Disclaimer: I do not own PRSPD

Golden Lockets and White Roses

Sky looked down the hill at Kathleen and sighed, it was Valentines Day, the one most romantic day of the year and hers was going sour faster than milk left out in the sun! He had to change that, and he had just the gift to change it with.

He walked down the hill to surprise her with a new gift and an invitation on a quiet date. He wanted to ask her to have a little simple date seeing he couldn't afford much else after the expensive present he bought her.

"Kathleen, may I talk to you?" he asked

Meanwhile, Kat Manx wasn't having an enjoyable Valentines Day either… truth was she didn't even want to think about Valentines Day, after the loss of her husband. She waked into her lab to find a bouquet of no less than one dozen White roses… and the note attached was signed from a friend. That spurred her interest because it looked to be in Doggie Cruger'shandwriting, but she was certain he would put his name on the card if it was from him.

Then again, white roses were scarce and costly and she would have, no doubt, told him off for buying them for her seeing she thought that he had better things to do with his money then buy her flowers.

Then she noticed something written on the note about checking somewhere for something else, which sealed the fact that it was Cruger, seeing he knew that it would keep her mind busy for a while and off her late husband. The flowers were a ploy for something else, maybe even more for her, she checked in that location to find a jewelry box and an SPD box. The SPD box contained a morpher and a note that said it was for her protection after the Wootox attack, and the jewelry box contained an opal and sapphire tennis bracelet, and the note told who gave it to her, and stated

"Before you get angry at be for buying these things for you, I want you to know you've been my friend for years and you deserve a reward for putting up with me and my harsh temper…"

His emphasis on the word "harsh" made her laugh

"… So I decided it was time that I gave you something that you would like. –With love, Doggie Cruger"

She smiled, after that note she couldn't get mad at him, she just put the bracelet on and went to get something to put the flowers in so that they would, one: stay fresh, and two: be displayable!

When Boom got back to the lab later that day he found the flowers on Kat's desk and that she was wearing her new bracelet.

"I see you… got the commander's gifts," he said

"Yes, I did, I just haven't had a chance to thank him for them yet"

"He's in the command center if you want to talk to him" Boom grinned, "That is a pretty bracelet"

"Thank you, Boom" Kat smiled

Kat left the room and went into the command center to talk to her friend.

Sky smiled as he talked to Kathleen about anything and nothing at the same time. He smiled as he watched her sulk and pulled out her gift.

"Kathleen… here, open this, it's for you"

She opened it and gasped as she saw a beautiful heart locket within the little box "Oh, thank you Sky" she gasped and hugged him she slipped away and opened it and found it to be empty, but she could easily remedy that situation.

Kat walked into the command center her calm character interrupted by the inquisitiveness that only such extravagant gifts would bring to her. She wasn't used to being the one getting spoilt with luxurious gifts even around the holidays.

"Doggie, I need to talk to you," she said

Cruger looked at his friend's confused expression and realized she must have found her gifts.

"What is it?" he asked feigning that he didn't truly know what had happened, but the fact that she wore the bracelet he had bought her gave away that she had found her presents and was perplexed as to why he would "waste" his money on her.

"I just wanted to thank you in person for the gifts" she smiled to mask her curiosity

"Kat, I've known you for long enough to know you didn't just come here for that, you're confused about why I picked those gifts for you when they are particularly expensive… in my mind, you deserve them, you've put up with me for all these years, that in itself is worth more than those gifts"

Kat had to laugh and the commander's reasoning, but in theory it made sense, there had been quite a few that couldn't put up with him the way she had, and had left because of it, but she was still there… she had stuck by him through the hard times. She watched him for a moment as he sat, regally, in his spot… he was the head of this base and he ran it well. Certainly there were a few that didn't like his commanding style and it sharply contrasted Supreme Commander Fowler Birdie's style of commanding… which was having an iron-fisted control over the cadets… and her, he had been the only commanding officer that she couldn't stand, Cruger couldn't either. Speaking of whom, Cruger was, well, regal, it was his nature to lead the cadets into whatever was necessary, and they trusted him as a leader they knew he had been in their shoes, and they knew he was reliable. They all knew that they could trust him, and that was the most valuable thing… they had to be able to trust their commander. He also sympathized with his cadets and understood where they each came from and used that to his advantage.

Before could really put it all together she realized Cruger had come to stand in front of her, and they embraced without really thinking about it.

Jack walked into the command center noticed them and left at a rush.

"Whoa… didn't see that coming" he chuckled

"Are you going to give Cruger the report?" Z asked

"No, he's busy at the moment" Jack said

"What do you mean?"

Jack explained to Z what he saw and she burst out laughing.

Kat laid her head against Cruger's chest and listened to the beating of his heart and smiled in the comfort and protection of his strength. Then she remembered that he had closed the letter "with love"

"Doggie…"

"If you think I messed up the closing of the letter, I didn't, I meant it… I love you, Kat"

"I love you, too" Kat felt a single tear make it's way down her face as she stepped back to look at him

"What's wrong?" he asked as he wiped it from her face

"I guess I'm just really happy" she laughed then looked around "Doggie, you do know that if the cadets walk in now they're going to have a lot of questions and probably won't let us forget this"

"True," Cruger agreed and they went to his quarters and sat together on the couch in the sitting area and soon fell asleep in each other's arms.

The End

Pls. leave a review and note that all flames will be redirected at the nearest hurricane.