The rain fell softly outside, the sound almost lulling her to sleep, but callous fingers gripped her waist pulling her against his hard chest. She molded to him and shivered when she felt him trail kisses down her arm, his hand ghosting over the heated skin of her stomach.

"I could stay here all night," she sighed content. He snorted behind her and moved her hair from her shoulder and licked her skin there.

"Except you can't," he whispered. "Someone will notice you're missing and sound the alarms, then there'll be a colony wide search, red flags will go up, and someone will put two and two together and you'll be caught."

She pouted while he continued tasting the skin on her neck. "Thanks for bringing me back to reality, jerk."

"Well, I fulfill fantasies but then I have to bring you back down to Earth, Princess." His teasing tone caused her heart to flutter. She loved and hated it simultaneously.

Skye turned in his arms to face him, Carter's eyes questioned her but she just looked at him seriously. Taking a deep breath she waited a beat and then spoke, "Come back with me," she said, kicking herself for sounding so desperate.

His eyes didn't leave hers, his face stoic; she swallowed nervously, waiting for him to say something. Anything. It seemed like minutes before he opened his mouth. And even then he floundered a minute before speaking.

"Life isn't a fairy tale and you aren't really a princess," he started, it was harsh and mean and she bit the inside of her cheek to stop from crying. Even though he held her in his arms, the words stung. "You're just a stupid girl who thinks this is real, this isn't real. It's fun and it doesn't mean anything."

Narrowing her eyes at him was the best she could muster. She could be angry instead of hurt. She wasn't a child and she'd had just about enough rejection in her life lately to just fall apart in his arms. He softened slightly before he continued speaking.

"I can't go back with you." He pushed some hair behind her ear and she couldn't help the way she relaxed at the gesture. "I don't know if you remember but I typically spend my vacations in Terra Nova in the brig. Has something to do with the fact that I like to try to kill the fearless leader.

"I'm a bad guy and you are not, you're just playing double agent because you have to. But I came here for money. I follow an agenda that you don't even know about to destroy something that you love. I'm a bad guy and when you go home and they find you out, you'll be forgiven and taken back with open arms. Give them the sob story about your mother and Taylor will bring you back into the fold with little more than a pensive look and maybe a lecture about betrayal. But that will be all. I'm a bad guy. I don't get to come home."

He sighed heavily, his face half hidden by a shadow, she wasn't sure, but she thought his eyes looked tired and sad. Then again, she'd seen feelings where there weren't before. Embarrassing run-ins with Josh Shannon had taught her that. Obviously she had terrible taste in men.

"You should get dressed," he said shortly. "I'll take you back." Carter moved his arms from hers and she wished she could rewind time just a few minutes. She never should have said it.

"I can walk," she blurted out. The idea of being in a rover with him, without him touching her the way he usually did, looking at her like he did, she couldn't stand it.

"It's raining and it's dark," he said with raised brows.

"And you care because?" she shot back feeling like the stupid girl he'd accused her of being.

"Even if your intel is shit, it would be my ass if you weren't bringing it in because I let you get eaten," he replied coolly. "And not the fun kind of eaten. The kind that involves dinosaurs."

Skye shook her head as she pulled her shorts on. "You're an asshole," she mumbled.

"You forgot your bra." Carter held it out to her but she pulled her shirt over her head ignoring him.

"Keep it, I don't usually wear them anyways, I just thought you'd like it," she admitted. He chuckled.

"You always come here in a bra."

"I told you, I figured you liked it, so keep it. I don't need it." She turned and walked towards the door. Every part of her was hoping that he'd reach for her. Apologize, at least say let's go back to what happened 10 minutes ago and forget it. But he didn't. She walked to the balcony and he followed her a minute later.

"Go say goodbye to your mom, I'll find Drake. He can take you back." He was standing behind her. Close enough for her to feel him. She thought he might touch her, but as soon as she turned he was walking away.

And that's when she decided she wasn't going to cry.

