She'd show him. Grinning, she wrote out a list and snuck it to Marius. He glanced at it and frowned. Maybe she wouldn't get away with it after all.

"Miss, this item, just two?" He raised an eyebrow. Meryn couldn't figure out what he meant. She shook her head, looking at him questioningly. He drew the letter 'A'. 'A?' Oh! Alpha! She should get enough for everyone.

"Twelve?"

He nodded. "That sounds about right. Enjoy your breakfast, little miss. I'll leave shortly to get you a working laptop." He bowed and left the room.

"He kicks so much ass!" Meryn fist pumped the air. She looked over and realized that Aiden was absorbed in his gun. Muttering to herself, she opened his laptop and waited for internet access.

Over the next twenty minutes she finished her breakfast and her second and third cappuccinos. She was about to give up when she saw the familiar landing site to her server. It took her another ten minutes to open up the reports she had compiled the day prior. She was missing something obvious and it was eating her alive. She pulled up the information about the first couple that had gone missing, then the information for the second. What about these two couples linked them together? Why now?

"That's an impressive little growl you have." Aiden's voice startled her.

"I was growling?" She asked. Aiden nodded.

"It was very sexy."

"Dork."

"Now that's something I can honestly say I've never been called." Aiden laughed. Meryn rolled her eyes. She couldn't even insult him, his head was too big. She frowned down at the laptop.

"Why?" She thought out loud.

"What?" Aiden asked.

"Nothing, just talking to myself."

"Well, you have fun. I'm taking Gavriel back to the barracks to meet with Sascha about yesterday. Colton, Darian and Keelan will stay here." Aiden leaned down, kissed her on the lips and turned to walk away. Meryn felt her heart seize. She reached up and grabbed his shirt. It seemed like if he stayed with her nothing bad would happen. He turned and knelt down in front of her.

"I'll be back before you know it. I have to check in with the men and feed Jaws."

"Jaws? What do you have, like a Rottweiler or something?" Aiden blushed and shook his head.

"I have a fish."

"A piranha?"

"No. A clownfish." She blinked and he scowled at her as if daring her to laugh.

"You have a clownfish named Jaws?" She asked and then it hit her. She began to giggle.

"You liked Finding Nemo didn't you?" If anything his face turned a deeper shade of red.

"That's too much!" She fell to her side giggling. Aiden continued to scowl at her.

"It's the ultimate story of survival! Nemo is taken by the enemy, but his father doesn't give up trying to retrieve him. He forms unlikely alliances and conquers his fears to get his son back. Nemo also refuses to remain a prisoner and follows the warriors code to escape and return to his family unit." Aiden explained. Meryn sat up and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You have to be the most adorable man I have ever met. I am so lucky Fate threw us together." She hugged him close.

"I am not adorable. I am the Unit Commander, my enemies tremble ..." She kissed him soundly.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. You're uber scary."

He wrapped his strong arms around her and nuzzled her neck until she squealed. "I love you Meryn. And I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe." He pulled back and she saw the determination and vulnerability in his eyes. Her throat tightened, she had never loved anything more than the man in front of her.

"I love you too, I didn't feel safe until you were there."

He held her close.

She pulled back and kissed him gently on the lips. "Go feed Jaws, I can't wait to meet your fierce little fish."  

He stood. "Be good." She just stared up at him.

"Try to be good?" She nodded.

"Aiden." She called as he walked through the door.

He turned. "Yes?"

"Thank you for coming for me." His smile was warm and kind, but his eyes scorched her with a promised heat. He closed the door behind him.

"Damn period!" She muttered and went back to Aiden's archaic laptop.

*****

By noon Meryn was ready to slit her wrists or beat Aiden with his own laptop, it was a toss-up. Finally pushed past her levels of patience, which was practically nonexistent for page loading anyway, she slammed the lid down on the laptop and decided to get a shower. She let the antique drop to the floor and went to her suitcase. Should she claim a drawer? Was this her new room? She dug through her clothes and made a mental note to ask about their future. Feeling belligerent she picked out one of her favorite tees that read "I Hate Everybody!" and went to the bathroom. While getting ready she realized that she was over her cycle. She did a little happy dance in the shower. As she shampooed her hair, she debated on the best way to let Aiden know.

"Come on, big boy, you, me and Jaws." Meryn snort laughed, which was a mistake because she inhaled a nose full of water. Coughing and sputtering and feeling grumpier than ever she finished her shower and got dressed. She left Aiden's laptop on the floor and walked out the door. She was just about to take the first step down the stairs when she looked at the banister.

And looked at it.

She glanced around to see if anyone was watching. Throwing caution to the wind she climbed up on the wooden handrail, took a deep breath and shifter her weight.