Far From Oblivion || One-on-One || Caebeeb and Pirate

Rylan held her breath as she waited for his response, the last remnants of her nightmare fading away as worry filled her. Certainly he'd be angry with her actions. She peaked an eye open when he said that it was alright, surprised at the patience and kindness he was showing her. Offering him a small smile at his departing words, she watched him leave the room before getting up to flip off the light. She crawled back under the blankets, feeling significantly calmer after their encounter. She hugged a pillow to her chest, the last thought on her mind being her partner's handsome face. The next morning, Rylan awoke to the rising sun. She stretched her arms over her head before climbing out of bed. Thoughtlessly, she tugged on a baggy sweatshirt and shuffled out into the main living area, rubbing her eyes as she went. She went about making a pot of coffee before pouring two cups, preparing her's how she liked and then doing the same for Clark's. She made her way over to the couch with the two mugs in hand, lightly nudging Clark's arm with her knee. "Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty," she grinned, offering him the coffee. "Where do you want to start today? I was thinking about talking to that pair of dealers we met last week," she murmured, her voice surprisingly pleasant as she gazed down at him, her hair slightly mussed from sleeping.


Heath groaned softly, nuzzling his cheek into her hand. He nodded at her words, a small smile forming on his lips as she pushed him away. "You realize no one is out in the halls, right?" he teased as she offered him the paper. "Unless there are some other spies sneaking around with their partners. In that case, we'll all have a reason to keep our mouths shut." Nonetheless, he took the paper, wrapping a strong arm around her waist. Pulling her against him, he leaned over to press a sweet, lingering kiss on her lips. He tugged gently on her lower lip as he pulled away, a warm smile on his face. He got to his feet, adjusting his glasses as he gazed at her. "I'll see you tomorrow at debriefing," he murmured, winking at her before he headed to the door and slipped quietly out into the hallway. He made his way back to his room, falling onto his bed after he set down the paper and took off his glasses. After thinking about Sophia and their relationship, and mulling over the possible consequences, sleep finally took him.

Rylan grinned as Clark took the coffee mug from her, chuckling at his words. She nodded as he spoke again, "This is a fun mission, ain't it?" she asked sarcastically before taking a sip of her hot coffee. Her eyes followed him as he disappeared into the bathroom and then reappeared a moment later. A playful scowl formed on her lips at his teasing. "You're one to talk," she shot back as she reached out to run a hand through his dark hair tame it before purposefully mussing it. With a small smirk, she bowed, "Allow me to give you your privacy." She set her coffee cup down on the table before heading into the bedroom. She closed the door before turning to her suitcase and pulling out a change of clothes. She tugged on a pair of skin-tight jeans and a slightly revealing, oversized black v-neck sweater that hung off one shoulder. She laced up a pair of brown leather combat boots before brushing out her wavy hair and pulling it into a loose ponytail. After applying minimal make-up, she headed back out into the main area, snatching up her coffee cup once more. She turned toward her partner, a slight smile on her lips.


Heath awoke the next morning, having had a pleasant dream and caught up on his much-needed sleep. He stretched his arms over his head, lying in bed and enjoying to silence for awhile. With a hearty groan he pushed himself to his feet, deciding that he should get something to eat before the debriefing that afternoon. He changed into a pair of jeans and a dark green long-sleeved thermal. After pulling on a pair of black boots, he grabbed his glasses and headed out the door. He paced down the hallway, making his way back to the dining hall. He grabbed a hot meal that consisted of an omelette and toast, then sat alone in a back corner of the large room. As he ate, he couldn't help but realize how much he preferred his partner's cooking.

Rylan glanced down at her outfit at the look he gave her. She smirked at his words, taking another sip of her coffee. "This isn't all it takes," she said lightly before finishing her coffee and depositing the cup in the sink. She sauntered over to him, a smile still on her lips as she stopped before him and began straightening his jacket. "But my outfit did get your attention," she mused, "So it should get their attention, and make my life a little easier." She glanced up at him, "Don't worry, I'm sure they're nice guys who'll be into my personality, though." She tugged lightly on the sides of his jacket, "Besides, you have a cute little "Bad Boy" vibe going on here," she teased. Her smile faltered slightly as she gazed up at him, a warm heat coloring her cheeks. She cleared her throat slightly, dropping the soft leather in her hands, "Yeah, I'm ready." Stepping around him, she headed out to the car, quietly sliding into the passenger seat. She buckled up and then began idly plucking the hem of her sweater, cursing her flushed cheeks and the self-consciousness she now felt.


