Sgt. Carlos Alvarez "Cougar"

There is frost on the ground.

In fact, this year the ground is still frozen as the day dawns. But there is sunshine, bright and clear, and birds are singing outside, despite the cold. Anya’s face is turned towards the window with a smile, light playing on her features, and Cougar leans on the door-frame, watching her for a moment.

And then he crosses inside the room, finger stroking her cheek. “Wind has died down.” The wind that made the soil bone-hard, over the last few days, and that kept most of them inside, her in particular. “Want a walk out?” Sure, he talks more these days, more than he has in a very long time. But he’s still economic with words.

She rolls her chair around to look at him, her eyes narrow, and then widen, brighten. “You don’t mean just sitting on the porch, do you. Have something in mind?”

“No...” Innocent face that surprises her into a giggle. A hint of the Spanish still to his words, a hint that he would be trying to clear in his attempt to give her everything perfect, for as long as they have, except for her definite delight in it. “You, me, fresh air, sunlight.” Pause. “Maybe chocolate.”

“I’d like that.”

He grins. And they spend the next half-hour making sure she is comfortably and warmly dressed, and that his attire is up to her standards, and she’s laughing. Better, more so than she has in days.

It’s not a short walk he takes her out to. Pushing her in her chair over long distances is not a problem - he was once used to running for miles, and he’s kept up his shape just fine - and the winter is giving ground, if very slowly, so they have plenty to see. He takes her off the paved ways and into the woods, jostly as the frozen paths are sometimes. She doesn’t mind, and he is careful. It is still too early for much green, of course. But as the day warms up, they can watch the snot and ice melting, the spot of sunlit ground becoming softer, squishier, more alive. He pulls up her hood as they pass under dripping melts off bigger trees; her eyes twinkle at him, and she tugs it off again, turning her delicate features into the icy drops.

They come out of the woods somewhere they’ve never been before; not on foot, at any rate. The asphalt of the road is still wet and they wave at the few passing cars. Which they don’t race...

… at least until they hit a nice long downhill. She makes some exclamation as he pushes the chair faster and faster, but when he hops on the back of it, riding with her, she laughs in surprise and focuses on helping him steer, in case it’s needed.

He steps back off at the foot of the hill, of course. And then pushes the chair up the next one. And there’s a crossroads, with a sign directing them back into town. They start in that direction, talking and walking for a bit.

Coug then gently pushes her into the soil of the forest again, and she turns around to look at him, but he is focused on something she couldn’t spot from her lower vantage point.

Not that it takes that long for the mystery to resolve itself for her as well. Into a sunlit spot, an opening among the trees. Covered all through with snowdrops.

He puts the breaks on the chair, then leans down to pick one to present to her with a soft, soft smile. That she returns, her eyes bright, as they should be.

“You are warm enough?” He asks, and grins at her nod. “Then we can stay a little.”

Which time he doesn’t waste. His fingers are long unused to the task, so he makes a few failed attempts at first. But he remembers the trick of it shortly, and soon there is a … a daisy-chain of snowdrops. that he binds in a circle and gently places on her brow.

“Oh.”

“Happy Valentine’s day, amada”

“And you.” Softly, and with that look that he can never, ever get enough of. “I love you, Carlos.”

“And I love you, too.”

Later, they head back home.

*stares at his boots* ... wildlife infiltration?

[Link]

*finally, carefully and stiffly, outta bed*

(but with permission!)

Because.

Clay asked if Aisha will look up some of her father's contacts for information about Max. After some reluctance, she agreed.

Since a lone woman in a Muslim country will not get very far, it was decided that Cougar would go with her, as both knowing the language and being unobtrusive (and good enough for security in normal circumstances; the decision was elsehwere discussed, but mentioned in the linked thread).

However, that didn't go well. Aisha is wanted by too many organizations - and countries; they were seized/captured on arrival.

And then they spent some time in captivity. Until they escaped. (Aisha's post. Cougar's post.)

They were aided temporarily by some locals who keep the retaining facility under observation in order to break prisoner(s) free; then dropped at a location where they set up communication center and sent distress call that Clay received; it was also intercepted by the CIA.

Clay asked Pepper for some assistance; done as under-cover as possible.

The CIA group, led by Marvin Stegler, located and secured Aisha and Cougar; some medical aid was performed, as well as, grudgingly, information exchanged.

Clay prepared, then rounded up transpo and retrieved them.

TBC...