Eternities
By Deanie
September 2002

Spoiler Warning: Up to "The Tunnel at the End of the Light"
Rating: NC-17
Archiving: Beka Valentine Fanfic Archive
Feedback: It's better than chocolate! Deanie@lisacaps.com
Author's note: This takes place after "The Tunnel at the End of the Light." It's also a sequel to my previous Andromeda stories, "Uncertainties," "Fantasies," "Possibilities," "Priorities," and "Loyalties," about the growing relationship between Beka and Tyr.
Author's note, Part II: Thank you to my friends and beta-readers, Val and Shaz for all their assistance and support. I love you guys :)

***

As Dylan left, Beka took a deep breath, vainly trying to calm her jittery nerves. In Trance's future she had killed them all. Sobering thought, that her one mistake had caused her friends to lose their lives. Plus, after two years fighting to restart the Commonwealth, she'd been the one who had destroyed it. But that wasn't going to happen this time. In this 'future,' she was going to do it right. She could do it… She had to.

She looked up as she heard Tyr arming his Gauss rifle. After all they'd been through these last few weeks, here they were, facing danger together. Her eyes met Tyr's. He didn't need words to let her know what he was feeling. Live or die, they would face the end together. As they were meant to be.

They simply stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, both letting their emotional shields drop, silently revealing all in what was likely to become one of their last moments alive.

He loved her, she could see that so clearly now. Despite his deceptions and half-truths, his feelings were no lie. Though she'd never been big on religion of any kind, she said a silent prayer to the Divine, asking for their lives, and for time to settle the relationship between them.

She loved him still, Tyr realized. Perhaps this human emotion was more durable than he'd initially thought. Her forgiveness was possible… if they survived …

In truth, this was one scenario where testing their wills against the universe was likely to end in their deaths. Survival would seem to dictate that he stay on a large, heavily-armed ship like the Andromeda where he had the best chance for continued life. In contrast, taking the bomb on the Maru was like strapping a target to their backs and daring the universe to take its best shot.

But some things were more important than his own survival. Despite their difficulties of late, by Nietzschean custom, Beka was his wife. More importantly, his life without her would be meaningless. He would willingly give it up to protect her.

Reluctantly breaking eye contact, Beka walked down to the cockpit and strapped herself into the pilot's seat. There were so many things she wanted to tell him. If these truly were her last moments alive, then her previous anger and jealousy seemed almost petty. If she'd known this day was coming, she would have forgiven him so they could spend their last few nights in each other's arms… but now…

Straightening her back, Beka took a deep breath. No time for regrets and certainly no time to cry, she thought, brushing away a tear before it had a chance to fall. They had a job to do, even if it would be their last.

Beka turned around to look at him as Tyr took a sentinel post on the upper deck. He stood ready, gun in hand, ready to protect her from whatever dimension-shifting alien menace dared to attack. "My guardian 'til the end," she whispered wistfully, even knowing that his superior Nietzschean hearing would catch her words.

She turned back around as the hangar doors opened. "Launching the Maru."

He watched her expertly wielding the ship's controls as they flew out into space. She was so brave, so strong. Willingly facing death to save her friends. No, not merely her friends. Even if there weren't danger to the Andromeda crew she would still be here, placing her life on the line to save the universe. With such courage, how could he do any less? She made him want to be a different person… more caring, more selfless. He smiled. The usual methods of impressing a Nietzschean female never worked with Beka. She was unique - beautifully, brilliantly human. Whatever was to come she was his, as he was hers. Forever.

Though she'd thought she'd seen his feelings in his eyes in the minutes before departure, she had to know for sure. If they were going to die, she had to know how he felt…in words, this time… She needed to find out what exactly possessed him to risk his life and future on this journey. "Tyr," Beka called over her shoulder, breaking him from his reverie. "Why'd you come with me?"

He laughed. Leave it to Beka to ask such questions when they were minutes away from death. "Fly the ship, Beka," he directed. "You and I have overcome greater odds and emerged stronger. We will again."

He sounded like he truly believed that, she mused. He really believed they would survive this and go on to rebuild their life together. "Tyr, if we're going to die…"

"We're not going to die, Beka. We will survive this."

