"That was quick thinking, Yankee." Linka's voice was gentle and admiring, as the Planeteers made their way out of the Coliseum. Wheeler turned to look at her, but his expression was unreadable in the moonlit Roman night.

"Thanks," he muttered, turning back to follow Ma-Ti, Gi and Kwame, who were strolling some distance ahead.

"Can I talk to you?" Linka held him back with an arm. She did not know what she was going to say, but something told her that whatever it was, it had to be said then. She felt as though the end of the mission would signal some kind of permanent rupture, and she knew she had to fix their relationship before it happened.

"Look, Linka, let's just get outta here," Wheeler replied evasively. "Being in here is probably really illegal…"

"'Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering… fearing'." The words poured out of Linka's mouth suddenly, her voice trembling slightly. "'Doubting… dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before… But the silence was unbroken'…" she paused and looked up into the American's face, her mouth suddenly dry.

"'And the darkness gave no token'," Wheeler finished quietly. He stared at her so intently that Linka was suddenly grateful for the darkness, which hid the blush creeping up her cheeks. "That's my favourite-"

"I know," she interjected, smiling slightly and moving slightly closer to him. "'The Raven'. And Edgar Allan Poe is your favourite author. But you like us to think you only read comic books. But I know you, Wheeler, and I know you are much, much deeper than you let us believe."

"Linka-"

"No, please, let me talk. My point is not this poem. It is that you think I do not love you enough, and never have. But you are wrong. I think about you all the time and I have realised that I know more about you than I know about myself. You are so open with everyone, yet there are many things you try to hide from us. But I see you, Wheeler, all of you, and…and, I love you…more than anything else in the world."

"Lin-"

"Sometimes you have this expression on your face," she pressed on, "and I can tell you are thinking of your mother, and how she is coping without you. You feel guilty because you think you have not tried hard enough to make things better for her. But deep down you know there is nothing you can do. And –and I know when you are thinking of your father, and if you will turn into him someday. But, Wheeler, you will never be like him." She raised tentative fingers to his face. "I know you and you can never be that person."

"Linka," Wheeler's voice seemed uncharacteristically uncertain, "I didn't think …I mean, I thought I was…." He stopped, biting his lip.

"You do not have to hide around me, Wheeler," Linka said gently. "I love that you are so carefree; you make everyone around you happy. But you do not need to pretend that nothing ever troubles you. You do not have to be afraid because there is nothing you can show me that will ever make me stop loving you."

"I do not know how you managed to keep loving me, in spite of everything I have ever done to you… but now I know that I can do the same for you. I used to tell myself I did not need you; now I know I can only ever be happy with you, and it does not make me scared, or angry, because I have finally stopped fighting against myself. I am not trying to make you forgive me because I can see you are not ready and I understand why, but I want you to know that if there is anything I can do to convince you that I love you, and only you; that I have only ever loved you; and that I will only ever love you, then I am willing to do it. Whatever it-"

"Linka, you're wrong," Wheeler interrupted.

At these words Linka felt as though all the air had been forced out of her lungs. She had taken a big chance in revealing herself to him in a way she had previously never thought possible, and now he was going to reject her all over again. He would tell her there was nothing she could ever say to change his mind, that he had never really loved her the way she had imagined, that he did not even love her anymore…

"I have forgiven you," his voice broke into Linka's despairing thoughts from what seemed a thousand miles away. "In fact, if I'm honest, there was nothing to forgive," he continued, oblivious to the relief etched across the Russian's face. "You did nothing wrong, Linka. I was the jerk, and it's really me I've been angry at because you were right about everything. I had no right to try and stop you from doing anything and I said things to you I really wish I could take back."

"Wheeler, I will not pretend you did not hurt me," Linka said gently. "But I was hurt because I cared so much what you thought about me. Whatever Gi said…it did not stop me. But I thought about you all the time, the things you said about me, and I was angry at myself for being me and not the person you expected me to be…"

"Linka, I'm sorry if you felt like you ever had to change anything for me. I mean, I think you're pretty perfect the way you are and if anyone was doing something wrong, it was probably me!" He grinned wryly, and Linka felt an inexorable urge to throw her arms around him.

"Well, whoever was wrong, I want today to be a new beginning. I know I have confused you many times with the way I have acted, but for the first time I am sure of what I want. I am all yours, Wheeler, and I am not afraid to say it. No more fighting, no more hiding, no more games, just me and you…"

Wheeler's face broke out into a grin so infectious that Linka could not help beaming back.

