One Fell Swoop by Allison McDonnell

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So close, yet so far.

While waiting for breakfast to be prepared and once he was able to extract True from his neck, John permitted Julia to tend to his wounds more thoroughly in the Med-tent. He then took the much needed opportunity to engage in a quick bath, prune his week-old Mountain Man facial hair, and change into a fresh set of clothing.

However, when he later heard Devon's pronouncement that Eden Advance would delay their departure for at least twenty-four hours to give the mechanic some time to rest, he all but blew a gasket. As far as Danziger was concerned, there was no way that he was going to let them waste a perfectly good travel day just so his camp-mates could sit around twiddling their thumbs while they waited for him to heal. Hell, he'd been stuck sitting on the beaches of New Pacifica for the past week with nothing to do but heal, he'd griped. And although he'd grudgingly admitted that he was still a bit bumped and bruised, he insisted that he was as healthy as a horse and demanded that everyone stop making such a big fuss over him. He also informed them that he wanted to return to New Pacifica as soon as possible because he'd left a perfectly good jacket and a pair of boots there and he'd hoped to reclaim the items before they were pilfered by a Grendler.

Finally after much hemming and hawing, a compromise was reached between the two headstrong first and second in commands. Devon was able to get John to agree to an abbreviated day of travel of no less than ten clicks, but no more than twelve. Danziger, of course, considered himself the victor due to the fact that they were leaving at all. He also balked at Julia's orders to spend his day lounging in a stretcher strapped to the side of the Transrover and, instead, he opted to ride shotgun in the vehicle's protected cab. There was little doubt in everyone's mind that the mechanic was behaving like a stubborn, pain in the ass. In other words, life in Eden Advance already seemed to be returning to normal.

That evening, a healthier and slightly better groomed John Danziger-- whose feet were now squeezed into a pair of borrowed boots that were one size too small-- spent much of his dinner being grilled about New Pacifica regarding everything from its general topography to the varieties of plant life and insects that were indigenous to the area. The interrogation continued later at the campfire, where the children had situated themselves on a blanket at the base of John's legs while Devon had seated herself directly next to him. While their respective chairs were certainly within close proximity and they would exchange several lingering glances, only occasionally would the two touch by brushing their hand against one another or by briefly but deliberately grazing against the other's shoulders.

It was clear to nearly everyone observing the leaders that, even though the Rules Of Engagement had been thrown out the window, there was some residual awkwardness between the two. It was as if neither one was clear as to whether or not there were any remaining boundaries that shouldn't yet be crossed. A few of the Edenites inwardly hypothesized that their lack of physical contact might also have to do with True and Uly. It was likely that the parents would feel compelled to speak with both kids and officially bring them up to speed on the profound change in the pair's relationship before there could be any major change in how they displayed their affection for one another.

But in the meantime, now that there had been an open acknowledgment that Devon and John were indeed a couple, at Bess' urging, the rest of the group decided to come clean about their prior speculation on the subject. Neither leader knew what to make of the crew's revelations and both wore indescribable expressions as the group described-- in a manner that was safe for children's ears, of course-- their various enterprises to catch Devon and Danziger together during the past months, even after they'd unsuccessfully confronted them just over eight weeks before. Danziger was especially shocked to learn that his own daughter had been complicitous in the endeavor to spy on him. Luckily, the conversation was quickly changed to more mundane subjects in order to allow Devon and John's comfort levels to return to normal; or at least, to as normal as it had been before the delicate discussion had been broached.

After an hour or so by the firelight, Danziger let out an exaggerated yawn and proclaimed that he was turning in for the night. As he labored to his feet, he leaned over to kiss True on the top of her head and was sure to roughly tousle Uly's hair until it was a curly mess.

"Daddy, can I stay up a little longer?" True chimed in with expectant eyes as she scurried onto his newly vacated makeshift chair.

"Sure thing, True-girl," he replied without a second thought. "And don't forget that you're spendin' one more night in Devon's tent, so I can rest up, okay?"

"Mmm-kay," she agreed.

As Danziger exchanged various good-nights with the crew, a still-seated Devon relayed, "Don't worry, I'll make sure that True gets to bed on time."

"Thanks for offering, but I already got it covered," he said, ignoring the flash of confusion on Devon's face at hearing his response and, instead, exchanging a brief nod with Yale.

The circle around the campfire went oddly quiet as Devon furthered, "Do you need Julia to give you a pain-block so you can sleep?"

The mechanic swept the hair from his eyes as he turned to face her. "Nope, I'm fine."

Their gazes remained locked and Devon felt the need to say something, but had absolutely no idea as to what would be appropriate under the current circumstances.

"Just..." she finally stumbled, "Just get some rest, okay?"

Her words hung in the air a few moments before Danziger at last replied, "Yeah."

