Chapter 46 - "If you don't kiss me now, I'll punch you."

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"Once the school is secure," Townsend said, "you can enter with a team of my men and retrieve your charge."

"Thank you, sir," Donovan said.

When Townsend gave a nod, Donovan walked away. He navigated his way through the chaos of vans and military men, heading towards the line of ambulances. Every inch of him was bone weary and in some level of pain. But when he rounded a truck and spotted Carter sitting on the edge of an ambulance, he was able to push it aside. Her hair was falling out of its usual pony tail and there was a blanket draped over her shoulders.

When he stopped in front of her, the edge of her mouth tugged upwards. From her spot on the back of the ambulance they were almost at eye level.

"Link?" she asked.

Even with all the pain he knew she must be in, she thought of Link. A part of him loved her for that.

"They are still doing a sweep of the school. I won't be able to get in until they are done. I came to see how you are doing." His studied her, trying to see anything he had missed before. "How are you doing?"

For a second she didn't reply, as if doing the same to him.

"Better now."

A quiet moment slipped by as the world continued to rage on around them. It was as if they were a stone in the center of the stream, untroubled. A breeze gusted by whipping up stray pieces of Carter's hair.

Before it could obscure her face, Donovan reached out and pulled the strands away. He held them down, letting his fingers become tangled in her hair. Her eyes held him in place, making him forget all about the world storming around them. His eyes broke from hers, moving over the bruises on her face. With light fingers, he traced the mark on her cheek, then the one on her jaw. Each one was a reminder that he hadn't been fast enough to stop it.

"Does it hurt?" he asked.

"Hmmm?"

She didn't seem to have ever heard what he was saying, her gaze locked on his. Smiling, Donovan found his thumb moving over her lips, knowing their softness and remembering vividly the fire behind them.

"If you don't kiss me now," she said, "I'll punch you."

The shock of her words widened his grin. He leaned in, his lips hovering just above hers, their breath intertwining.

He kissed her slowly, savoring each and every second. In that instant everything disappeared and nothing else existed except Carter and her lips pressed against his. Contrast to the last kiss they shared, this one was deep with meaning and promises. He broke from her, his mouth barely an inch from hers.

"I've been wanting to do that since the second day I knew you, when you almost broke Finch's wrist," he said.ย 

A breathless smile pulled at Carter's lips.

"Then why didn't you?"

"Conflicting interests."ย 

"Well," she said, "since I just got beat up trying to protect Link, I say the interests are no longer conflicting."

He kissed her again, smiling through it. She placed her hand on his chest, gripping his shirt, and pulling him closer, as if needing to know that he was all hers. Feeling the same need, Donovan dropped his hand to her waist, tightening his hold.

When she winced, he jerked away, fear darting through him. Carter didn't let him go far, keeping a firm hold on his shirt. She leaned her head against his chest, taking in a steadying breath. Donovan wondered if she could feel the pounding of his heart, as guilt racked through him.

"It's okay," she said, as if answer to his thoughts.

Lifting her head, she smiled. With that look, he felt some of his worry easing away. She tugged on his shirt, bringing him closer, a silent statement saying she was fine. He gently cupped her face, overly aware of her, of her scars and the pain that she held. He kissed her hesitantly, wanting to know if she was truly okay. In answer, her fingers gripped his shirt firmly, reassuring him again that she was okay. With that certainty, he kissed her more deeply.

A deep, angry growl made them both freeze.

"Get away from my daughter before I shoot you."

As if Carter was made of fire, Donovan backed away. Before he stepped out of reach, she grabbed his hand, lacing her fingers through his. It was a quiet message that despite the look in her father's eyes, she wasn't letting him go.

"Captain, you know Donovan," she said, her tone light, "He's a Marine."

For some reason this made the scowl on her father's face deepen. With that new intensity, Donovan found his stomach clenching. Carter's smile only widened as Donovan tightened his hold on her hand.

"Do you hate me, Sarge?" her father asked.

"I say we give him a chance," she said. "He did just save my life. I say if he can't last five minutes in a fight with you, you can shoot him."

Donovan looked at her, trying not to feel the emotions rolling off her father. "Thanks."

Her smile was playful. "Don't worry, he will probably only shoot you in the shoulder. Not a big deal. Besides you'll have a cool scar and all girls love that."

There was something about her eyes that held him captive and made even her father's presence dimmish. His lips curved upward.

