Perfect Timing

As soon as the ship was safely in hyperdrive Cassian's lips were on hers…and she wasn't going to protest. He gathered her in his strong arms and backed them both up until the backs of his knees made contact with the pilot's chair and he tumbled into the seat, her landing in his lap.

His lips left her mouth, trailing a line of fire down the column of her throat. She took that opportunity to point out the fact that they had not made contact with the Alliance since their mission began.

Jyn's voice came out breathy and she stumbled over her words as Cassian's increasingly distracting hands began pawing at her clothing. "They—probably think—we're dead." She panted, "We should—ah—at least—ungh—comm them to say we are on the way back to—to—that place where they are." She finished, the name of the base having escaped her for some reason.

That reason halted his assault on her body by yanking her shirt over her head as he said, "In Imperial space. Can't risk contact yet." His shirt joined hers. "Kriff, you're so beautiful." And with that, the last vestiges of her self control were utterly shattered. Not that she had much to begin with where Cassian Andor was involved.

She quickly rid herself of the rest of her clothes while he did the same and then there was nothing between them and the only sounds on the otherwise empty shuttle were Jyn's frantic gasps and low moans mixed with Cassian's unique, accented blend of Basic and Festian curses that seemed to tumble out in the heat of the moment. That one little thing about him drove her wild…well, she supposed it wasn't just that one thing that did it.

They were so completely caught up in each other and their bodies that seemed made for one another that neither of them noticed when Jyn's hand slapped hard against the console, or the little green light that blinked on when it did.

Mon Mothma cast her steady gaze at her subordinates. Draven was stony faced, arms folded over his chest, eyes focused on the table. If he was upset about the fate of his best intelligence officer, he didn't show it.

The others scattered around included a few officers, the odd general or two, Skywalker, the Princess and that damned smuggler she carted around with her.

"I think it is now safe to say that Captain Andor and Sergeant Erso's mission has had an unfavorable outcome." Mon began.

"We don't know that yet. It has only been three weeks." Said Draven, a twinge of affection leaking into his otherwise measured words, "Andor's been MIA for months before on an undercover mission and he's always pulled through."

"Yes, but this was hardly deep cover. They should've been to Dantooine and back within a couple of days."

"Well, then the question now becomes do we send another crew to finish what they started?" Leia asked. "We need those supplies. Han can go and pick up the shipment."

"Whoa, wait just a minute." The smuggler groused. "Don't go volunteering me for anything dangerous without talking to me about it first!"

Their bickering quickly slipped into that strange dance that they did around one another. Luke rolled his eyes and shook his head at Mon Mothma who was hiding a smile. Draven, unobservant as he was, didn't seem to have picked up on the change. He was merely staring at the data screen before him, weighing the options. For such a smart man he was incredibly inept at reading social cues.

That was when a low ranking officer discreetly sidled up to Mon Mothma.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" He said under his breath.

She quirked a thin brow and blinked at him, waiting for him to continue.

"Um, we, um just got a feed through from Captain Andor's shuttle." He said.

Her eyes widened a fraction. "Well, what are you waiting for? Put them through!"

He didn't move. She observed the slight flush creeping up his cheeks. "Perhaps, you should just listen in and try to talk to them…I'm not sure you want it over the loudspeaker…"

"Put them through, Private." She insisted. Her lip curled a bit at his presumption.

"Yes, ma'am." He said, albeit quite reluctantly.

"What was that about?" Draven asked without looking up from the datapad.

"We've got Andor on the comm." She said evenly. "They are patching him through now." That announcement was enough to stop Han and Leia's bickering.

"Perfect timing." said Draven with more self-satisfaction than Mon cared for.

The room was filled with fuzzy static noises coming from the speaker on the table.

The static was momentarily interrupted by Draven as he leaned forward and hit the comm button. "Hello, Andor? Erso? Can you hear us?" He released the button and the static returned. Slowly the fuzzy noise took shape.

A breath…no not a breath…a pant, Mon Mothma thought.

Then, another but this pant formed two breathy words—right there.

It wasn't until the third sound that her mind really comprehended what they were hearing. Kriff, Jyn.