He eventually was forced to break eye contact as he passed by, but couldn't resist giving Devon's upper arm a gentle squeeze as he embarked on the short journey to the newly re-erected Danziger tent located at the edge of camp. As Danziger vanished into the darkness, the leader considered standing up and calling out to him, but decided that it would be best to hold her tongue for the moment. Instead, she ignored the looks and whispers exchanged between the various crew members and initiated a discussion about the following day's proposed route.

Another forty-five minutes went by and the campfire was quickly transforming from fiery embers into a pile of discarded ash before Devon decided to turn the topic back to the mechanic.

She pivoted to face the doctor seated to her right. "Julia, are you going to check on Danziger again tonight?" she queried. "I mean, don't you think that you should be monitoring his injuries a little more closely?"

Julia didn't hesitate in her reply. "I spent most of the day with him in the 'Rover," she informed her. "He's doing fine; much better than I would've ever expected considering the circumstances of the past week. He did an amazing job of popping his dislocated shoulder back into place. And the bone vaccine for his fractured ribs took effect just before you called for a stop this afternoon."

The last part of the physician's assessment inspired lots of nodding from the group as comprehension collectively dawned on all of them. "I guess that explains why we heard all of that profanity coming from the 'Rover," Baines pointed out.

"Yeah, most of us just figured that you were makin' up for lost time and got into another pissing match with him," Walman exclaimed to Devon before Magus tightened her grip on his hand in an effort to get him to be quiet.

"What?" he loudly whispered to his paramour, having no clue that he'd said anything that could be considered inappropriate. Magus responded by shaking her head in exasperation. Yep, things were certainly back to normal, all right.

Devon didn't appear to be listening to the Ops-crewman, nor did she seem to be completely swayed by Julia's words, so the doctor attempted to calm her concerns.

"Don't worry, Devon. Tomorrow morning, I'll probably give him another boost of nutritional supplements to counter any residual dehydration and malnutrition symptoms and I'll be sure to recheck the stitching on his stomach laceration. But he's healing very well and I don't anticipate any problems."

Despite the assurances, it was obvious that the leader remained conflicted, thus opening the door for Bess to chime in with her own two credits. "You know, Devon, it might not be such a bad idea if you were to look in on him anyway," she offered in a voice saturated with saccharin, wearing the barest hint of a smile. "Just in case he needs anything."

Alonzo and several others shook their heads in concurrence, prompting Devon to climb to her feet. There was no time like the present and Devon would never forgive herself if John was trapped in his tent, writhing in agony and unable to call for help, while the rest of the unsuspecting group sat only a few hundred yards away.

"Okay," she agreed before turning toward the children. She reached out in a failed attempt to smooth out the part in Uly's now-hopelessly tangled hair. "I'm going to visit Mr. Danziger, but I'll be back in a few minutes."

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This is insane, Devon inwardly mused as she navigated through the blackness of camp, using the well-placed but limited inventory of lumalanterns as beacons to ascertain her current location, as well as to just barely light her path. She slowed as she neared Danziger's darkened quarters, listening for his trademark one hundred decibel snore and, more importantly, for any noise that might be construed as a sign that he was currently in some sort of distress. However, to her surprise, she heard absolutely nothing at all.

Devon's brain began to work overtime as she wondered if the deafening silence might be an indication that Danziger was in even more trouble than she'd ever considered. What if he'd suffered a head injury that had been carelessly left untreated? Or what if a shard of bone from his rib fractures had made its way into his bloodstream? What if Julia had missed something regarding the gash in his stomach? Of course, knowing Danziger as she did, it was also all too conceivable that perhaps he had been injured much worse than he'd ever let on yet continued to say nothing because he was too damn pigheaded or because he didn't want anyone to dote over him. There were so many possibilities, all of which did nothing to decrease her worry.

The uneasiness continued to grow within her as she jerked the crease of the tent open and barged in, unsure as to what she would find inside.

"Well, it's about shankin' time," came a holler from the opposite side of the almost pitch black enclosure that was equal parts amusement and annoyance. "If you hadn't shown up in the next ten minutes, I was gonna go out there and personally drag your ass back here."

Devon was frozen in place, totally unprepared. God, how she sometimes hated John Danziger's ability to expertly and effortless twist her head around until she no longer knew which way was up.

"I, uh," she staggered out as she scrambled to regain her bearings. "Hold on. You've been waiting for me?"

"Damn right," he replied.

The unpleasant shrill of rusty, well-weathered springs retracting to their original shape alerted Devon that he had risen from his cot and was now crossing the room to meet her at the tent's threshold. Her eyes adjusted to the lack of light and she was at last able to make out the details of Danziger's silhouette as he arrived directly in front of her. She decided that it would most certainly be in her best interest to retake control of the situation as quickly as possible.