Heath straightened up slightly when he noticed Sophia, a smile forming on his lips. However, the handsome look descended into a frown when she sat down at her own table. Certainly they could eat breakfast together without turning heads. They were partners, friends, and had their debriefing today. Surely that was reason enough. He knew the relationship was going to be difficult, but he was already growing frustrated with having to sneak around and never be seen together in public. Sophia's constant worry and avoidance was starting to put him on edge. With a heavy sigh, he carried his half-eaten meal to the trash, his frown deepening as he wasted the food before he set the plate in a bin. He left the hall quickly, making his way back to his own room. He hurriedly changed into a pair of black slacks and a blue button-down before tugging on a pair of dress shoes and looping on a belt. He folded up the sleeves to his shirt, then swapped out his glasses for his contacts. Lowering himself into his desk chair, he busied himself with making notes about their mission before it was time to go. Some time later, he let out a sigh and got to his feet, gathering his papers. He headed out the door and made his way to the conference room, standing idly outside as he waited to be summoned in.

Rylan smiled as he turned on the radio, drumming her fingers on her knee in tempo, her eyes focused out the window. When they reached their destination, she turned back to her partner, a grin spreading on her lips at his words. She liked the sound of it coming from him. "Sure thing, handsome. I'll make this short and sweet. Stay put." She glanced down the deserted street at the pair of men hovering near an alley. With a soft sigh, she fixed the microphone hooked on the base of her strapless bra so Clark could hear their conversation. She adjusted her sweater and climbed out of the car, sauntering toward the shady couple. One man was tall and lanky, with definite muscle tone. The stubble on his chin and the harsh frown on his lips made him look unapproachable. The other man was shorter, with lean muscle and a slightly more pleasant face. Each one grinned as she neared, standing up a little straighter. "Hey, gorgeous," the taller one called, folding his arms over his chest. Rylan gave a sultry smile, twisting the end of her ponytail around her finger. Before she could say anything, the shorter one glanced over her shoulder, "Your little boyfriend not going to join us?" Rylan glanced over her shoulder before regarding the man with innocent eyes. "Louis?" she laughed, acting accordingly. "He's just a friend. I'm actually buying his cut, too, this time." The man raised a brow, "I still say you don't look like our normal customers." Rylan shrugged, "I suppose I'm not," she giggled. The taller man smiled, stepping up to her and wrapping a heavy arm around her shoulders. "We'll take care of ya, babe. Whad'ya want?" Rylan lifted her eyes to the man, "Well, actually... I kind of wanted to know what you guys make on a daily basis. I mean, I could use the money. And I think I'd attract a lot of custo--." The shorter man cut her off with an incredulous snort, "Yeah. Some prissy little thing like you selling? That's hilarious. Look, sweetheart, buy what you want and beat it." The taller guy waved him off, "Calm down, Tommy. Give her a chance. We can always talk to the boss." Tommy glared at the man, "She'd never be able to hold her own, James," he grunted. Rylan raised a hand, cocking her hip out slightly, "Boys, boys, really. I can take care of myself." Tommy narrowed his eyes at her, "Why the sudden interest?" Rylan quirked her brow at the gruff man, leaning lightly against James. "It's really none of your business, but I like to live a little above my means. I have a few debts I need to pay off. I could sell for awhile to provide for myself," she explained, sounding perfectly pompous. Tommy looked skeptical, but relented, "Alright, I guess. We could give you a chance." James grinned down at her, tightening his arm around her shoulder, "For a price," he cooed, his arm dropping to her waist. Rylan stiffened slightly, still trying to play her part. Tommy seemed uninterested and turned his back on them, pacing a few steps away and keeping a careful eye on the tinted windshield of the spies' car, watching out for Clark. James tugged Rylan off to the side, roughly pushing her up against the wall. Clark's view of the pair would be slightly distorted by the corner wall of the alley. Rylan shoved against James' shoulders, "Stop. Just talk to your boss for me," she said evenly. James pressed her back against the wall when she tried to escape, "We're just having a little fun, babe." She liked it much better when Clark said it. His hands roughly groped her hips, and Rylan silently hoped Clark would stay in the car. She had this handled. She felt violated, but she didn't want Clark to scare them off. He kissed her greedily, running his tongue over her lower lip as he molded his body against hers. Rylan played the Meek Woman part a little longer, struggling in his arms. She quickly lost her temper, though, as the man's hand tugged down her sweater and pawed at her skin. In one swift motion, she twined her fingers in his hair, jerked his head back, and kneed him roughly in the crotch. James grunted in pain, quickly falling to his knees and groaning loudly. Rylan tugged his head back, a sweet smile on her lips, "Touch me again and you'll regret it." Tommy had turned around, and began laughing at his friend's predicament. Rylan glanced at him, "Still don't think I can handle myself?" The man smirked at her, "Alright, I'll talk to our boss." He gave her instructions on where to meet the next evening before Rylan released his partner and strode back to the car, not bothering with a farewell. As she got in the car, she quickly adjusted her sweater to cover herself, making a face. "Let's go. Those two are idiots," she grumbled. "That was too easy. We'll have to be careful." She sat quietly for the ride back, her face contorted with disgust the entire way. When they reached the cabin, she headed inside to brush her teeth and get the disgusting taste of James off her lips. With a sigh, she headed into the living room to find her partner, seeming a little frustrated. "We still have half a day left. We should go do something," she suggested, tugging at the stretched neck of her sweater her eyes floating about the room. Though she could handle herself, being so openly groped made her skin crawl and she was simmering with anger and annoyance just beneath the surface. She stood quietly for a moment, her wandering eyes finally landing on Clark.

