Sappho's Commando

TWENTY-FOUR (ISELEN POV)

"Hi, Lieutenant Colonel," Dakota smiles while I drag my small suitcase through the VIP lounge at the New York airport to get closer to her.

"It's good to see you, sis." I exchange fist bumps and pound hugs with all the girls, including Ruby, though I hold her a few seconds longer, taking advantage of the fact that Cecilia Larsen hasn't arrived yet, and my lips brush against her cheek. The doctor pushes me away gently, although she's smiling and slightly flushed.

I said goodbye to her three days ago at the Edinburgh airport, flew back to Spain, behaved like a perfect daughter with my mum, spent quality time with my brothers, and packed my suitcase and rucksack before flying to New York to meet up with my sisters. I had a great time in Scotland, despite how snobby the members of the Lange-Campbell clan are, getting to know Ruby in a more intimate and relaxed way was a wonderful experience. I even enjoyed hiding in corners to be able to kiss her like two teenagers, I managed to find my way to her bedroom and slipped through the castle's dark corridors, dodging Percival, to make love to her in her bed.

But I couldn't find the perfect moment to talk to her about my feelings. I didn't want to put pressure on Ruby in front of her nosy family, it was obvious that the doctor was happy to have me in her house, and I didn't want to ruin that by bringing up such a serious topic. Besides, this relationship is just starting and moving way too fast. The problem is that today we're traveling to the realm of the mighty SEALs with our sisters and the colonel nipping at our heels, and tomorrow we'll start a new round of training. Having a serious conversation about us in the near future is definitely out of question.

I feel like a coward for putting off an uncomfortable conversation, but maybe it's better this way, we'll spend more time together and let the trust between us grow. There's a better chance she'll agree to have a real relationship with me if Ruby relaxes once she sees that our feelings don't negatively affect our work. All of this, of course, assuming that she feels the same way about me, that we're both in the same boat. The signals I'm getting from the pretty Scottish druid give me hope, and I'm happy because having her as an investor in my business means that the doctor sees us as a long-term couple.

"How was your vacation?" I ask and the girls answer enthusiastically while we look for a free table surrounded by armchairs, telling me about home cooked-meals, walks in the countryside or on the beach, long naps and so on. But they all admit it was about time to get back to work and they're all a little nervous because we still don't know what's in store for us this week. The Colonel just sent us the plane tickets, without giving any details.

"It's going to be tough," Tara warns us with a sigh, waving her hand to point at the fancy lounge around us. "She's spent a hefty chunk of NATO money on business-class tickets for us to travel from Europe to the United States and from New York to San Diego after we meet up with Dakota here. With comfortable, spacious seats that convert into beds so the jet lag won't affect us as much. That means the Valkyrie wants us to arrive to California well-rested."

"Shit..." Hanna whispers, grimacing, and we all nod, fidgeting awkwardly on our armchairs. "What about you? Did you like Scotland?" All the girls look at us with curiosity but without malice, they seem to accept our relationship naturally. They don't seem worried about whether our feelings might affect our performance on missions and I can't help but smile, relieved now that I know for sure that my sisters will always support me no matter what I do.

"Yes, it was nice. I really liked Edinburgh... and I also got the chance to say hello to the doctor's family."

"Most of them are unbearable idiots," Ruby admits while the girls look at her in surprise. They know that her grandmother was a demanding a not very affectionate person, but she never told them the details of her childhood. "Thank you for not shooting them, Lieutenant Colonel."