When the Phoenix Soldiers came and Lucas took over, she looked for him. Mira was around, a few others, but just a handful. Not near the numbers the Sixers had. It confused her. But she was still angry with him. Still hurt. And she had other problems that took priority. An occupation, Lucas and his skin crawling obsession with her, she couldn't dwell on whether or not Carter was safe and sound. He didn't care about her; she could pretend not to care about him.

Watching through the thick foliage wasn't good enough. Then again, Carter didn't really want to see it. It'd been two weeks since he'd seen Skye. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but just seeing her alive and whole put him at ease. With everything that happened in the colony he'd worried. But he couldn't do anything. Carter was sure he'd done the right thing weeks ago when he'd broken off whatever it was they were doing. It wasn't good for her and he didn't lie to her. Well, he didn't completely lie to her.

He was a bad guy. And she was a good girl. The two didn't mix. And they certainly didn't get happy endings.

But as he spied through the leaves his pulse quickened and his fists clenched. Why was she wasting time with that kid? He watched her lean her head on his shoulder as they sat around the fire and he hated the way that idiot looked at her. He watched until he thought he'd be sick, but thankfully she got up and walked away, he followed her and before he knew what he was doing he grabbed her arm and pulled her behind a tree.

The shocked and scared look on her face caused him to loosen his grip, he didn't think she'd scream but her wide eyes made him doubt. "I didn't mean to scare you," he said quickly taking a step back giving her space.

"It's fine, I just thought you were someone else," she explained. But she hadn't relaxed. "Where have you been?"

He hesitated a moment because explaining it might give her the wrong idea. Then again, pulling her away from her camp like this had already given her the wrong idea. By wrong idea he really meant giving away how he actually felt but he didn't like thinking about it.

"I stayed at camp, most of us did, the Phoenix Group hasn't been feeling like sharing so Mira thought it was best to keep most of us back, hiding our true numbers." He ran a hand through his hair and watched as she mirrored him subconsciously. She flinched as her fingers grazed her forehead. He saw she had a disturbing bruise there, stepping forward and reaching to move her hair out of the way he saw the deep purple lump. "What's this?"

"Just something your pal Lucas thought I needed," she replied darkly.

"Don't call him my 'pal,' I don't like the crazy bastard," he said concern furrowing his brow as his fingers hovered over the bruise.

"He slammed my head into a rover, it was lovely," she said dryly.

"That kid wasn't around to protect you?" He looked over her shoulder, back towards the camp where Josh Shannon sat.

"Like I need someone to protect me? I'm not a child. I'm a grown woman," she stated, standing up a little straighter.

"Clearly you do," he growled.

"Lucas is crazy and he's unpredictable. I thought I had the situation under control and I didn't," she fired back. "And what do you care anyways? You're a bad guy, just like he is, right?"

"Not like he is," he whispered his face close to hers, their lips inches from each other. He licked his lips and watched her eyes follow his mouth.

"Come back with me," she breathed out, the sound sending a jolt straight to his groin, but the words ruining it. He closed his eyes and exhaled.

"I can't," he said without opening his eyes. "Stop cuddling with that kid."

"Why should I?" she asked defiantly. "He's a good guy. Opposite of you, right?"

"He's a kid, and you're better than that," Carter said before pressing his lips together tightly.

"Am I?"

"God yes," he said forcefully. "You're better than him and you're better than me and…" He stopped, he so desperately wanted to touch her, kiss her, take her against the fucking tree. But nothing had changed.

Carter took two steps back and watched her sigh before she timidly asked, "And what?"

"Did Taylor kill Lucas?" he asked changing the subject.

"Lucas tried to kill Taylor, but I shot him, twice." Carter smiled but Skye shook her head. "Guess I didn't do it right because he disappeared. He's still alive out in the jungle somewhere. Why do you care?"

"Good information to have," he said with a shrug. "That and I know how to greet him if he tries to come back to us."

"Oh?" she asked with a raised brow.

"I'm debating between a swift kick to his gut or a punch in the face, maybe I can find a rover to bash his head on?" He smirked and was happy to see her give a half smile.

"Carter-" she started to reach for him but he stopped her.