"Babe, you have no idea how long I've waited for this moment. I always-" Linka's finger pressed against his lips trapped his next words in his mouth.

"What did I tell you before, Yankee?" she chided, smiling affectionately. "You talk too much. Just kiss me…"

Wheeler needed no second invitation. He lowered his face to hers, and their lips met, locking in passionate, intense, sensuous embrace. When they finally pulled apart, breathless, Wheeler snaked his arms around Linka's waist, drawing her in so close to him that she could feel his heart thumping. Or perhaps it was hers; she could no longer tell because the misery that had enveloped her earlier was completely gone, replaced by a giddy, delirious, euphoria. Wrapped in Wheeler's arms, she could never imagine ever being unhappy again. She wove her arms around his neck, fingers brushing lightly against his red hair, and tilted her head up so that their faces were mere inches apart.

"I just need to hear you say it one more time," Wheeler whispered. "Just so I know I'm not dreaming and this is all real."

Linka grinned.

"I love you, Yankee."

"Ok, good," he beamed and dropped his head to kiss her again. This time the kiss was longer, more urgent, more intense… Linka had to remind herself that they were in a public place, with their friends nearby, before she managed to, reluctantly, draw away from the American.

"Wheeler?"

"Mmmm…" he murmured from somewhere in her shoulder, his breath softly tickling her skin. A pleasurable shiver coursed up Linka's spine and she almost forgot her next words.

"I know I said I would be different, but we have to remember that we are Planeteers. We are doing important work, so during missions no…how do you say it… 'funny business'?"

"Linka, you're blushing," Wheeler teased, placing gentle hands on her burning cheeks. "You're so cute…" He kissed the tip of her nose. "You have nothing to worry about, babe. No 'funny business' from me. But can I at least hold your hand when the others are around?" He joked. Laughing, Linka took his hand and interlaced her fingers with his.

"Of course, Yankee," she grinned.

"Ok, sooo…does this make me your…boyfriend?" Wheeler asked innocently, but Linka knew there was a twinkle in his eyes.

"Hmmm…I do not know about that. We will get there later…" she smiled coyly, as they ambled slowly in the direction their friends had disappeared in.

"Linka!"

"What? I have opened myself up to you so much already. You have to be patient with me, and maybe in one year or two I will call you my boyfriend…"

"I'll remember that promise, babe…Now, why don'tcha tell me all about this old crumbling building. I think I've developed a liking for the place…" He slung an arm around her shoulder, and she wrapped one around his waist drawing him in closer as they made their way towards their friends. They could now see Kwame, Gi and Ma-Ti engaged in conversation, as thought they had not noticed their absence.

"I knew you would grow to appreciate it, Yankee. It is quite fascinating, really. In Roman times, Emperor Ves-"

"Um…can you just skip to the bit with the gladiators and the fighting and sacrifices?" Wheeler cut in.

"Wheeler!" Linka protested. "You will never change, will you?!"

"Nope!" he grinned cheerfully. "But that's ok, 'cos you said you love everythingabout me."

"Are you going to make me wish I never said that?"

"Maybe…" Wheeler chuckled. "Hey, listen, you know what you said before? About convincing me that you loved me and only me?"

"Mmmm?"

"Well, I think I've figured out how you can really convince me…" Grinning wickedly, his hand inched lower down her back…. Linka laughed and swatted him lightly on the arm.

"Wheeler!"

"What, babe?" he protested. "I was thinking something nice and simple, like dinner and a movie. What were you thinking?" He raised his eyebrows, eyes wide with feigned innocence

"Wheeler, you are impossible!" Linka laughed again.

"But you love it…."

"Da…but do not make me regret it …"

"What took you so long?" Kwame asked nonchalantly, as they finally came within earshot of the other Planeteers. Wheeler and Linka looked at each other, knowing they could not possibly explain what had happened between them, not when it was so new to them.

"Oh, we were just… sorting some stuff out…" Wheeler began, suddenly aware of his tell-tale arm around Linka.

Kwame and Ma-Ti hid their grins, but Gi snorted, barely suppressing her giggle.

"I think I speak for everyone when I say it took you long enough!"

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That last chapter and reunion was surprisingly hard to write! I even briefly considered not getting them together at all, but I knew that would be breaking the unwritten code of CP fic: Wheeler and Linka ALWAYS get together…Anyway, hope you liked this one, and your comments and feedback are, as usual, appreciated :-).