"You're not supposed to be on your feet," she said in a challenging tone, her eyes almost daring him to take issue with her words. Luckily for the both of them, John had no such intention.

"I don't plan on standing for very long," he revealed with a sideways smile, just before arching forward to place a soft, but confident kiss on Devon's lips.

After parting, his mouth remained mere inches from hers and he waited for her response to the gesture. Devon's initial shock almost immediately transformed to desire and she permitted her instincts to take over. She reclosed the distance between them, burying her hands in his hair while he snaked his arms around her waist to pull her hard against him.

It briefly flashed in her mind that at this time yesterday, she was laying alone in her bed, consumed with sadness and regret over Danziger's loss and of how much he'd meant to her. There was so much that she had wanted to tell him; so much that she'd wanted to hear. Never in a million years would she ever have imagined that she'd be in his arms right now. It was like she'd somehow been granted a second chance and it truly made her feel like the luckiest person in the world.

Yet despite her current good fortune, Devon still couldn't resist issuing orders. "You really should be in bed right now," she insisted in between ever-deepening kisses.

"Goin' back there right now," he muttered against her mouth as he began to drift backward, gently tugging at her to match his movements.

At first, Devon didn't offer any resistance to his efforts as they ambled back across the room. But when she heard the sound of Danziger's legs coming into contact with his bed-frame, she forced her head to catch up to her heart before her emotions had completely spiraled out of control and she would no longer be able to stop herself.

"Wait, we can't do this now," she gasped almost pleadingly, as John's mouth forged a trail down her neck toward her shoulder. "I have to go. The kids-"

"-are taken care of," the mechanic interrupted, only half-listening, his mind clearly centered on other things at the moment. "I'm sure Yale knows that you're staying with me tonight."

Devon's entire body involuntarily stiffened, mostly because she was horrified that Yale, her life-long mentor and surrogate father, was seemingly aware of plans in which she was spending the night with a man. Although she wasn't sure why, Devon suddenly felt as though she was a teenager sneaking off without permission in the middle of the night with her non-approved boyfriend, instead of an accomplished woman in her mid-thirties who was spending time with a good man whom she was deeply in love with.

"I am?" she gulped, her face suddenly flushed.

Now it was Danziger's turn to regain control of the situation. He raised his gaze back up to Devon's, but didn't loosen his grip.

"You are," he assured in a low, determined voice.

Devon remained flustered and was still attempting to digest the newest turn of events when she blurted out, "Did you conspire with the group to get me into your tent?"

Danziger had the good taste to be slightly offended by the accusation. "I didn't have to say or do a damn thing. I'm sure that everyone figured out that you'd end up here." He added with a raised eyebrow, "Except for you, I guess."

His words brought about a hesitant chuckle from Devon, effectively lightening the mood. John took the opportunity to tentatively reach out to delicately trace her smile lines with a calloused thumb before edging forward and planting several kisses along her cheekbone.

"So are you stayin' or not?" he whispered into her ear in a voice thick with passion, sending shudders throughout her entire body. "I want an answer right now."

Devon closed her eyes, her senses reeling as if she was in the midst of riding a VR roller-coaster that had crested and was now plummeting full speed toward the earth. Sure enough, thanks to John Danziger, her head was completely twisted around yet again. And the best part of all was that, as befuddled and downright discomposed as he often made her feel, she knew that she wouldn't have it any other way.

She cupped John's sizable, still-bruised jaw in her small hands and forcibly returned his eye level to hers.

"I'm not going anywhere," she promised before leaning in to kiss him, eagerly prying apart his lips with her own.

It instantly became a testament to the art of multi-tasking as the two began to hungrily kiss and rediscover one another's bodies, while simultaneously attempting to discard both their own and the other's various articles of clothing. As John yanked his shirt over his head and let it fall at their feet, he could see and feel Devon as she valiantly engaged in a losing battle to remove her shoes. Hoping to assist her and, more importantly, to speed the process of clothing removal along, he scooped her up into his arms, raising her several inches from the dirt floor to enable her to more easily kick off the offending items. But rather than accept the presented opportunity, Devon all but forgot about the shoes and, instead, began a different struggle; and this time it was against Danziger.

"John, stop. Put me down," she commanded as she started to squirm against him, reaching up to lightly shove at his shoulders with her hands. "You need to be careful."

Despite Danziger being in the midst of nibbling on Devon's earlobe, the only partially feigned annoyance could clearly be discerned. "Jesus Christ, Adair, for once in your life, would you stop tellin' me what to do?!?"

He somehow resisted the urge to unceremoniously drop her on her backside and, instead, chose to roughly lower her to the ground. Meanwhile, Devon ceased her wrangling and delicately wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her forehead into his non-injured shoulder.