"You need to go back." Skye shrunk back and rolled her eyes. "Someone will notice you're missing." With that he turned and walked back through the jungle.

When Mira returned to camp with the news the portal had been destroyed and no one was going home, and worse, no one was getting paid, he fought the urge to punch something. His whole reason for being there gone. The one sliver of good news wasn't good news to anyone but him. Taylor had retaken the colony. Skye was safe in the gates again. Now he could stop worrying about her. Carter couldn't stop thinking about her, but at least he could stop worrying.

"Jesus Christ! She's dead," Skye groaned. "I hate to be insensitive but you're hung up on someone who is dead. Gone. Never coming back. Move on!"

Josh just stood gaping. "She died less than a month ago," he replied shocked when he finally replied.

"And you haven't seen her for months," she added. "Just…just don't string me along, I don't deserve this. I'm not going to sit around and wait for you to get your shit together."

"That's selfish," he said giving her a dirty look.

"So what? I deserve to be selfish. No one else cares about my best interests, I might as well." She placed her hands on her hips and glared at him. "I'm sorry. You know, this isn't about you. It's about me. I have horrible taste in men, good guys, bad guys, whatever, just, go. Go away, please."

Thankfully, Josh obliged. He walked back to the colony and she sat down at the foot of the falls and cried. She'd made terrible choices in her life and she was starting to feel like the whole world was spinning out of control. She didn't need someone to anchor her, but she wanted someone. Skye knew she shouldn't blame Josh. She'd been over him for a while. What she wanted she couldn't have. There wasn't a happy ending in store for them and no matter whom she tried to replace him with, it wasn't going to be the same.

"I hope you aren't crying over that kid," a familiar voice lifted her out of her pity party. Of course, it would be him.

"I suppose you heard all of that," she said, thankful that her voice didn't shake. She wiped her eyes.

"Most of the good stuff, it's nice to see you sticking up for yourself." He offered her a hand that she ignored, choosing to stay on the ground. He shrugged and sat down next to her, leaning back on his arms, and looking around before turning back to her.

"I wasn't crying over him," she started. Carter looked at her, waiting for her to continue, but she couldn't. He'd never said how he felt; she wasn't going to tell him how she felt. Skye suspected he didn't care at all, just liked toying with her. Instead she changed the subject. "You need a shower."

"Can I borrow yours?" he joked but she rolled her eyes. "I've been hunting. It's why I came here. Just luck that I ran into you."

"Luck or disaster?"

"Don't let him make you feel like a disaster. You aren't," he said fiercely.

"No, but I'm stupid and I'm trying to reform a bad guy," she threw his words back at him and he looked away. "You make me feel like a disaster. You did this, not him. I couldn't care less about him." She hated that she felt tears on her face and wiped them quickly. She hated that despite her strong desire to not tell him how she felt, she'd basically done just that.

They sat in uncomfortable silence a few moments before he finally spoke up. "It's my fault, I shouldn't have…I don't know, I shouldn't have done anything. Should have just taken the intel and ignored you. But I can't take it back now." Bringing his knees up, he leaned his arms on them and rested his head there, facing her. "I lied. But that doesn't change anything. We can't be together."

Her heart pounded in her chest at the implication. "What did you lie about?"

She watched him bite the inside of his cheek and look her up and down. "I don't think you're stupid." She swallowed. "It was real, is real. And it means something to me." She felt like he'd knocked the wind out of her. "You mean something to me. You mean everything to me."

Skye hated the words but she couldn't stop them from coming, "Then come back with me."

He shook his head and laughed humorlessly. "Okay, maybe you are a little stupid. You don't seem to grasp that I can't do that."

"Right, because you're a bad guy and you vacation in the brig and blah, blah, blah," she said frustrated. "There's no reason for you and Mira and everyone else to be out here wandering now. You don't have a mission, you're stuck just like the rest of us. Come back. Come home. Come home with me," she pleaded.

