." Paula nosed against his ear with a sigh, holding him tight. He was warm and smelled of soap and sweat. "So glad you're safe."

Her hands were slow as they roamed his body, stroking lightly. She couldn't help the urge to touch him, something in her needing the reassurance that he was all right. "Are you hungry? I waited for you..." Paula lifted her head, one hand rubbing his neck, and she dropped another kiss on his mouth when he groaned softly, leaning into the touch.

[flying_katana]

"Starving," he murmured, his own hands slipping under her nightgown. It took just one quick motion for him to pull it off, leaving her naked except for those lace panties he loved. His head dropped to kiss the top of her breasts, then lifted, finding her mouth again.

Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her close, his face buried in her neck. "But this is all I want right now."

[lt_paula]

Her arms lifted as he slipped her nightgown over her head, then Paula let them drop to his shoulders, one hand sliding into his hair. She gave a soft sigh as his lips pressed to her breasts, his breath warm and his cheek a little rough against her soft skin, making her shiver as he moved up to settle his mouth on hers again. And then his strong arms wrapped around her, his face pressed against her neck as he held her close, and Paula nuzzled against him, her hands gentle as they stroked his hair and over his shoulders. "You're all I want," she whispered, her hand plucking at the back of his shirt, pulling it up so she could feel his warm skin

[flying_katana]

"I've missed you," he told her, looking up into her eyes. This was what he wanted all day, to come here and hold her, touch her, eat with her, sleep with her. There was a sort of desperate note to his voice, something needy that he couldn't hide, even if he tried.

She was shivering a bit, and as much as he liked the idea of sitting here, watching her rise and fall above him, looking down at him with those shining brown eyes, but right now, he had another idea he liked better. Reaching for her knees, he slid them up higher on his hips and stood, holding her in his arms. Slowly, he carried her over to their room and laid her down on the bed. Watching her as he undressed, Hikaru slid onto the bed, crawling over over, covering her with his body with kisses until he reached her mouth. "You're perfect," he murmured, covering them both with one of the blankets as he settled between her legs.

It didn't have to be fast or urgent. Now that he was here, it felt like home, and Hikaru was content to just lay here with her, making love to her

[lt_paula]

She recognized that needy tone in his voice. It was the same desperation she'd felt, the need to keep him close once the danger had ended, to lose herself for a little while in the knowledge that they were both safe. Paula inhaled sharply when he stood up, his hands sliding up the backs of her thighs to settle her against him. She groaned softly and wrapped her arms and legs around him, shivering again as she ground against his erection, her breasts brushing against his chest as she pressed soft kisses to his jaw. Her eyes stayed on him, watching him undress while she kicked the covers down and shimmied out of her lacy underwear

[flying_katana]

This is what he'd waited for all day, half-dreaming all day in his exhaustion. Not just the sex, though as he pushed into her warmth he groaned loud in satisfaction. It was the closeness he craved, the feel that this woman loved him and wanted him and would be here in the morning to talk to, to hold, to ask him how he was doing. A few years ago, he couldn't imaging being this close to someone, and now, he couldn't imagine life without it.

He rose over her, hands planted on each side of her head and thrust in and out, so slow. Their heads were close and the kisses seemed endless, one right after the other as she moved up against him. Her hair spread out all over her pillow, her eyes bright as they looked back up at him. His hips started speeding up as he felt himself nearing the end, that slow burn building inside him. "Love you, baby," he groaned, thrusting harder into her, losing his breath as he spoke.

[lt_paula]

Paula's breath hitched as he slid inside her, and she clung tight to him as they moved together. Her hips rocked against his, mirroring his movements, and she moaned when he began to thrust harder, his movements becoming more desperate. "Love you," she murmured between kisses, arching as she felt the beginnings of an orgasm already.

