"Sheena … shush, honey. It's alright. It's going to be alright," Nate said roughly, unable to listen anymore. Hearing her feelings was torturous. He put a finger over her lips to keep her from talking. It was late and he was weakening. Yes. That's precisely what was happening.
"I'm getting dizzy, Nate. Take me to bed. We can talk tomorrow," Sheena said, hugging him tighter.
"Need my help tucking her in?" Angus asked, fighting his grin.
"No," Nate said sternly. "I think you've done quite enough for one evening."
"Sheena insisted on scientifically testing us, ya know. Insisted on it," Angus said. "The woman's stubborn and determined. She's not going to let up until she knows the truth."
Nate nodded. "Yes. I knew that when she said she was coming here. I've sent word to the Guardians."
"Okay then. Since a few more things are now out on the table for discussing, I'm going to call this a good night. I best be finding my own bed. Good luck to ya, Nate." Angus opened the door and stepped out. "Evening, Berg."
Nate heard "Berg is here" as Angus closed the door.
Nate sighed when they were finally alone and squeezed the woman in his arms. "Okay Sheena, let's get you to bed."
Nodding against him, she let him lead her to the first open room he saw. Inside was a well-worn set of luggage, including an open medical satchel. He knew then he'd chosen the right one.
When he turned loose of her to turn down the covers, Sheena shucked her clothes off at what seemed like light speed. In under ten seconds, he was staring once more at the most beautiful naked female his eyes had ever seen. The problem was … she wasn't really his to look at anymore.
Nate rubbed his chest and fought the agony taking up residence there. Sheena's absolute trust in him to care for her was a painfully sweet understanding. She was crawling onto the bed when she finally looked back at him.
"What are you waiting for? Get undressed. I'm cold and these rooms are always freezing at night."
"Sheena, I don't think this is a good idea," Nate said, making himself be honest. His heart pounded hard when a naked Sheena rose to her knees, straightened her spine, and glared at him. He'd never wanted a woman more in his life.
"At least come to bed until I fall asleep. One day you're going to figure out that your horny wife is far more important than this stupid … " she waved her arms and looked around, but then she stopped. Her guilty, knowledge-filled gaze came back to his startled guilty one. "Oh … shit … I forgot. I'm not your wife anymore, am I?"
Nate shook his head. He couldn't speak for the painful knot clogging his throat. Damn Angus McNamara. Both of them. No, make that fucking all of them. Just especially the Universe 6 version. The irreverent, meddlesome man was now officially on his shit list.
"Never mind," Sheena said firmly, crawling under the covers. "It's just the ale talking. You can go back to your … duties … or whatever. I'll manage without you. I always did."
"Sheena … " Nate said her name softly. Pain caused by her drunken realization threatened to take him to his knees. Once there, he knew begging to stay would inevitably follow. He could feel the urge to grovel welling up like a tsunami inside him.
"No. It's okay, Nate. Really. I know I can't make you love me. I gave that up long ago. All the alien ale in the world can't make me more important to you than this fucking airship."
"That's not true," Nate denied fervently, even knowing he was arguing with a drunk who wouldn't remember his passionate disclaimer tomorrow.
Sheena snorted as she hunkered down under the covers. "Of course it's fucking true. That's why I left. All the ale did tonight was make me forget reality for a while, which was actually quite nice before the last ten minutes. Remind me to thank Angus tomorrow … right after I find out what the hell he is. Bri was right about them both, but I can't just leave her here with them. You're going to send her away to some fucking alien planet, and then I will hate you even worse. First, I lost you. Then I lost Dad and Mom. Bri's all I have left."
Nate didn't answer her. He couldn't.
After sighing out her resignation, Sheena closed her eyes tightly and passed out on the pillow. Her steady breathing assured him that she'd given up waiting on him to accept her offer to come to bed.
How many times had Sheena done that exact thing during their last year together? Little by little he'd watched her get better at not waiting up for him to return from whatever had claimed his attention that evening. A hundred years later and he could still barely get a full night's uninterrupted sleep, but then who was waiting for him in his quarters? No one now. There hadn't been anyone in a very long time, and no woman had ever minded his absence as much as Sheena had.