Her eyes found Draven's. He wasn't as quick to jump to conclusions. Or, maybe he was and he was just better at hiding embarrassment. She was sure her own cheeks were uncharacteristically warm. She'd forgotten there were others in the room until she heard a bark of laughter from Han Solo.

"Oh, that's perfect!" Han laughed harder. Beside him, even Leia was grinning. Skywalker looked a bit lost, to be honest.

"Shut it off!" Mon Mothma shouted to the technicians, realizing now why the man hadn't wanted to put them through in the first place.

After a painfully long moment, the noises faded and the room was blessedly silent once more.

"Well, I think it is safe to say that they are alive and uninjured." Said Leia. Her eyes slipping to the man beside her.

"And that settles the question of what to do about the supplies. They should be on their way here as we speak. If there are no more questions, you are all dismissed." Mon Mothma said, wanting, no needing everyone out of the room as quickly as possible.

Draven lingered…of course he did. He came around the table to stand beside her. "This is exactly what I meant when I said Erso was a distraction and I do not like them working together." He hissed.

Mon Mothma considered him. It was true. They were both distractions to each other…there had been rumors swirling since the moment they had laid eyes on one another. She had been in the room for that awkward moment as well...and really what moment wasn't awkward when you were third party to Cassian and Jyn's who-can-pine-the-hardest contest. Now, the rumors were confirmed. She was almost relieved.

Distractions aside, they accomplished more together than they did apart…and she had a pretty solid suspicion that they would not be separated willingly.

She raised her chin and said, "No more solo missions for the two of them. I have been toying with the idea of making Rogue One its own official squadron anyway. I think the other members of their crew are eager to resume activities now that they have all been cleared from the medbay."

"I don't see how that solves anything." Draven said, "They will still be together and neither of them will be focused on the mission…obviously." He waved a hand in the general direction of the speaker.

"Yes, but there will be three other people with them…perhaps it is time we locate another imperial security droid. That always worked before." She indulged in a quick smile and said, "I can't believe I'm saying this but…lighten up, General."

As they disembarked the shuttle at Yavin IV, Cassian was aware of two things. One, the hangar was eerily silent and two, everyone…literally everyone…was staring at them. He quickly glanced down at himself and at Jyn beside him. They were both fully dressed. They looked like they always did. The marks he'd left on her neck were well hidden by her scarf. His hair was tussled but no more so than it always was when he was coming back from a long mission without access to a barber.

He leaned over to her. "You ever feel like you walked into something you weren't supposed to walk into?"

"Yeah." She mumbled, "Why is everyone staring?"

"No idea, but I don't like it. Now, I know how Leia must feel."

Speaking of the Princess, she was rapidly approaching with her usual entourage. "Captain Andor! Sergeant Erso! We are glad to have you back in one piece. The council was getting worried." She wore a conspiratorial smile as she spoke, one that was not easing Cassian's rising nerves at all.

Solo clapped him on the shoulder a little harder than was necessary. "Enjoy your flight?" He winked and sauntered away, cackling openly for all to hear.

Leia rolled her eyes and marched after him with a quick, "Debrief in ten."

The weirdness continued into the debriefing room where no one, not even Draven, would quite meet their eyes. Cassian was surprised to see the rest of Rogue One assembled in the room. Chirrut was grinning as wide as Solo had been. Baze's lips were also quirked and his eyes were a bit too keen. Bodhi was firmly in the avoiding eye contact camp and Cassian was okay with that.

Cassian was starting to form conjectures about the origins of the weirdness…and he did not like where they were landing.

Draven cleared his throat. "Now that you are all here." He said, still looking anywhere but him and Jyn, "We would like to run something by the five of you. We want to make Rogue One an official unit…if you will all agree to that."

The others didn't even need to agree. Their faces lit up and they hugged one another and cheered. Cassian wasn't expecting Jyn to throw her arms around him in front of all these people, but he couldn't blame her. This was all she'd wanted since they'd been cleared for active duty. It was a platonic embrace, no different from Bodhi and Chirrut beside them…but it managed to freeze all the commotion faster than gunfire.