"What if we don't? What if these are our last minutes alive?" At the moment, she didn't have his optimism, and she couldn't chance going to her grave without letting him know how she felt. "I love you, Tyr. I still do. Even after knowing you lied about your marriage to Freya, I still love you. Couldn't stop myself, no matter how hard I tried…even when I thought you were lying about ever loving me."

"How could you believe such a thing?" He met her intense stare over the metal railings of the Maru. "I thought love was a deluded fallacy until I met you. I didn't know it was possible to feel this way, but I love you. You taught me what 'love' means. You are my life. And I intend to spend the next hundred years convincing you of that fact."

"Hundred years?"

"Yes. We will conquer this alien force and emerge more resilient. I have faith…"

Faith. She'd accused him of not having any when confronting him about the appearance of the Vedran Admiral, Uxulta. She'd wondered where he'd found it when he'd refused to believe Dylan and Trance were dead after attacking the Cetus. Full circle. Could she now find the faith to believe him? To believe that they could survive an attack of hundreds of dimension-shifting alien ships, overcome insurmountable odds and come through stronger? Even more difficult, to find the faith that whatever happened that night -- and all that had happened the last few weeks -- that they could be together for the next hundred years?

"I have faith…" he repeated, his intense gaze burning down to her soul.

"So do I," she said. "I'm going to hold you to that promise, Anasazi. Your next hundred years belong to me."

"And yours to me." He wanted to memorize the way she looked in that moment. Her blond hair was tousled by the rocking of the ship and her blue eyes were bright with unshed tears. In his eyes she had never been more beautiful. But they still had a mission to accomplish. "Fly the ship, Beka. Let us finish this and go home."

A sudden increase in the brightness from the alien tunnel brought their eyes back to the main viewscreen. Enemy ships, thousands of them, were pouring from the tunnel.

Tyr stared at the screen. The Andromeda and the Commonwealth fleet could never defeat them all. If they failed to drop the little professor's bomb at the proper moment, the universe was doomed.

"It's… beautiful," Beka gasped, mesmerized by the shifting patterns of light as the ships exited the vortex.

Beautiful but deadly, he thought. "Remember my admonition about becoming complacent? About forgetting to test our will against the universe? Well, we have, too."

"Yeah, and we're going to win this time." She'd be damned if she let these dimension-shifting alien bastards destroy her world. "Coming in low and slow. Preparing to launch Roseanne. Ready in 10, 9, 8…"

Beka flinched as she heard an alien growl and sounds of combat. "7… Tyr!" Focused on hitting her target, she couldn't afford to look back and see what was going on. Time stood still as she contemplated her lover's fate. Tyr hadn't even had chance to get a shot off… and these things were nearly strong enough to take out Rommie. What if…? She couldn't let herself even think that way. He couldn't die. Not here, not now. Shaking her head, she concentrated on her current task. "5, 4, 3."

Tyr swung out with a hard left trying to knock the alien off-balance, but his opponent easily blocked him, slashing out with black scaly hands. If only he had noticed the menace before the thing was upon him. Had the creature been invisible until it had been too near to stop, or had his thoughts of Beka made him less observant? He lost his gun in the struggle, leaving him unarmed. With the alien so close, he was unable to get to the knife he had hidden in his boot.

Equally matched, neither of them was able to overpower the other. Tyr kept on fighting, pushing, trying to drive the alien back. Anything to keep him away from Beka. As long as she was safe, nothing else mattered.

Though she could hear the sounds of the struggle above her, Beka continued her countdown. "2, 1." As she launched the bomb, she prayed. Asked the Divine to see that Roseanne found her target and saved them all…asked for a safe return for herself and Tyr.

The world exploded in front of them as the bomb hit the tunnel. Beka grabbed the controls of the Maru, desperately trying to turn around, to get out of the gravity wake…but it was useless. The battered little ship just couldn't respond quickly enough. They won the battle, but were about to lose their lives.

Explosions rocked the Maru, as the scent of burning fuel permeated the air. Tyr didn't need his enhanced Nietzschean senses to smell death coming. Despite their best efforts, they would have no hundred years of paradise together… he and Beka were going to die.

"Tyr!" his name was the last word from her lips as everything went black.

