Love and War

Part III- Lovers?

Sage POV:
My body felt weak. I was confused as to where I was, I tried to open my eyes but I just couldn't get the strength to. Why do I feel this way, what happened? My memory was foggy, the last thing I could remember was meeting that woman and leaving the bar. Mmm Natalie, that was her name. It's such a beautiful name. My God she was perfect. Wait. The woman. All the memories of the fight came back to me, she lied to me. Who was she really? I started to get feeling in my body again, my eyes shot open and I jumped up searching for the substance. 'No. NO! Shit, my dad's gonna kill me, literally' I thought to myself. I ran out of the lab to see it was already night time. I checked my watch to see it was already 7:00. My phone buzzed, I checked to see who it was and saw almost 100 missed calls and texts from my parents, Ryker, and Etana. How could I mess this up so bad?
Well, maybe I didn't mess this up as bad as it seems. I still had one more chance. I sent a quick text to my father to let him know I needed more time. I went back to the hydra facility and snuck into my room, avoiding everyone. I changed into some dressier clothes and headed to the bar to meet Nat. I had made a plan that could work but risk her knowing my face. I would walk her to the place she's staying at and then knock her out and get what I needed. Quick in and out. Easy. When I made my way to the bar it was already 8:55, I took a seat and waited for her. As I was there I started to get lost in my thoughts. 'How could I let someone get in my head. She probably knew who I was all along, she used me! Natalie probably isn't even her real name. Why do I still feel the need to care for her? If she knows who I was then she probably won't even show. Ugh I'm so stupid!' The sounds of the bells to the entrance of the bar brought me out of my thoughts again. "Hey Alex, ready to go?" The sound of her voice made me angry and I was ready to confront her. When I turned around to do so, my words got caught in my throat. She was wearing a black dress that had an opening at her leg, she looked- beautiful. It was like time stopped, she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. My anger was washed away, I studied her eyes and body movements. She didn't know who I really was, she didn't use me. Everything was real. "Wow. You look so beautiful," I reply pulling her into a hug. I take her hand in mine, "well, let's get going." As we were walking to the restaurant I thought Nat would like, we made small talk. After a while we fell into a comforting silence. 'Maybe I could just say the substance wasn't there. No, they'll know I'm lying. She's the enemy, I can't let my personal feelings get in the way right now. Feelings, what even are these feelings. I've never even felt what I feel right now.' As we get closer to the restaurant I offer her my arm and she interlocks hers into mine. She moves closer into me and her warmth brings me happiness. I give the receptionist my fake name for the reservation I had made, yes I made a reservation for a classy restaurant expecting a romantic night, everything I have been against ever since I can remember. As we take our seats at our table she says, "well I'm impressed Kosh, I never took you as a romantic." "Oh trust me, I'm anything far from that but you, Rushman, well what can I say. You bring something different out of me." As the night goes on we talk to each other and she's actually a really nice person. I can't go through with the my plan anymore, I mean maybe I could just go home and hope no one questions about it until I can make up a really good excuse. No! No I can't. They'll punish me in ways I don't even want to think about right now. I have to go through with my plan, for my family. 'No mercy.' As we finish up dinner, I offer to walk her back to where she's staying.

Nat POV:
As I entered the bar I could tell Alex was tense. I checked my watch and saw it was already 9:15, she probably thought I wasn't going to show. As she turned around I was in shock, I have never seen anyone as beautiful as her. She was wearing black pants, a red button up shirt, and a black blazer. She looked perfect. As we made our way over to the restaurant she had picked we had been talking until we fell into a silence. Usually I can't really take silence but it was comforting. I would look at her and noticed she was worried about something, my gut told me to question her but I decided to ignore it. As we got close to the restaurant, Alex offered her arm for me to take and I proceeded to wrap mine around it. I snuggled into her, she made me feel safe and secure. It was like everything I had blocked off myself from feeling was rushing in. The restaurant was pretty classy and the area our table was at gave off a romantic vibe. "Well Kosh, I never took you as a romantic." She replied with a smile and takes my hand in hers across the table, "Oh trust me, I'm anything far from that but you, Rushman, well what can I say. You bring something different out of me." We went on to have dinner and just talk to each other and she was different. Something about her had me intrigued and actually wanting to keep this night going. As we make it out of the restaurant she asks, "may I walk you to where you're staying?" I nod my head excitedly causing her to giggle at my eagerness. I loved the sound of it. As we're walking hand in hand back to my hotel she says, "Nat, I'm not going to lie I usually don't do this. I've been in relationships before but I don't do feelings. Being with you has made me feel things that I have never allowed myself to feel. I'm just telling you this because there's just something about you that makes me want to actually run with this." We finally approach my hotel and I face her before replying, "I was taught that love was for children, so I'm not going to lie either. I definitely didn't expect anything like this but I think I want to run with this too." She put her arms around my waist and I wrapped mine around her neck. We both leaned in slowly, getting closer and closer, and finally closing the gap between us. Her lips were so soft and she tasted so good. It was a soft passionate kiss filled with something different. It wasn't just lust but more of something else, I think people would call love?