He closed his eyes and she felt another tear make it's way down her face. She already knew what he was going to say. So she stood up and started to walk away. This time he reached for her. She felt his hand on her shoulder before he spun her around. Reaching for her face with both hands, his thumb wiped the stray tear before he kissed her cheek. Skye shut her eyes tight. Willing him to change his mind.

"I'm sorry," he whispered placing quick kiss on her lips before disappearing.

The first time he snuck into the gates he was nervous. He'd been tasked with finding out how tight security was and what the likelihood that they could pilfer power or supplies was, the last time he'd done something like this he'd ended up in the hospital and then the brig. But that wasn't what made him nervous. Carter was anxious because he wanted to see her. He'd volunteered for this and Skye was the only reason.

He'd done his job, scouted the area and tested the perimeter. Avoiding some soldiers and finding a weak spot in the fence should have been where his job ended for the night. But he saw her walking with her friend and he couldn't help but follow her. When she walked up to her house he figured it was close enough to a trial run for breaching the gates, Mira didn't have to know what he did, and her home was far enough out of the way, no one would see him.

Before he could get closer though, that idiot Shannon kid showed up. He watched as Skye spoke to him on the porch. He couldn't hear what was going on, but Skye looked unimpressed with Josh and Carter imagined there was more of her telling him to fuck off like the last time he'd seen her. But then the dumbass kissed her. Carter watched with narrowed eyes, fuming that is until Skye pushed the kid away looking disgusted. She said something to him and then stormed into the house leaving Josh Shannon outside to have a door slammed in his face.

He waited for Josh to lose interest before carefully circling the house looking for the window that led to her room. He tapped on the glass and backed up when she opened it. He held a finger over his mouth in a gesture for her to keep quiet and she just rolled her eyes, dragging him in by the hand.

"I locked the door and those clowns out there have had more moonshine than is healthy. They aren't going to hear you," she said flatly. "Why are you here?"

"Is this how you great all your guests?" he asked perturbed.

"Only the ones that piss me off," she replied. "What's the game tonight? Tell me how wonderful I am then brood for twenty minutes in my presence."

"That's not what I do," he said scowling at her.

"That is exactly what you do," she said knowingly. "Unless you're here to stay you might as well just get out."

"Drag me in here only to kick me out?" He took a step towards her, tentatively reaching for her belt loops. He smirked and she frowned.

"What's going on?" she asked skeptically, allowing him to pull her closer to him. "Before you would hardly touch me and now you're what? Wanting me to scratch your itch?"

Carter tilted his head and smiled wider. "I could get anyone to scratch my itch, but I missed you."

"Are you drunk or high?" she asked still unbelieving. "Because you're being mushy and that's not at all like you."

"I'm better than him, I knew that, but now you do, too" he said vaguely and she threw her head back in frustration.

"Of course, of course you would see that. Do you have cameras placed strategically to make sure you catch all my most embarrassing moments?" she asked still close to him. "And what? Because he kissed me now you want to? Obviously it's not you, it's me, I'm the one that's so awesome since I'm the one everyone wants to kiss."

He continued to smile at her, close enough to kiss her if he wanted; he watched her face flush before reaching out to run a finger from her hairline down to her neck slowly. She closed her eyes at the action and he couldn't help but gloat some more. "I'm better than him," he whispered.

"As though this is some kind of revelation, you've got 10 years on him and three times the experience," she said through half lidded eyes as he moved to the other side of her face, moving his finger again from her hairline and following her jaw before slowly placing a kiss on her forehead.

"That's a conservative estimate," he said low, his body reacting to the soft sighs escaping her mouth.

"Sorry if I don't want to get specific in the number of women you've lured-" she started but he cut her off by moving his lips against hers. Tilting her chin for better access and burying his hands in her hair he teased her tongue before sinking into her mouth fully.

"I'm better than him," he repeated between kisses.

"How do I get you to stop saying that?" she whined. "Because it's true, okay?"

"I can fuck you into that mattress," he said with a nod to her bed. "And you wouldn't remember your own name and you'd certainly forget his."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," she said breathily and he had to shut his own eyes at the words, his groin tightening at the thought. "Any minute now you're going to remember that this isn't real and can't be and I'm stupid or whatever you like to tell me before bolting out of here and leaving me all…" she trailed off and he watched her closely to see if she'd finish.