[Fastforwarded through that a bit. xD Haha, sorry.]

Heath glanced at his partner as she approached, running a hand through his hair and grunting by way of greeting. He turned his eyes fully toward her at her question, "Isn't that a little personal? Don't want people getting the wrong idea," he said shortly, cringing inwardly at his tone. Why was he acting so moody? Before he could apologize or explain his obvious frustration, the door was opened and the pair was ushered in. Heath sat down stiffly, setting his papers in front of him. A middle-aged man glanced up at Sophia, "It says here you went back to where the two of you were held captive. On your own. You should know better that to act alone," he mused, flipping through the report. A young woman turned her eyes to Heath, "And it says here that you tried to apprehend the suspect while your partner was being abducted." Heath glanced at the woman, before turning his eyes to Falcon, who sat in the center of the row. "We both made mistakes. I believe we should each be placed with more appropriate partners." At least then they would be able to see each other when they liked, with no partnership in the way. Henry looked amused as he leaned back in his seat, "Ah, everyone loves to question us, apparently. You completed the mission. That's what counts. And Heath, work on avoiding the bullets more often, eh?" Heath glanced down at the table, furrowing his brow. Sophia almost got hurt. They had to keep their relationship a secret. Certainly it would be better for the partnership to be nullified. He loved working with her, though. Henry turned his eyes to Sophia, "Can you describe your mission for me, please?"

Rylan shrugged a shoulder at his question, eying him quietly. In the last few weeks, he'd changed into someone different. Someone... better. Better than the creeps they hunted down, better than anyone she'd dated, better than any male figure in her life. He was handsome and kind and smart and actually seemed to care about her. She suddenly didn't care that he was her partner or about anything that had happened in their past. Letting out a shaky breath she hadn't realized she had been holding, she crossed the room toward him and acted before she thought too much about it. Lacing her fingers in his dark hair, she leaned forward and covered his lips with hers, pulling her body closer to his.

[BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, DAMMIT! xD]

Falcon nodded his head thoughtfully as Sophia explained their mission, jotting down a few notes on a pad of paper before him. He glanced up at the pair with a friendly smile, "Very well. You should be receiving your next case file soon. You're dismissed." Heath nodded stiffly and got to his feet, striding out of the room. He didn't wait for Sophia. He needed to blow off some steam before he did something to further jeopardize their relationship. His mind reeled with regrets. He didn't know what he had been thinking or why he had said what he did, but he needed to sort through things before he spoke to her again. He walked quickly to his room and changed into a pair of loose sweats, a t-shirt, and a pair of light tennis shoes before heading out of his room again. With his back stiff, he made his way to the empty gym and paced toward a heavy punching bag. And then he just started hitting, the metallic rattling of the chain it dangled from resounding through the room. When his shirt began to cling to his skin, he peeled it from his body and tossed it into the corner. He didn't stop until his bullet wounds finally began to protest so angrily that he had to sit down. He leaned back against a wall and just slumped there, a frustrated look on his face.

