Author's Note: I wanted to sleep, but no, the plot bunnies just wouldn't have that. ) Alright, I just thought I should mention that this story's a little bit AU. It is also heavily implied that people are doing the naughty dance.
Oh, and I take no responsibility if you overdose on the fluff.
When he saw her, snuggled up in the sheets like that, he smiled without even knowing it -- but the smile didn't last long.
"Jake, you okay?" She asked, her arms opening for him. It was times like this that he wished he could just say the magic words, and make this war end just so he wouldn't risk losing her.
"I'm fine, Cassie," he whispered, letting her lean his head on her shoulder.
"Was it--?" She wondered.
"Yeah."
They stayed like that for a while, submerged in Jake's bed, as a scientist went on and on about the mating habits of fish, or something like that. Speaking of mating habits, Jake started stroking Cassie's shoulder. It was a new habit of his. Something he'd picked up ever since...
His mind went to less pleasant matters. "Oh man," he moaned.
"What is it?" Cassie asked.
"Do you think you could do my biology paper for me?"
She titled his head up so he could look her right in the eyes. "Are you crazy? I thought we agreed, Jake Daniel Berenson, that you weren't going to abuse the fact that you're -- you know -- with a future vet."
He grinned and kissed her. "Okay then, abuse the fact that Professor McNeill is so in love with you."
Pillowed right in the right face. "Jake, shut up! He is not 'in love with me', he just thinks I'm a good student."
"Oh yeah, a good student," Jake pulled the pillow away. "I've seen the way he looks at you."
A peck on the cheek. That drove her nuts. "Only I get to look at you like that."
She just shook her head at him, prompting Jake to throw her on the bed and continue his theatrics.
"Oh, Cassie," he gasped. "You're such a good student! I can't wait to give you straight A's and teach you all about the human anatomy!"
"Well," Cassie laughed as she fought her boyfriend's roaming hands. "You'd make a much better teacher than Jake."
"Who's this Jake? Is he prettier than me?"
"Oh, not all, sir. I mean, that rugged chin compared to your..." Here a giggle popped out. "Sterling beard? Of course not. Those steel blue eyes compared to your I don't know what color they are orbs..."
Jake looked up from a rather sensuous part of her anatomy. "My eyes are steel blue?"
"Of course."
He was stroking Cassie's shoulder again. Not so much for her sake, since she was asleep now, but for his. It was a comfort thing. He needed comfort.
It'd been a long night. He, Rachel, and Tobias had been chased down by Hork-Bajir, almost eaten by Taxxon, and just to top the night off, engaged in carjacking -- as a tiger, bear, and hawk, no less.
Cassie and Ax had been left behind to come up with a plan.
It was then, with his hand on her shoulder, that Jake looked over at the bed. The empty one.
It'd been empty for 24 now. They still didn't know for sure, yet, if he was alive or dead.
Free or dead.
Just a week ago, Marco had been here. And he'd still be here if Jake hadn't fucked it all up.
He'd told Marco to watch the pools. Keep the Visser distracted.
He could still be alive, could still be free. They'd made miracle escapes before, every last one of them. But he'd never been gone this long. Even if he was trying to keep the Yeerks off his scent, he should've said something by now. To anyone.
The thing that grabbed Jake's heart in the middle of the night, the thing that made him sit up in cold fear, was the knowledge that they wouldn't have taken him dead. An Andalite Bandit, they'd keep alive. They'd take him.
Then it would all be over.
But it wasn't yet, Jake told himself as his fingers brushed against Cassie's warm skin. He still had her. He was still alive and free -- they all were. So they couldn't have taken Marco.
So he had to keep hope alive.
He had to.
It was kind of funny, Cassie reflected, that she'd been the one to get things started.
Jake had always been reluctant with her, and even more so now that the war was intensifying.
He'd didn't say it, but she knew -- he was scared to death of losing her. She could relate.
Especially after everything that had happened with Marco.
"Are you sure?" She'd asked him that night, worried that she was taking advantage of him.
She'd started crying in the middle of it. That'd scared him a little. It'd scared her, too, because she'd been thinking about how Marco was always making fun of her -- "So, how's the Fearless Leader in the sack? Would you rate him a 1 or a 0?" -- and now that she was thinking of him, she couldn't stop.
They'd never been the best of friends, but he was close. Almost like a little brother that didn't know when to leave you alone. She'd loved him. Not the same way she loved Jake, of course, but she loved him all the same.
And she knew Jake did, too. It was the look in Jake's eyes that had gotten to her the most. They were empty, cold. She wanted them to be like they'd been, that's why she took him to bed that night.
It wasn't their first, but things had been different since then. Tonight was the closest they'd come to normal. And tonight, Jake's grip was still tighter. But then again, so was hers.
But she didn't mind.
He could hold on as tight as he liked, Cassie told herself, because he kept her hope alive. The hope that Marco was alive. The hope that someday, some way, this war would end.
And the hope that as long as they still lay together, side by side, that they had something worth fighting for.
And someone to lean on.