"Does that include you?" he asked.

"It does."

Without realizing it, he edged closer to her.

"Then I'll shoot you now," Carter's father said, "and you can have that scar."

Donovan was jolted back into awareness. The scowl was still there, but it seemed to have softened somehow. He gave a nod towards the school.

"I came to collect you," he said. "The school is cleared. We're about to go retrieve your charge."

Dropping Carter's hand, Donovan cleared his throat. He straightened, trying to regain a sense of professionalism. Carter's father didn't look impressed. "On the way there we'll have a little chat."

Donovan's eyes flicked to Carter for half a second. The smile she gave him was filled with laughter. Steeling himself, he walked towards her father. Steve placed a hand on his shoulder. His fingers closed like a vice. In that small action, Donovan could feel the strength, power and control the man beside him held. It was combination of attributes he knew never to cross. Men like him did not back down or accept defeat easily, they went until they were bled dry and their opponents were crushed beneath them.

When they were out of sight of Carter, Steve rounded on Donovan, his hand never losing the bone crushing hold. His face was serious, all levity he had held while in the presence of his daughter gone.

"You seem like a smart boy," he said, his use of the noun intentional. "So I will be straight with you. Hurt my daughter, break her heart and I will break every bone in your body."

The true testament of the man was the deliverance of the words. It was not a threat. It was a promise.

"Understand?" Steve asked, fingers squeezed a bit more.

Despite knowing to his core that Steve would hold to what he said, Donovan didn't feel scared. He knew that the concern Steve had for his daughter and her well being would never be in jeopardy. For Carter, Donovan would do all that he could to keep her from getting hurt ever again.

"Understood, sir," he said.

Steve's eyes narrowed, weighing the conviction in Donovan's voice. Convinced for the time being, he nodded and let go. Donovan resisted the urge to massage feeling back into his shoulder. Instead, he followed Carter's father to a group of men, all geared up. With brief instructions, the team headed into the school.

The hallways were dotted with military men double checking every inch of the place. Near the front offices they took a door down to the tunnels. At an intersection, half of them branched off, while the other half guided Donovan to Link's safe room.

When the door was yanked open, Donovan broke from the company and hurried inside. On the cot Link was slowly reviving. His glasses had fallen from their perch and lay on the ground. Donovan knelt beside Link, retrieving the glasses. Laying one hand on Link's boney shoulder, he studied him. Nothing had changed from when he had last seen him. At the contact, Link blinked blearily.

"Donny?" he mumbled.

"Yeah, it's me. You're safe," he said, his tone calm and soothing.

As if realizing he had reason not to be safe, Link quickly looked around. Frowning, he focused back on Donovan. With that look he looked like a little kid woken from a deep sleep and trying to remember his dream.

"Where am I?"

"A safe room beneath the school." Donovan kept talking, knowing the information would help clear Link's brain, and not send him into a whirl wind of questions. "The school was hit with knock out gas. Carter and I found you unconscious in the library and brought you down here."

Donovan paused, deciding whether to tell Link that he had been the reason for whole situation. Knowing he would want to know, he told him. Link blinked sluggishly, but nodded with clarity.

"You're safe now and your secret is still secure," Donovan finished.

"Yeah, thanks."

Donovan could see how the truth of who he was weighed on him. Hoping to drag him from those thoughts, he helped him stand.

"Come on, Carter got punched in order to help you and doesn't plan on leaving until she sees you. I want her to go home and rest, so let's go show her you're in one piece."

"She did?" Link asked, surprised.

"She's one hell of a girl. We both know that."

Link gave a tired chuckle and nodded. Still not too steady on his feet, Donovan wrapped one of Link's arms around his shoulders, supporting him. When they turned back to the door, they found Steve watching them.

"We're ready," Donovan said.

They made slow progress back through the school. By the time they made it to the front, Link could walk in his own. At the entrance, the group formed a tight huddle around him, blocking the boy from sight. When they were under the cover of the vans, Donovan and Steve guided Link away and to the waiting Carter. When she spotted them, her whole face lightened as if a burden had lifted from her shoulders.

As Link came to stand before her, a wide grin split her lips, looking into Link's groggy face. He blinked a few times, still trying to wake himself up. Removing his glasses, he rubbed the palms of his hands into his eyes. When he was more alert, he replaced them. His eyes focused on Carter and a matching smile pulled at his sleepy expression.

"Who managed to beat you up?" he asked.