Rylan raked her fingers through his hair as he tugged her onto his lap and returned the kiss, enjoying the feel of his soft tresses against her palms. She relished the feel of his fingers on her bare back as she lightly pulled on his lower lip, her hands trailing over his shoulders. Removing her lips from his, she leaned back fractionally, running her finger across his cheek. "I've been wanting to do that for a while," she chuckled breathlessly. She tugged lightly on the collar of his shirt to pull him back, molding her lips to his. She ran her hands down his sides to brush them up under his shirt, palming his warm skin.

Heath's head snapped up when he heard Sophia approaching, the furrow in his brow smoothing out. He watched her sit down, letting out a puff of air. "You didn't do anything," he murmured, grabbing his discarded shirt and struggling to his feet. He knew he'd regret his little exercise session in a short while; his wounds were already smarting. He lowered himself onto the bench beside her, putting a small gap between them. "I just... I don't know. When you didn't sit down with me this morning, it all kind of dawned on me that everything was going to be difficult. I want to be able to hold your hand without people freaking out. At the very least, you could eat breakfast with me. We're partners, after all." He sighed, "I'm sorry for being an asshole earlier." Just as he leaned over to press a kiss to her forehead, he heard the gym door open and shut. He immediately pulled away and got to his feet, glancing up at the person who entered. The male spy stared at the two for a minute before he moved toward a punching bag a few yards away. Heath cleared his throat and dropped his eyes back to his partner, giving her a weak smile. "I'll see you later." With a slight nod, he headed out of the gym and made his way back to his room to shower.

Rylan grinned against his lips as she traced his skin, lightly dragging her fingernails across his ribs. A shiver curled down her spine when his lips trailed away from hers and she tilted her head to the side to allow him easier access to her neck. She arched toward him when his mouth found hers again and she trailed a hand up through his hair again, gently tugging on his roots. She leaned away after a moment to pull off her sweater, bunching it in her hands as she glanced up at him briefly, shyly, before she plucked at his shirt. "Do you...want to do this?" she asked quietly, frowning slightly at how the question came out. She was still breathless and had never slept with anyone before, but she was diving in head first.

Heath strode into his room and headed for the shower. When he was cleaned with fresh bandaging, he fell back on his bed and stared at the ceiling, wanting Sophia's company.

[Youuuu can decide the missionnnn.]

Rylan shifted slightly in his lap as he spoke, plucking at her sweater. She glanced up at him sheepishly at his last statement, "I didn't mean to be so back and forth with you. I just don't normally get close with people." It was her silent rule. After all that had happened in her life -- her abusive parents, her caring but neglectful aunt and uncle, her brother's death -- she just shut herself off. It was easier to be a bitch to anyone who tried to get close with her than have to deal with the inevitable pain of losing them. Maybe she could make an exception for Clark, though. Maybe things could be different. She offered him a small smile, "I appreciate the gentlemanly concern, though, Clarky," she said, her smile splitting into a grin. She leaned forward to peck him on the lips and tug at his shirt again. "Just keep in mind that I've, uh, never done this before," she chuckled to brush off her embarrassment before bringing her lips back to his.

[Laaaaaaaaame. Well, I'm basically out of ideas. You'll have to give me a bit to think. xD]

Rylan smiled at his response, tugging lightly on a strand of his dark hair. When he pulled away, she blinked at him, her vivid green eyes half-lidded. A soft laugh fell from her lips at his words and she moved off of his lap when prompted, taken by surprise a moment later when he picked her up. She looped her arms around his neck when he leaned down to kiss her, returning it just as gently. She peppered warm kisses down the side of his jaw as he carried her into the bedroom, pressing her fingers into his shoulder. After returning his kiss, she watched him appreciatively as he pulled off his shirt. She eagerly met his kiss when he moved to hover over her, running her fingers over his muscled torso. She pressed against him, her hands moving to his jeans and tracing the skin just above their waistband. She nipped his lower lip as she unbuttoned his pants before her fingers wove back up through his hair. Curling toward him, she kissed him with fervor, her heart hammering away.

[*dons thinking cap*]