"Leaving you all what?" he asked practically panting himself.

"Wanting you, wanting something that I can't have because you're a bad guy or some bullshit like that." She moved her hands to his waist, playing with the hem of his shirt before letting her fingers dance across the muscles there.

"Sometimes bad guys have relapses. I can't be expected to resist you forever." He watched as she reached for the light switch and then led him to the bed.

"I better take advantage of you before you go all noble again," she said boldly as he lay down next to her.

That was the first time. He must have done it two dozen times since then and he couldn't stop himself. They fell back into a routine like when she'd come to him to drop off intel. They never talked about the fact that they were repeating history, she knew better than to ever ask him to stay, and he just pretended that what he was doing was perfectly acceptable. It went beyond Mira sending him out with a task. He snuck out of his own camp most nights, only to return before the morning watch changed shifts.

It was early, but she'd been working so much she was exhausted. Tasha whined that they never spent any time together anymore but Skye brushed her off with an apology and a promise for girl time another day. She'd actually spent a lot of time avoiding Tasha. Her nosy friend was perceptive and Skye was sure if she spent any time talking to her at length she'd figure out something was going on.

But she hadn't seen Carter in a few days, she tried not to worry, he couldn't always get away easily and though she missed him, she assumed he was fine, just busy, like she'd been. She stripped off her pants and threw a comfy t-shirt on and crawled into bed, she was almost asleep before her head hit the pillow.

Cold feet on her own and an arm around her stomach woke her abruptly. "What's with the ice cubes on my toes, jackass?" she asked snuggling into his chest.

"I was out at the quarry, I stole all your hot water in the shower though, so I wouldn't go in there if I were you," he whispered, his whiskers tickling her neck.

"You showered and your feet are still that cold, are you getting sick?" He chuckled, his fingers brushing against her belly lazily.

"No, but I'm sure you'd take care of me if I was," he said as he kissed her shoulder. "Go to sleep."

"You just came here to sleep?" she asked surprised.

"And to steal all your hot water, you're tired though, go to sleep," he said with a smile. She tried to reply but he spoke over her. "It's barely nine and you were already asleep, so you're tired, just go to sleep, I'll be here for a while."

Skye turned in his arms and enjoyed the way his hands moved up and down her back. "I haven't seen you for a while."

"I told you to go to sleep," he said sternly, but he still smiled.

"Maybe I wanted to talk to you," she pouted, she reached for his cheek and leaned in brushing her lips against his.

"That's not talking." He brushed some hair out of her face and she kissed him again. "Still not talking."

"Have you been busy? I've been busy. It's why I'm so tired. I was on my feet all day and there was a full moon last night and there were three women having babies today," she explained quickly, feeling like Maddy Shannon. "I always thought that was a myth but apparently it's not, the full moon thing, I mean."

"It's the drop in barometric pressure," he added with a knowing smile. "I was busy, Mira's had us working on shit at the quarry and one of the rovers broke so I couldn't get here easily."

The doorknob jiggled and they both tensed. "Listen," Carter started quickly. "It's Taylor, he was out walking and I thought he saw me but I've been here twenty minutes and I figured I'd imagined it." Skye gasped.

"You need to get out, go," she said pushing against his chest. But he didn't budge.

"I'm not going anywhere." The handle jiggled some more and Tasha's voice could be heard on the other side of the door.

"I'm naked!" Skye hollered hoping to put off the inevitable. She sat up and pushed Carter again frantically. "Go!"

"No, I'm not going anywhere," he said calmly. Her brow furrowed while she shook her head.

"You were right, he'll throw you in the brig or I dunno, have you shot, just, go, please," she cried. He rose to his knees and cupped her face.

"I'm going to stay, it's time for me to come home, with you," he said before he captured her lips. She threw her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, cherishing the feel of him, until the door finally opened. They pulled apart, both breathing rough, neither addressing the sudden crowd in the room.

