Axton was eager for this day to be over with considering what his allies back at headquarters might wonder upon his return. He was still smoldering from his exchange with Angel and as much as the ex-soldier would like to think he was a graceful liar and expert at concealing his moods, he simply wasn't.

As soon as the commando returned to Sanctuary he rented a boarding house room for the night. Once locked away from prying eyes, the ex-soldier stripped himself of his guns and their holsters, removed his boots and combat jacket, and bonelessly collapsed onto room's bed.

If he could just get to sleep everything that had happened in the last few hours would be behind him. No more bitter thoughts towards the words Hyperion's former siren had uttered and (potentially more importantly) no more worrying whether the commando had made the right decision to leave her alone in her current state of mind. Sleep, however, did not come swiftly. Instead, Axton lay painfully awake, desperately trying to think of anything other than the day's happenings.

When the commando's room did eventually (thankfully) begin to dim he soon realized, despite his efforts, it wasn't from the heavy darkness that accompanied sleep. While his vision darkened he was still very much aware of his surrounding. He could still make out the sounds that leaked in from the streets outside, could still feel Sanctuary's engines continuously hum with small vibrations.

Hesitantly, Axton drew himself up, failing to identify any illumination. Even the constant sliver of light that peaked from the gap separating the door from the floor eluded him. Surely, it couldn't be late enough into the night for street lamps to fade, for Moxxi's bar to close up, subsequently switching off the establishment's neon signs? No, the ex-soldier thought, even if he'd been laying around for what felt like hours it couldn't be that time of night yet, could it? Better safe than sorry. The commando fumbled for the end of his bed, seeking out where he'd left his weapons. The click of his door unlocking stilled Axton before he could locate anything.

"Please tell me you're a beautiful woman." He hissed as another click indicated door had been bolted back into position. "If you're anything less I'll give you one chance to get lost. I'm in no understanding mood tonight."

"Axton-" The interloper managed a soft reply before slipping into a hesitant silence, but that was enough for the commando to identify his company.

"Angel." He groaned as his muscles relaxed for one reason only to immediately tense up for another. "Well, this explains why I can't see a damn thing. You've been messing with the power up here haven't you?"

"I'm sorry."

It was as if the siren could manipulate Sanctuary's controls from anywhere with in the city (and for all Axton knew she could), for the street lights immediately flickered back to life beyond curtained windows. "The dark allows me to move around with greater ease."

"It also could cause someone to step off the side of the city and fall to their death with greater ease." Although he was trying to reign in his frustration, his words came out contemptuously. The relentless side of the ex-soldier was desperately holding onto anger he'd felt that afternoon in the Badlands, even though the logical side knew full well that the words earlier had been exchanged in the heat of upset and confusion. Angel probably hadn't mean much of anything she'd done today, and neither had he.

"I imagined you'd probably still be angry with me." Angel's reply was calm enough (if not a little quieter than usual) despite Axton's tone. "I don't blame you, considering what I said. If it is any consolation, I swear I didn't mean it and I am sorry."

"It's alright sweetheart. I get it." The commando sighed, running a hand through his hair. Her apology made it a little easier to let anger subside. This, however, did not prevent him from sounding sore and more than a little bitter. "Sure, what you said was pretty fucked up and makes me feel like you don't enjoy my company as much as I'd hoped you did, but I get it. "

"I-" Angel started, only to falter into silence a second later. For a long moment she alternated between looking awkwardly at him, then looking even more awkwardly down at herself. Axton watched this scene tiredly, trying to fathom what the siren had running through her head. Although he knew Angel better then she probably thought he did, the commando couldn't make out why she was gazing between them like that. Sure, the air was tense, but he didn't think that warranted such hard looks.

If only to ease a more familiar expression out of the siren Axton opened his mouth to utter something sly and flirtatious, but found himself holding his tongue when Angel moved. Slowly she advanced across the room, halting only once her knees gently bumped against his.

Holding his breath the ex-soldier stiffened at slight contact, looking up at her with bewilderment. Angle was a cautious, nervous woman, understandably so. She was unaccustomed to direct contact with others, and had kept what few acquaintances she had at arms length. Axton himself was held a distance away from her as well, even when she permitted him to kiss her. Now the siren had come to him, and she was coming closer.

"Axton-" She breathed, her voice wavering, her face lightly flushed. "I- I've always- been attracted to you."

"Come again?" He mumbled, his anger suddenly vanishing as a weight he had been craving for months final came to rest against him like a dream come true.

"I've always found you attractive." Although they both knew he'd heard her the first time Angel repeated herself. It had really been more for her benefit than his, but the words had come out no sharper then before.

"As much as I know telling you this will only feed your already mammoth ego, there is no doubt that you are an attractive man." Angel continued, blush darkening fiercely. "I've known this since the first time I saw an image of you."

"Then why are you telling me this?"

"I know what I said today was unreasonable." She stated simply. "I- I find you attractive and I've never wanted to hurt someone I've been so captivated with. There is a reason why I chose to rebel against Jack when I did. So when I say I'm sorry I want you to know that I really mean it."

"O- Oh yeah?" Although the siren didn't appear to notice Axton's voice hitched. As still as Angel had become since she had stopped in front of him, her thighs lightly touching against his legs, he was having a rather difficult time controlling his bodily instincts. If she so much as flinched, the commando imagined quite clearly that he might attempt something stupid, so he tried as hard as he could to concentrate on her words instead of her body which was so tauntingly close. "I thought you rebelled when you did 'cuz you'd finally had enough of Jack."

"That is accurate, but I had more then one motive. You had been speaking to me through abandoned echo channels, and while I rarely answered your flirtations I was still effected by them. By the time you and the others made it to my control core, I wasn't just attracted to you, I felt for you. I still do."

"You never mentioned anything like that at the time."

"I wasn't exactly in a position to mention anything." She reminded him. "Besides, I've never had the luxury to believe in wishful thinking and there were more important things going on. There still are more important things going on. What right did I have to divert your attention away from a planet that needed you? That still needs you?"

Axton wanted to tell Angel she had every fucking right to divert his thoughts from Pandora. Given the siren's history she certainly was in need of some positive attention. Pandora could survive without him shooting at something a few hours each day. After all, he wasn't the only vault hunter on this planet. Not to mention that he would have been overjoyed to be distracted by her then, and especially now. Yet, the commando was already tempted by Angel's proximity. He didn't trust what he might do if he elaborated, so the ex-soldier kept his response simple.

"You have plenty of right to distract me."

The siren stared at him, her pretty eyes shifting in the dark light of the room as she considered. Then, after what seemed like an eternity, she gripped his shoulders, the touch light but stabilizing, as she bent and raised a knee to rest on one side of him, soon following action with the other.

"That-" She breathed quietly as she lowered herself to straddle him. "-I think, would be very selfish of me, but everyone on this planet is a little bit. Do you think it would be alright if I chose to be selfish, as least when it come to you?"

In the end it was her voice that did him in. At those words, with the former Hyperion siren seated atop him, Axton realized he should have known better than to focus all his energy into listening to Angel instead of feeling her. That mesmerizing voice of hers had lured him into so many hell holes and lead him to the vault key. It could be just as sweet and sexy as any of her siren curves. And as she uttered that last sentence, her seductive voice essentially asking if she could be selfish with having him, he knew the last of his restraints were gone.

A/N: God this took sooooooooooooooooooooooo long to get right. I have literally been working on this chapter for months! For some reason I had a really hard time writing it and for that I am VERY sorry. At least I'm sorry it took my so long to write it. Hopefully it was a little bit worth the wait. As always thankies for reading and please review!