"I'm sorry. It's just that I don't want to accidentally hurt you. There's no way that you aren't in pain right now," Devon relayed with concern, her voice muffled against his chest. "Are you okay? I mean, are you well enough to do this?"

As she spoke, her obvious anxiety over his welfare evaporated any true irritation that Danziger might have harbored at the moment and he briefly chastised himself for misreading the situation. He then took a much needed moment to marvel at how, even now, Devon Adair still managed to surprise him regarding the depth of her feelings for him, as well as how deeply he had fallen in love with her.

Danziger's body relaxed as he returned Devon's warm embrace, kissing the top of her brow at her auburn hairline. He arched his shoulders backward just far enough to allow him to snake his hand in between their bodies. Gently placing his thumb and index finger beneath her lowered chin, he slowly directed Devon's gaze back to his.

"Just don't sucker-punch me in the gut and I'll be fine," he declared with a devilish gleam in his eye, lightly stroking her cheek.

Devon's mouth arched into a coquettish grin. "I'll try to resist the temptation," she bantered back, her eyes still half-closed as she enjoyed his delicate caress.

"Thanks in advance," he responded while they simultaneously tilted forward and shared a tender, lingering kiss.

This time their emotions as well as their actions were much less frenzied as they carefully and with deliberate control began to cast aside the rest of their clothing, including Devon's problem footwear. Once the task was finally accomplished, Danziger edged his way back onto his cot with Devon mirroring his path backward until she was laying directly on top of him.

As their embrace continued, Danziger could sense that Devon remained concerned about her touch causing him physical discomfort and she was obviously refusing to allow most of her weight to directly press against his stomach, ribs and formerly dislocated shoulder. Hoping to ease her stress as well as to enhance the experience for both parties, John gingerly inched his way out from beneath her and rotated his frame until he was on top gazing down into her sapphire, slightly unfocused eyes.

Devon's apprehension dissipated, only to be replaced with an all-encompassing need, and she arched her head forward, kissing him vigorously. She began to draw him to her, desperately seeking to mold his body perfectly with her own. However, just as they were about to be joined into one, to Devon's great surprise, John pulled back, his attention suddenly diverted elsewhere.

"John?" she asked breathlessly as the mechanic performed a quick scan of the darkened room. "Is everything all right?"

There was merriment in Danziger's eyes and more than a hint of snark in his voice when his gaze returned.

"Just taking a quick mental inventory of where my clothing is," he declared. "I seem to remember the last time I was in a situation like this, some of my stuff went missing."

Devon's eyes grew wide and her mouth dropped open which only added to Danziger's amusement. He angled forward, his dirty-blond hair brushing against and causing a tickling sensation along the sensitive skin of her cheek.

"But I guess you don't know anything about that, huh?" he furthered in a tone saturated with cynicism.

Devon took a second or two to form an appropriate response. She certainly had no intention whatsoever of providing John with a confession which would undoubtedly relinquish what she'd considered to be her current upper hand in their continuous battle of wills. As such, she made a valiant attempt at forcing her features to form a deadpan expression. She wasn't even remotely successful.

"Not a clue."

Devon could feel the husky chuckle deep within John's chest as he relowered himself to her, carefully arranging his frame until the entire lengths of their bodies were once again in direct contact.

"Whatever you say, Devon," he murmured just before capturing her mouth in a passionate kiss.

The struggle for control between the two strong personalities was immediately and willingly abandoned in favor of more pleasureful pursuits. The pounding strength of their intermingling heartbeats filled their ears and caused a pulsing sensation which reverberated throughout their bodies, though they chose to follow a decidedly different rhythm. Very few words needed to be spoken between them. Instead, they used their bodies as their instruments of communication, articulating their deep affection and unwavering devotion with every subtle shift and with each gentle yet powerful caress.

As their lovemaking progressed and intensified, Devon and John continued to explore one another, eagerly searching every inch of their partner in the hopes of discovering any and all hidden places which could serve to heighten their experience. And when such secrets were revealed, the action was gleefully exploited until their lover begged for either reprieve or relief, serving to fuel their own desire in the process.

Their breaths evolved into strained gasps and they tightened their grips on one another as their mutual need for release could no longer be held at bay. Once achieved, the pair collapsed into exhaustion, their aching bodies still actively seeking out one another to continue their thirst for closeness. Danziger briefly left Devon's side in order to retrieve a lightweight blanket that had been temporarily banished to the foot of the cot. He smoothed out the fabric, draping it over them both as he returned to his former position, wrapping his arm and leg around Devon, pulling her as close as he could without disrupting the bandage covering his abdomen. At that moment, there was so much that the couple wished to say to one another. But as their desire quickly surrendered to mutual fatigue, their words would have to wait.

For now, there would only be sleep.

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