It built slow and steady, breaking over her like a wave and making her clutch tight around him with a quiet cry. As she shook she heard Hikaru give a low growl. His movements became erratic, and he lifted her hips into a series of sharp thrusts that made her moan and press against him, her mouth meeting his in a slow, lingering kiss. When the kiss ended she tucked her face against his neck, winding her arms around him as his warm body pressed her into the bed.

[flying_katana]

Laying there with Paula in his arms, Hikaru felt complete, the first time in days that he'd had that sense of peace. There was no better way of ending his day than watching her face as she came, trembling under him, because of him.

"Thank you for letting me come here like this," he told her, kissing her cheek, "and just taking advantage of you and your beautiful body." Rolling over on to his side, he stroked her side, resting his hand on her hip. "You're too good to this poor lieutenant."

[lt_paula]

Paula stretched like a cat, curling up next to Hikaru and nuzzling his cheek with a sigh. Her hand lay flat against his chest, his heart beating strong beneath her palm. "I happen to like when you take advantage of me," she murmured, her lips pressing against his in a lingering kiss. "Besides, I like when you're here. It feels... right." She stroked his calf lazily with one foot, tangling their legs together as she nestled against him.

They were together most nights without even talking about it. Paula wasn't sure when that had shifted, how they'd gone from asking and planning to just being together, but she'd noticed the difference on those nights they were apart. It was lonely, sleeping without him, and the danger they'd been in over the past few days had only made that worse. "How long until we reach the colony?"

[flying_katana]

"About a week," Hikaru mouthed into her shoulder. "Three or four days if Scotty can get the warp drive going." Luckily the ship wasn't damaged in many places, but the areas that needed work, like Engineering, were extremely important. The Vulcans' new space dock was finished, but they would have to special order many of the supplies that the Enterprise would need to be completely fixed. "Speaking of the colony, you'll stay with me there?" he asked, touching her cheek, smiling. "Or do you have plans with your friends, gonna go pick up some Vulcan guys, go party with them?"

Thinking back to her first comment, Hikaru smiled at her words. They matched his own thoughts perfectly, and he wondered if this might be the time to ask her about taking the next step in their relationship, something he'd been wondering about for a few months now.

[lt_paula]

If anyone could patch the ship up enough to get the warp drive functioning, it was Scotty. Paula hoped it would work, that they could get to the colony quickly and get the repairs started. They were vulnerable out here with limited power, and they needed the opportunity to stand down after the nonstop action of the past few days. "Mmm, I think Vulcan parties might be too logical for me," Paula teased.

"You don't have to ask," she murmured, remembering their time together on Risa, with no work or other obligations to restrict their time together. It had been just about perfect, she thought, and for a while now she'd been thinking that they should talk about what came next. "We can explore the colony together." Paula nosed against his ear, her lips brushing over the lobe. "Or we could stay in and be illogical."

[flying_katana]

"I'm sure you would be the most sought after among Vulcan party guests," he nosed against her temple. The time spent on Sha-Kwai wouldn't all be vacation, but they'd had that time at Christmas together, so even just a week or two away from the ship with Paula was a gift. "Still, I'm glad that I won't have to share you with too many people, at least not in the evenings. I like our alone time."

Maybe now was the time... "In fact," he began, hesitatingly, "I wanted to talk to you about that, our being together, our alone time. In the evenings." Surely this wasn't so difficult, why was he sounding like some moron?

[lt_paula]

"I like our alone time, too," Paula told him. They would have plenty of work to do while they were on Sha-Kwai, but with any luck they could spend what free time they had together. She nudged against his jaw, pressing a soft kiss to his warm, slightly rough skin before raising up on one elbow. Paula tucked her hair behind one ear as she looked down at him, curious.

"What about it?" she asked. Her free hand stroked his chest in slow, lazy circles. Something about the look on Hikaru's face drew her in, the sleepy, comfortable haze she'd been in disappearing. This was important, she sensed, the way he seemed to stumble over the words and the slight flush rising on his face enough to grab her attention. "What's on your mind?"