The darkness enveloped him like a seductive lover, as he moved forward. He scanned the area around him, and making sure there were no anomalies, advanced on his target. As he reached the fuel tanks, he planted the charges, and placing his hand on his comm link, gave it two short bursts. After a few seconds, a familiar female voice came over the set.

"Team two...charges are set...ready for egress"

Surveying his surroundings cautiously once more, he gives his comm link another short burst, and moves back from the tanks. He heads out of the complex, and just as he makes it to the mission van, he sees that she has arrived along with her team.

After the team is safely in the van, and all members are accounted for, the van pulls back to a safe distance, and the charges are triggered. As the tanks blow, the concussion from the explosion rocks the van. As it does, he suddenly loses his footing, and falls up against her. As they momentarily look into each others eyes, they smile slightly. He begins to speak, but at that moment the mission is declared a success and the van begins it's journey home.

As the door to the mission van access opens, and the team files out, hefollows closely behind her. As they reach the end of the access tunnel, he places his hand on her arm, and she turns to him.

"Would you like to get a cup of coffee...or something?"

She looks at him for a few moments, then smiling, nods."Yes...I think I would like that very much"

They proceed to walk down the hallway, side by side, in silence.

***********

After spending just few weeks with her, he knew that he had fallen completely in love. He had never felt this way about anyone before, and the thought of it scared him to death. Their missions had increased, and they had been spending more and more time together in Section, as well as outside of it. He felt as if she were his soulmate... and that she was his own personal angel.

Now, as he walked out the french doors, onto her patio, he deeply inhaled the cool, autumn air. He had decided that tonight would be thenight... tonight he would confess his love to her. It was New Year's Eve...a nd he was feeling especially romantic this year. He knew that he wanted... and needed... her in his life... and he wanted their time together to start as soon as possible.

He stood there, looking out over the city, marveling in it beauty and splendor, when he heard her slip up behind him. As she slowly put her arms around him, and pulled herself to his back, he closed his eyes. Every time she touched him, his heart would skip a beat, and his breath would catch in his throat. She had an almost unexplainable affecton him... and sometimes the thought of that unnerved him. But, nottonight... not now.

As he turn in her embrace, and faced her, he reached up and pushed a lock of hair back from her face. Looking deep into her eyes, he could envision their future together... he could see himself drifting to sleep in her arms each night... and waking to her angelic smile every morning.

As he continued to look at her, she pulled back slightly, and smiled."A penny for your thoughts."

He chuckles softly, then pulling her to him, embraces her firmly."I was just thinking... about... the future."

She pulls back, and with a serious look on her face, speaks."The future? Your future?"

He smiles."No... our future... together."

She smiles brightly, and lays her head on his chest. He can feel her breath through his sweater, and the feeling fills his heart with joy. As he loosens his embrace, she looks up at him.

"I was wondering...if maybe...you would consider...well..."

Before he can finish, the phone rings, and she moves back into the apartment to answer it. As he continues to stand on the balcony, looking out over the city, he can hear her speaking.

"Hello...yes...okay."

She hangs up the phone, and walking to the french doors, stands and looks at him.

"The mission is on deck...we are to come in."

He nods his head, and turns to look at her. As he steps through the french doors, she places her hand on his arm, and looking up at him, asks.

"What were you going to say? You never finished."

He raises his hand, and places the palm on her cheek. As he smiles weakly, he nods his head. "It can wait."

They gather up their coats, and exit her apartment, closing the door behind them.....

************

In all of his time at Section, this was the first time that he ever remembered their being a New Year's Eve party. Maybe, he thought to himself, that was what had evoked the mood in which he currently was in. As a rule, he was not an overly sentimental or emotional type, when it came to his life, but for some reason, this time was different.

It must have been because, no matter how hard he tried, New Year's Eve always brought back memories in general... and one memory in particular.

He could remember it like it was yesterday... not over ten years ago. He could remember standing on her balcony with her... the smell of the cool autumn air... and the warm beauty that she had radiated. He can also remember how happy he was, how he had planned on them starting their lives together. But, then, the call came, and he had to put his plans on hold. He thought for sure that it would be a short wait, but to his dismay, his entire chance at happiness died that night.

The mission went all wrong, and through some quirk of fate, she was seriously injured. She had suffered a gun shot wound to the head, and had been in a coma for over three months. When she came to, she only had partial memory, and that memory did not include any of the time they had spent together. He was like a stranger, in her eyes, and when he realized this, a piece of his heart died that day.

He had not pushed her... out of his love and respect for her... and because he didn't, she gave herself to another.Now, as he stood in the middle of Section, and gazed across the room at her, he could feel those old memories burning in his mind. It had gotten easier over the years, to push the thoughts and memories of their shared love to the back of his mind, but this year, for some reason, it was different. His arms ached to hold her... his heart longed to love her...and no matter what, he could never tell her. She must never know.

Still gazing at her, he sees her turn around, and walk towards him. His heart skips a beat, as she stops within a foot of him. He can feel the warmth of her body, the smell of her perfume, and his memories try to drift back. Shaking his head, to clear it, he smiles at her.

"Nice party... I must admit that it was quite a surprise though."

She takes a sip of eggnog, and smiles. "We thought that it might help boost moral... and it looks like it has worked."

He doesn't answer, and just s tands and looks at her. After a few moments, she gets a puzzled look on her face, and smiles

"Walter...is something wrong?"

Walter, jolted out of his memories, just chuckles, and looks at the floor. Then looking back up at her, smiles.

"No... nothing is wrong Madeline. Listen...I have some work to do... if you will excuse me?"

With that, Walter turns away, and walks across the lobby. As he does,Madeline pauses a moment, then returns to the others who had gathered in the lobby of Section for the New Year's Eve party.

END