Sage POV:
As I walk her back to her hotel my thoughts about the mission were gone from my head. The only thing I could think and focus on was this beautiful woman with me. As we arrived at her hotel I couldn't hold what I was really feeling in anymore. I turned to face her and my mouth went on a ramble about how I didn't do feelings. After I finished my rant I expected her to walk away and think I was a weirdo but she confessed to feeling the same way. She was the same as I was, feelings were never really taught to us. I placed my arms around her waist pulling her in and she placed hers on my neck. We finally leaned in completely and the kiss was... different. It felt right, her lips fit perfectly with mine and were so soft, she tasted like peach. I felt something in my chest, it wasn't just lust. It was a feeling I've shoved away over and over, was this love? She pulled away with a smile and her eyes were still closed, I wanted more, no. I needed more. Natalie had me completely hooked. When she finally opened her eyes they met mine and we both just looked at each other, admiring the moment. "I better get going to my room." She said, breaking the silence. "Oh yeah. I better get home." As I was walking away she grabbed my arm and pulled me back to her, "maybe you could come up for a drink or something." "Natalie Rushman, I would love to come up for a drink or something" I say with a wide smile on my face. When we entered her room she pinned me against the door and started kissing me passionately. She bit on my bottom lip making me moan. I flipped her so she was now against the wall and I started kissing on her neck. Her moans were like music to my ears, I wanted nothing more than to pleasure her. As we were making out she said my fake name between moans and that brought the thoughts of my mission back. We finally pulled away breathless and she said, "as much as I want you right now I feel like we should do this right. I don't want to just hook up with you, I actually want our first time to be something special." As much as I wanted to deny it something in me was agreeing with her. "I totally agree with you, you're special and you deserve so much more than that. I want to do things right with you." She went into the restroom to change into something more comfortable leaving me in my thoughts. 'Now is my chance. When she comes out I could just hit her over the head with something and take the substance and complete my mission. No mercy. No. Mercy. NO MERCY!' I was brought out of my thoughts when I heard her say something from the restroom, "Hey baby, do you want to just sleep over? It's pretty late and I don't want anything to happen to you. You can borrow some of my pajamas if u want." Oh fuck this. Screw the plan, I'll get the substance another way. "Uh yeah. That would be great actually." She finally finishes changing and comes out of the restroom. She goes over to the dresser and pulls out some baggy clothes for me to borrow. "Here you go. If you don't like them then just let me know and I'll get you others." "Thank you baby." As I was in the restroom washing my face, I looked into my reflection. How could I let something like this get in the way of my job. I never let this happen, I literally would miss dates and anniversaries with Etana just because I needed to finish a mission. Yet here I am, putting everything on the line for this woman I barely met hours ago. To top it all off, this woman is an enemy but from where? Who did she work for? I finally finished changing and made my way out to where Nat was. She was sitting on the bed watching a movie. She looked over to me and pat the place next to her. I sat where she motioned me to and laid down staring at the ceiling, "Do you ever feel like you have no control of your life? Like you've been living a certain way and you just want to give it up and do what you want for once?" She paused the movie and laid next to me, staring at the ceiling as well. "There's not a day that goes by where I haven't felt that way. Sometimes I wish I could be stubborn but I just can't." Maybe I should just tell her, I mean maybe she'll understand. Yes, I'll tell her that I was the other person at the lab. "Nat, I have to tell you something," I blurt out. She rolls to her side to face me, "and what is that Alex?" I opened my mouth but words didn't form. What was I thinking? I can't just tell her. "I'm falling for you so hard. In fact, I think I already fell" I say to her instead. I mean it wasn't like I was lying, I meant every word I said. She leaned over and placed a soft kiss on my lips. "I've already fallen for you too." Her words made me fill with happiness. She cuddled up to me and I held her so close to me as if she was about to disappear from me forever. We finally drifted off to sleep.