He felt her body stiffen against his as the room suddenly fell silent. She slid slowly down his chest, her arms melting to her side and she turned back to them all. They were all watching them, expressions ranging from indulgent to scandalized.

"The supplies from your shuttle are already being unloaded…we will eagerly await both of your-um, reports…but why don't you all go celebrate." Mon Mothma said. Cassian got the feeling that the usually taciturn woman was not really talking about reports.

"Thank-you, Senator." Said Cassian warily. The others gave similar salutations and the newly minted Rogue One crew made their way to the commissary to celebrate.

The weirdness also made its way to the commissary.

It wasn't until they were all seated at a table with food and drinks before them and Luke, Leia and Han had joined them, that Jyn sprang to her feet with fists planted firmly on her narrow hips. "Okay, what the kriff is going on here?" She demanded. He was glad she'd been the one to come right out and ask. He certainly wasn't going to do it.

Solo, Baze and Chirrut snickered as one. Cassian shot them a warning glare.

It was Bodhi who finally caved and answered them. He flattened his palms in the air and said, "I wasn't in the room, so I only heard about it second hand but—the comms on the shuttle were on."

Jyn raised her eyebrows. "Yeah so? They're always on."

"No…they were on…" Bodhi trailed off, apparently too embarrassed to continue.

Cassian's mind finally clicked. "Oh—" he sputtered, "Oh, for the love of…how bad was it?" His eyes landed on Leia because she seemed the one most likely to give a straight answer.

"Pretty bad." She said. "Draven, Mothma, us, about two dozen techs and officers…"

Cassian sank down in his chair. He felt each one of their grins sticking to his skin, making him feel slightly dirty and a little proud...but mostly just mortified.

"What was pretty bad?" Jyn interrupted. "Will someone please explain to me what the kriff is going on?"

"Look short stuff," said Solo, "We heard you two getting it on over the comms. Oh, Cassian." He mocked in a high pitched voice, earning him a buttered roll chucked at his face from Leia.

Jyn slapped a hand over her mouth and drifted back to her seat.

"For the record…I didn't hear anything…I just heard the gossip." Bodhi gave his best shot at a comforting smile.

"How many people were in the room?" Jyn said, looking decidedly green.

"Like I said, us, Draven, Mothma, half the council."

"But the entire base knows?" Cassian asked. He finally allowed his hand to reach out and squeeze the back of Jyn's neck, his fingers kneading the tension there.

"It's all anyone's been talking about." Said Luke unhelpfully. "I mean there were bets about you two before but…"

"Bets?" Jyn squeaked, head burrowing into her hands.

"Hey." Cassian pulled her into his side, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and tilting her chin up so he could see into her green eyes. Now that they were out in the open he was apparently rolling with it. "It's not exactly how we planned to break the news but…at least it's over with now. Everyone knows. We can quit sneaking around."

"Is that what you thought you were doing?" Baze's entire body shook with laughter. "You know the entire ship heard you on the way to Scarif, right?"

Now, even Cassian was blushing.

"You were about as subtle as these two." Chirrut jerked a thumb toward Han and Leia.

"Hey!" Han yelped. "You can't see! How would you know?"

Leia smacked his arm and then turned to Cassian and Jyn who were now fused into one ball of pink skin and pained expressions. "Kidding aside, we think it's great. You're perfect for each other."

"Plus, Leia won the bet so…" Luke added.

Leia shrugged happily and sipped at her drink. Cassian caught the sly smirk she directed at Solo. "and there's that." agreed the Princess.

That night, as the celebration was winding down, Cassian was finally able to take Jyn's hand, thread his fingers with hers, and announce that they were going back to their quarters to turn in for the night. They bid their new crew mates goodbye and walked hand in hand down the halls.

Sure, heads turned.

Sure, conversations dropped off.

Sure, whispers were in the air.

But he couldn't bring himself to care. Jyn's hand was in his…and it felt so right that all he could do was wonder what they'd been so afraid of.

"What do you think Leia won in the bet?" Jyn asked offhandedly as Cassian unlocked their door.

"I don't know, but the look on Solo's face when she brought it up tells me it was epic."