Trouble, with a capital T. - Nestor Oceteva

28th November 2010

"Pack a bag Lopez. You're going on a covert op with Officer Oceteva. Be at C Deck at 0800." The messenger left without another word. I was shaking with excitement, yeah we would be working but it was still alone time with Nestor. The past year has been spent stealing time together in the dead of night. There had been a few close calls and those would cause a few weeks of cooling off before we couldn't help ourselves again.

I packed my standard covert outfit, plain black long sleeve and black pants. I slipped a slinky black cut out dress in just in case I had the opportunity to surprise him. Throwing the bag over my shoulder I made my way through the rat maze down to the lower decks. The panels were already open and a RHIB was ready to be launched.

I remembered when I arrived on the ship, they had my team and I climb the rope ladder to the top deck. I hadn't known at the time it was an initiation they pranked the newbies with. Normally we just pull up on the sheltered side of the ship and the side panels open for us.

I looked at my watch seeing 0756 and beelined to the kitchenette. I tossed my bag over the side of the boat as I passed and heard a grunt. I pulled myself up the side of the boat and looked into it. I was met by a pair of angry brown eyes and I smiled at him as they softened. "What are you doing down there Officer Oceteva?" I was hard not to call him Nestor but there were eyes and ears everywhere down here. "Checking everything is ready to go." I cocked an eyebrow, I could see what he was tinkering with but I wasn't going to comment. He obviously didn't want what he was doing to be known so I nodded my head and climbed down to continue my original plan.

I needed my morning coffee to function so I poured extra milk in it to cool it to drink it straight away. Nestor's distraction had cost me one precious minute of caffeine delay. I skulled the drink back and frowned at how milky and weak it was but it had to do. I quickly cleaned the cup before I heard the Deck Master begin the lifting machine and the RHIB rose off the ground and moved out over the water. Shit, time waits for no one in the Navy.

I ran full sprint across the deck and used an ammunition crate to get extra height. I launched off the crate and grabbed the thick metal rope that was hooked on the side of the RHIB to lower it down. I swung around the rope and landed beside an unimpressed Nestor with a grin. "Regular Zorro, am I right? Don't worry you can still be my pretty Catherine Zeta-Jones." He turned away from me but I could still hear his laugh. "Sometimes I don't know how you passed the psych test querida."

I looked back at the deck we had been lowered from and I could see the deck master waving his hands angrily at me. I just shrugged him off, it's not the first time I had to jump to avoid missing the launch and it probably won't be the last. We had already reached the water so I began unhooking the ropes while Nestor started the boat and took control of the steering wheel.

"So why did you disable the tracking and recording system?" I sat in the navigators chair, we were still in sight of the Liberty and binoculars could still see us if they were looking. "I thought we could make the most of the operation." I looked at him and he had a genuine smile that I very rarely saw. I couldn't help but smile back, he was taking a big risk doing this but I was grateful for it. "And what is the operation?" I hadn't been given a briefing, only 15 minutes to get packed and down to the boat.

"We are going to land in Guaymas and drive to Hermosillo. There's a local group that has had a resurgence lately, Lobo Sonora Cartel. We need to find out who they are. Just recon, shouldn't be any trouble. After all we are just newly weds, honeymooning in Mexico." I laughed at the back story, he was smart, it meant we could openly show affection, playing the part. On the other hand I was nervous, my papi used to spend a lot of time in Hermosillo when he wasn't at home with us in the US. The other fear was that the Lobo Sonora Cartel had tried to have me killed when I was 17. Everyone involved in that was killed by my papi but I was still concerned that I could get recognised.

It took us an hour to get to the docks in Guaymas. About 10 minutes into the trip we rounded the cape off the Gulf of California and were out of sight of the Liberty. As soon as we were hidden by the land mass Nestor pulled me into his arms. He couldn't get too distracted since we were at full speed so he spun me around and rested his chin on my shoulder as we both looked over the steering wheel.

Between steering and trailing kisses up my neck, he showed me how to drive the boat. Trust him to turn this freedom into a lesson but I didn't mind at all as long as I got to stay in his arms. "This almost feels normal, like a normal thing couples do. It's weird." His lips pulled up into that sexy smirk. "Well you're my girl, we just aren't a normal couple. Only a few more years, then this tour ends and we can leave together. Maybe head to Southern Cali? Mickey has been asking me to work security for him." I liked the plan and I liked that he wanted to make plans for us.

"Then we can change your name to Oceteva and pop a boat load of mini Ocetevas out." I smacked him on the butt hard when he laughed at my shocked expression. I hadn't even thought about kids. "Good thing that's a few years away because as a 20 year old, the idea of kids scares the shit out of me." He laughed along with me, still in the teasing mood. "You are a Navy Seal and it's kids that scare you?" I shrug, fears don't have to be rational.

We finally docked and I dragged Nestor straight to a street vendor for some homestyle Mexican food. God I missed the food the most since being in the Navy. He paid while I took the drinks and chose a table near the water. I may live on the water but there is nothing more beautiful than seeing it crash upon the shore. "Peso for your thoughts?" I jumped at his voice in my ear, he loved to sneak up on me as much as I hated him doing it. "When we move to Southern Cali, I hope it's near a beach. Then the kids can swim every day." I joked the last part while he looked like he agreed seriously.

It was late in the afternoon when we got to the hotel Nestor had booked. I smirked at the name it was under, Mr & Mrs Oceteva. "I seem to have forgotten my wedding ring Mr Oceteva." I held up my empty ring finger but was shocked when he actually pulled a box from his pocket. "Guess this will just have to do won't it." He slipped it on and it fit perfectly. "What's next? Should we run down to town hall or find ourselves a priest?" I elbowed him and wriggled my eyebrows quickly before looking down at the shiny diamond ring.

"I know a Bishop here." My jaw dropped, was he serious or just joining in the joke. He wasn't smirking, in fact, he looked kind of serious. Maybe it was a challenge, it wouldn't be the first time he's gone along with my stupid jokes to see how far I would take them. "Sure, why not? YOLO. How far away is he from here?" He looked confused. "YOLO?" Ah modern slang is not something he partakes in. "You only live once, YOLO. So?" "Oh ok, why didn't you just say that. It's that cathedral you can see from the balcony."

So I found myself walking hand in hand with Nestor to the cathedral. I still don't know if he's playing along or not. Sometimes the man has a mean poker face even I can't read. I'm also not sure how I feel about getting married. I mean I love him and intend to marry him when we leave the navy but it would be hard to keep it a secret. I'm probably worrying over nothing and he'll walk us past the cathedral.

He didn't.

"Ahora los declaro marido y mujer." [I now pronounce you husband and wife.] Father Rodrigo finished the ceremony in a dizzying blur and then Nestor's lips were on mine. All my betraying thoughts disappeared when we kissed and it felt like the first kiss all over again. "Te quiero, my beautiful Nadia Oceteva." A stupid giggle slipped out of my mouth and I wanted to slap myself for it. I felt my cheeks turn hot and red. "I love you too, my handsome husband."