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By all outward appearances, Sasha seemed to be the confident, arrogant woman she'd grown to become. She wore that self-assurance like a thick black cloak, haughtiness rolling off of her in waves wherever she went. Unapproachable to most, like a prickly cactus who dared anyone to get too close.

There was only one person she trusted emphatically, trusted enough to show the fear, the night terrors, the heart-wrenching sobs that woke her in her sleep.

One Washington Becker.

As she slipped into the room she shared with Wash, Sasha exhaled. She wasn't sure if he was home or not - but she was finally ready to talk about a real game plan, a method of attack, a way to find Nona so that she could feel whole again. Instead of working on her project in the labs today, she'd spent that time drawing diagrams and writing a report on the things she'd seen, the things that had happened. She'd left out the fact that Nona had been taken from her - there was a distinct feeling of unease when she thought about putting that fact on paper.

It could wait.

She closed the door behind her and turned to face the room, hoping that Wash was home, hoping he could help her brainstorm her next move.

When she saw him it was as if she wilted, a relieved smile fluttering across her lips.

"You're here."

One raven brow slowly crept upward.

"Dragonfly in Amber?" The fancy script on the front of the book drew her attention. "Washington Becker, is that a romance novel?"

Sasha shrugged off her jacket and scarf, tossing them across the foot of the bed before leaning over to press a kiss against Wash's lips.

His kiss had her shivering, a soft gasp breaking free from Sasha as she felt the touch of his teeth against her lips.

And that wicked smile. This RP was not going to get to page three, was it?

She couldn't help herself. Sasha laughed, a soft sound that was muffled against his shoulder. It was still so unbelievable, sometimes, to think that this man belonged to her. Loved her.

"You're terrible, and I'm growing older every day," she smiled and shook her head, laughter bubbling up. The bright noise sounded rusty, but it felt good to laugh - especially with Wash. Nobody else on the island mattered. He was hers, and she was his.

"You can be very sexy," she mumbled against his jaw. They would have to talk, eventually, about Scotland, about a plan... but she wanted to forget just a little longer.

Chair-sex. What was hotter? That's right, nothing.

Shifting so that the muscles in her thighs stopped aching, Sasha giggled like a teenager and pressed a kiss to Wash's chin.

"I was, you're right. You're so han'some, darlin'," she teased, mimicking his accent.

Sasha fell quiet for a moment, fingers gently brushing against the scruff on his chin.

"I wish we could stay like this forever. Never leave this room."

Sasha littered Wash's jaw with little kisses before settling against his chest.

"I've been trying to think of a plan of attack, but," Sasha paused and trailed her fingers over his shoulder, "every time I think about going back there, I feel scared. Worried. I don't want you to go, but at the same time I'd feel safer with you there."

Sasha pressed a kiss against his collarbone.

"It's terrifying, Wash."

Sasha was silent as Wash spoke, each word that fell from his lips collected and held tight. Just listening to him speak put her at ease, filled her with a calm she would never be able to obtain on her own. He was the pillar of strength in her life, and without him, well.

Without him, she'd be dead.

"The house is impossible to approach during the night hours," Sasha began softly. "It would be best to attempt entering it during the daylight hours, preferably when there is the most light hitting the house. Every shadow comes alive, and we have to avoid them at all costs."

She cleared her throat.

"There's the rectory. I would like to.. explore it more. Especially the catacombs."

Sasha was silent once more as she studied the stubble of his chin, the rise of his Adam's apple.

"I would like to know what - or who - the Knights of Mela were. I think that research may be accomplished here, I just have to figure out who to ask."

"Runics will be helpful. I've got the daggers and the trapping gun. I also believe that merely having additional hunters to assist will help quite a lot."

Sasha nuzzled the line of his jaw, inhaling his scent. It calmed her, yet ignited her at the same time. It was almost difficult to focus on the topic at hand. Sasha experimentally dug her fingernails into the skin of his shoulders, lightly scraping her fingertips down over his chest. She liked the way her marks looked on his skin.

"Once I'm actually approved to bring a small group, I'll see if I can press my luck with artificial lighting. Maybe flares would work. I'm not entirely sure that there's electricity there."

Sasha fell into contemplative silence, her eyes locked on the pulse that beat in Wash's throat.

Some time passed - at least an hour - before Sasha spoke again. In some strange turn of events, they'd ended up sprawled on the floor. She was curled up against Wash's side with what felt like a shoe jabbing her lower back, but the discomfort was easily ignored when faced with other, more pleasurable things.

"Flares," she agreed in a soft, dazed voice. Her hand lazily drew circles along his abdomen, gently tickling over those sharp planes. "I think I have bandages, too." She couldn't stop staring at the teethmarks that littered his shoulders and chest, and a small smile of catlike pleasure lifted the corners of her mouth.

Her hand slipped down his stomach.

"Again."