Chapters Of A Red Sky

Author's note: I'm hoping this will turn into a good multi-chapter fic! I've put a lot of thought into this and tried to make it as real as possible. There's so much depth in these characters to work with it! And since we don't know what really went on during their time in The Patriots, I thought I'd write a little something up!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything!

_____________________________________________________________________________

Café Milano. The hip happening café in D.C., with its dim lighting and bar like setting. He looked across the crowded, smoke filled saloon, men standing like mice in a cage. He paused, turned his eye to the table in the far corner. She was sitting there, sipping a margarita and ignoring the crowd. She has created her own place, her own piece of solace in the middle of the madness. How did she do it? He wondered. She'd always been that way.

He wanted nothing more than to join her, to ask her to open her quiet world and take him in from the noise. He adjusted his jacket and took in a deep breath. He looked over to the bar and saw his once commander order another drink. He forgot his role as a pawn in the games of war. It'd always be that way for him but there was no way around it. Its been six full years he's had those feelings, and he could never quite shake them.

Her soft blue eyes were heading his way and he could feel them spying on him. He couldn't help but face her direction now and take a walk over.

"This seat's taken," she joked as she took another light sip. Crossing her legs and looking at the opposite direction of him, he could tell she was twisting her way around things, being that flirt she always was.

He took that seat close to her, his one azure eye gleaming on her presence. He had no words to say. He was just thankful to see her again even if its only been but a couple of days.

"How's it like to be a hero and icon now, huh?" her voice cracked slightly into a chuckle.

"Not something I've ever dreamed of, but I guess there's no way around it is there?" He turned his gaze to that old commander of his who was just up and ready to leave. He knew it wasn't the major's ideal to shape him into that culture icon, but he knew there was some secret behind it all.

She noticed how much he had changed since she met him. He became a little stoic, rigid and stiff even. He sure wasn't that goofing silly man back in the Sixties. It of course wasn't because the turn of the new era, but it sure felt like she was around a different person.

"Nice duds you got there," she exclaimed, trying to lighten his mood a bit. He laughed gently at her comment, eyeing down to his leather jacket with his tight dark grey turtleneck tucked underneath. He wasn't a man that would fall into trends but he did sure like how the flared pants fit him.

"I could have came by to meet you with that croc hat as a little extra twang, you know." Now that was the man she remembered. She cracked a smile as she offered him a drink of her margarita. He declined muttering about he already had about five drinks before he came there. She knew what he was meaning, that brat ex-major kid loved acting like he ran the place. She still couldn't believe he was one of the founding members of their organization.

She had that burning tension between him. Sure, he was mature and quick for his age but he grated on all of their nerves, even more so than that Doctor Quack and her movie trivia. She always pondered what that crazy kid would come up with next, how was he even trustable?

"I know what you're thinking, but he's a good little rug rat." She leered, oh how could he read her mind? He always had a knack for that even when he didn't want to put it into full use.

Their side of the bar became oddly quiet now and it wasn't for their awkward silence. She stared into her glass as the small corner television blared on about Apollo 14's preparation to the moon.

"And to think, Zero used to think men wouldn't walk on the moon by now," he laughed lightly trying to make of a conversation for the two of them.

She gave a wry smile, knowing how nervous the man could when talking to her. Even after the last two years they have been together in a way before the Patriots started, he still had that cute aura about him. No matter how dry he had become, that boyish charm was locked away only for her to see.

"Don't be nervous, John. How long have I known you now?" she said idly, used to saying his name with such ease.

He gave a slight smile in response as he stretched out his arms not even wondering what to say next. Something about the woman he just couldn't keep away from. Her flowing hair, her soft voice, the eyes that pierced into his. He could just imagine again what her lips felt like even only after kissing them a few days before. He felt a hand start to caress his smoothly. Looking down he gazed at the sleek fingers and long nails beginning to hold on his rough hand a little more strongly.

She sighed evenly, still running her fingers over his calloused ones. "I wish you could be more direct with me, John."

He moved his hand away nervously noting her little chuckle as he gave her a sheepish grin. He actually wanted to pound his own face in for acting like such a child when it came to physical contact. He could with any other woman no problem. Here she was trying to show herself to him, trying to bare herself and show who she really was. And all he could do was act like a nervous eight year old with an enduring crush.

"Hey babe, are you lost? Because Heaven is a long way from here." She wasn't pay much attention, turning her head with a surprised expression from the man in front of her was all she could do.

"Did you just.." but she noticed he wasn't looking at her, he was looking at the swaying figure leaning over their table. Oohh..that smell.

"Excuse me?"

The man gave a drunken beaming smile as he eyed her up and down "Somebody better call God, angel. He must be upset losing a beauty like you!" He wrapped his slinky arm around her shoulder with that smell of nothing but straight up whiskey.

"Sorry pal, but my woman isn't up for grabs." A gruff voice rang out as the chair slid out of place. She opened her mouth, probably as wide as a fish. 'did he really just say that?' She actually caught herself smiling.

The intoxicated man slumped back a bit slightly intimidated but was not about to give up his charade. "Look captain patch, I was just asking if she was up to making a quick 50 bucks."

Well to say the least, that was the last straw. The last thing she took a notice of was the sound of a strong punch and the drunken fool embarrassingly face first to the floor. She didn't budge an inch. Who would have thought he still had that notion of protection, although it made her slightly annoyed since she was perfectly capable of protecting herself, it did make her feel good. Having a strong man around to take care of the simple things of the world was shocking, and very old fashioned to her.

"You gotta good arm for not being able to see straight, man. I can dig it." He sloshed his way up to his feet, almost losing his balance all over again. He seemed even see them straight, the both of them, as he slipped himself away finding a new table to terrorize. It even seemed that no one cared about the scene that started, something that happens to often at this place.

"Well then.." she fluffed out her hair as she grabbed her pursed watchfully, "I should be getting back now. You know Adam would suspect me if I didn't meet the deadline. Such a fussbudget." She started to walk away slowly before turning her heel, "and...thanks."

"Eva."

"What?"

"Care for a dance before we part?" He couldn't help but laugh a little as a disco song began to blare throughout the cafe on its last track, slowly fading into a mellowed out fresh voice. Of course he thought it was silly but just asking her that made him feel as his old self again. How else could he explain himself with that drunkard bout?

She shook her head in slight confusion as she walked towards him, "You wanna dance to..Bob Dylan?"

He smirked and extended his arm out to her, there was no way she could refuse it, even if she tried. She took it and he gently reached over to her back holding it in place as he took his other hand to her hip.

She exhaled. She was feeling comfortable enough to place her head upon his shoulder. "You meant what you said back there?"

She felt his muscles tense and knew he wasn't at ease with this. God, why were they so complicated, she never had these feelings for anyone but him but they didn't even act as though they were item. There was nothing wrong with it, it was just...unusual. Its as though they kept fooling themselves that they weren't something, or maybe that's what all the exceptional spies in love did, she didn't know.

"Yeah. I did." was the rounded response she didn't know was coming. They just stayed there in silence, motioning along with the music. No words were necessary at that exact instant. They knew that when the song stops playing, they'd be playing their pressured little game again.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Well there you go, that was pretty tough to write out and I'm even wondering what will happen next. Feedback and criticism is especially welcomed!