"Romeo, Juliet, you want to separate for a minute?" Taylor's voice cut through the haze and Skye turned to him, her face pained.

"Not really," Carter answered Taylor without turning to him. Skye let go of him, though, and he rolled his eyes before moving to stand and glare Taylor. Skye sat deflated on the bed, embarrassed and anxious. Her heart was beating so fast she thought everyone must be able to hear it. Her roommates stood gawking behind Taylor, every one of them with a look of shock or disgust on their faces.

"You didn't run," Taylor said.

"Already been made, why bother?" Carter replied nonplussed. He held out his hands. "So let's go visit the brig, I hear it's lovely this time of year."

Skye huffed before she whispered, "Stop antagonizing him, you aren't going to help anything."

He glanced at her and smirked before he shrugged as though he were innocent and not trying to mock the Commander.

"I'm not going to throw you in the brig," Taylor said.

Both Skye and Carter turned to him quickly, both wearing confused looks and exclaiming "what?" simultaneously.

"We need all the able bodied people to work in this colony, if you plan on staying, which I assume you do since that's the first time you haven't taken the opportunity to run," Taylor explained. "You can stay and you can work."

"Just like that?" Carter asked skeptically. "What about all the times I've tried to kill you?"

"That's a valid point." Taylor pressed his lips together and tilted his chin in thought. "Are you going to try to shoot me again?" Carter shook his head. "Beat me up or stab me?" Again Carter shook his head. "Then you can stay. But I have some conditions."

"Of course you do," he replied dryly. Skye threw him a look. "Do I have to pledge allegiance or something? Marry her if I want to sleep with her?"

"Those would both be nice, but I won't let my old fashioned sensibilities interfere. Instead I'll get to the point." The Commander placed his hands on his waist making him seem more menacing to Skye, but Carter didn't seem bothered in the least. "I want Mira and all the rest of the Sixers to come back." Carter scoffed but Taylor continued. "There's no reason for them to be out there and not here."

"Except Mira hates you," he interjected.

"The point is, you can stay, but I want you to take the message to her. If anyone wants to come back, they'll be welcomed back." Taylor looked at Skye like he might say something but he didn't, just turned back to Carter. "After you've talked to Mira you can report to Construction Crew."

"That's not really my thing, I can do it, but I have other, more marketable skills," Carter argued.

"I'm sure you do but I'd rather not have you near weapons right now and you do need to serve some penance, plus when more of the Sixers come back they'll need houses to live in, so you can start there," Taylor said simply.

Skye looked at Carter and saw that he was finally holding his tongue, he looked like he might burst, but he wasn't giving whatever smart reply he had in mind.

"I'll let you two get back to your evening," Taylor said while turning on his heel. Skye sighed in relief until she saw that her roommates weren't going to leave so easily.

"How about you guys wait to get chatty until breakfast?" Carter said walking to the door and beginning to shut it. "I like that stuff that tastes like bacon if you've got it," he said as he finished closing the door despite Tasha desperately trying to wedge her way in. Skye couldn't help the sort of hysterical giggle that escaped.

"That was interesting," she managed as he made his way back to the bed, lying down on his stomach and tugging on her arm so she followed him.

"I really wasn't kidding earlier when I wanted you to go to sleep, I'm exhausted." He turned his head to face her and gave her a quick peck.

"So that was all just because you didn't want to have to go back to camp tonight?" she teased. He nodded, his eyes already closed.

"Nothing to do with you, I just really wanted to sleep in this bed all night, though you are a perk of sleeping in this bed." He threw an arm over her back. "A perk that I will take advantage of tomorrow, before breakfast."

"Bad guy, my ass, you're practically a mushy gushy…" she couldn't think of the right word to complete the thought.

"You can finish that sentence with sexy man, I'll also accept sexy beast or sex god," he mumbled half asleep already.

"Or jackass, I'm gonna go with mushy gushy jackass." Skye took a moment to watch his sleeping face and process everything that just happened.

Maybe her choices weren't so terrible. Maybe they could have a happy ending.