"Some guy I insulted," she said.

"It was bound to happen at sometime."

"I'm glad you're okay," she said.

"Thanks for making that possible."

Donovan vaguely overheard the conversation, his focus on Steve. The man's face had changed to something less hostile.

"You protected that boy and did everything you could to see that he was safe," he said. "I respect that."

"Thank you, sir."

"I trust that you will show the same care for my daughter."

"I will."

Steve studied him, his gaze boring into him, as if to burn that promise onto his bones. After a second, he nodded. They were then pulled from their understanding by the approach of the President and his barrier of secret service men. Donovan looked to Link and found his hand firmly clasped in Carter's, but his focus on his nearing father. The look on Carter's face said she wanted to snap the man's neck. Link's expression was one Donovan had seen often, sadness. He placed a hand on Link's shoulder, becoming another person to remind him that who he was mattered.

The solid group of black suits split and the President stepped forward. Instead of going to Link, he focused his attention on Carter's father. Steve stepped forward, his face serious.

"Agent Owens," President Douglas said. "I was told you lent a hand in helping this situation not turn out as terrible as it could have been. I want to offer my gratitude."

He stretched out his hand and Steve shook it. Donovan noted the look of deep respect that passed between the two men.

"I played a very small role, sir," her father said. "Agent Keller and my daughter were the ones who did the most."

Douglas shifted his attention to Donovan. But before he moved to shake his hand, his gaze fell on Link. In his face Donovan could see the strong desire to hug his son and reassure himself that Link was safe. The President didn't act on this instinct, as Donovan knew he wouldn't. From his peripheral view he could see the cameras. One small action could destroy Link's quiet life, and lead them both into disaster. For both their sakes, President Douglas turned his focus onto Donovan, cutting the moment.

"Agent Keller, thank you for all that you did," he said, his words heavy with meaning.

"Thank you, Mr. President." Though Donovan said the words with the right amount of respect, he couldn't help the part of him that loathed the man who made his son's life riddled with pain and sorrow.

When President Douglas released his hand, he moved and thanked Carter. Something flickered over her face and Donovan could read the anger in her eyes, but she said and did nothing against him.

With one final look at Link, the President stepped back. He gave a slight nod.

"I'm glad you are all safe," he said. He glanced at Carter's father. "I look forward to your return, Steve."

"As do I, Mr. President," her father said.

Carter's body sagged and Donovan couldn't help seeing the sadness that filled her eyes. In that moment, he wanted to hold her, but held himself back. Douglas became enclosed in the circle of his men and guided away to the car. Link stood there staring after him, his eyes lost. Donovan placed a hand on his shoulder, breaking into his troubled thoughts.

"I'm sure your mother is going out of her mind with worry," he said. "Let's get you to her."

Link nodded, unable to talk. They turned to face Carter.

"You should get your ribs checked out," she said, to him.

"I will, once he is safe at home." Donovan wanted to kiss her but was all too aware of her father standing only a few feet away. "Thank you," he said instead.

Uncaring of her father's presence, Carter reached out and cupped the back of Donovan's neck. Despite knowing he could be shot at that moment, Donovan lingered, storing away the feel of Carter's lips. When she let go, Link was staring at them in shock.

"So...you two...kissing...and..." His eyes were wide. "You sure this is wise? I hate to think what happens if it ends. Someone is likely to die."

Donovan focused on Carter as she smiled.

"I guess it's a good thing I'm a great shot," she said.

Donovan smirked and stepped back. The look dropped away when Carter's father came into view. He nodded to him. "Sir."

Donovan led Link away, glancing back once at Carter. She smiled, the sight staying with him as they fell out of view. Link looked at him.

"I'm serious," he said. "This can not end well."

The corner of Donovan's mouth curled up. "Good thing I don't plan on ever letting it end."

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Take that!

What are you even taking? Did I give to you freely or did you actually steal it from me? If so, YEAH! That's not very nice! ๐Ÿ˜ฒ

Now you're convinced I'm still odd as ever, what did you think?

Finally we got to see how Steve threatened Donovan. Was it everything you dreamed it would be?

Honestly, I don't thinkย  I would have expected any less from Steve, he does love Carter a lot. Jeez I wish my dad was cool enough to threaten guys like this. He's not. He wears glasses and is an engineer so really nothing intimidating about him at all. Ah well, I guess I just shall never date then.

Fote, Vomment, Collow!

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