*****

Tyr awoke to the acrid smell of fire. He gingerly lifted his head off of the ground, looking for Beka. If he were alive, there was a chance she made it as well. Tyr fell back to the ground as pain knifed through his right leg. He moved it again, slowly, experimentally. Wounded certainly, but not likely broken. Moving again, he felt pain in his left ankle as well… Fack! That one was definitely broken. Steeling himself against the pain he sat up… Looking around the ship, he couldn't see where the alien was, but it did not appear to be threatening them at the present time. Perhaps it had shifted back as the portal was destroyed.

Beka was still partially strapped into the pilot's seat, but the entire chair had come loose from its moorings and was lying on its side. He saw the back of her head, unmoving, and the pool of blood soaking into her blonde hair. "Beka," he whispered.

Another explosion rocked the Maru, sending Tyr sliding into the railing separating the upper deck of the ship's command center from the pilot's area. The sound of tearing metal in the back of the ship gave new urgency to his mission. The ship was heading for a hull breach; if they didn't get to an escape pod soon, they'd both die here. Though her injuries appeared serious, he refused to even contemplate the possibility of her death.

His arms were unhurt, so he was able to lower himself between the railings. He tried to stand to get to Beka, but fell down to his knees. Though he fought the pain, his broken ankle would simply not bear his weight. Carefully, he crawled over to where she lay completely still.

"Beka," he called her name, one hand gently shaking her shoulder. No movement. He reached for her throat, feeling a faint, thready pulse. She was alive. He sighed with relief. Tyr gently removed her from the harness, setting her on the ground. He could see the large gash on her left temple, the slowly-congealing blood still trickling down onto the metal floor. "Have to stop the bleeding," he murmured, tearing off one of her sleeves and pressing it to the wound.

Beka flinched as she felt the pain knife through her head. How much had she had to drink last night? She didn't remember having that much fun.

"Beka," she heard a voice call insistently. Tyr. Tyr was calling her. Suddenly memories of the minutes before the explosion came rushing back. "Tyr!" she called, weakly trying to sit.

His hands on her shoulders helped her up to a sitting position. Beka collapsed back against his chest. "We're alive."

"Barely," he replied. "Though not for much longer if we stay here. The ship's hull integrity is rapidly decreasing. We must get to an escape pod now."

"Okay," she murmured, using him for balance as she rose to her feet. "My head," she moaned as the bleeding began again. Holding the cloth to her wound, she reached her other hand down to help steady Tyr as he stood.

Another explosion shook the Maru, throwing Beka off balance. She felt herself falling as the deck pitched beneath her. She landed straddling Tyr, face to face with the man she loved. Unable to overcome temptation, she leaned down to kiss him.

Their mouths came together as white-hot desire rushed through both of their bodies. Her kiss was so intense, so focused that he almost forgot about… escape pod. They had to get to the escape pod.

The screech of tearing metal broke them apart. The Maru was about to come undone around them. Beka climbed to her feet, steadier this time. "We have to get to that escape pod."

Tyr struggled to stand. Waves of pain gripped him as he placed his weight on his injured right leg, but it held his weight. Beka slipped her body under his left shoulder. The Divine only knew how she was going to help him walk when he was twice her weight, but she had to try.

Tyr clenched his teeth, steeling himself against the agony that felt like it was ripping his limbs apart. "Aaaah!" he screamed as his broken left ankle buckled underneath him.

"Tyr!" Beka yelled, desperately trying to keep him on his feet. The sound of shearing metal was getting louder and the caustic smoke closer. If he fell, she didn't know how they'd get him on his feet again in time to make it to the escape pod.

Fighting the pain, Tyr realized there was a good possibility he wouldn't be able to make it off the ship - not in time. Worse, he was slowing Beka down. She'd have no difficulty evacuating in time is she left him behind. If she didn't… he couldn't be responsible for the loss of her life.

"Beka…"

His emotions had never been so transparent, but no matter what he wanted she was not going to leave. She stopped him with a look. "No. Don't even think it. I am not leaving you here. You will make it to that escape pod if I have to drag you." His faint smile was his only answer. "Good. We understand each other. Now, let's go."

Held upright by sheer strength of will, Tyr hobbled across the shaking floor, using Beka for balance. Each step sent shooting pain through his injured legs, nearly crippling him with the pain.

When they were inches away from the escape pod, the hull integrity on the Maru began to give way. Throwing themselves into the pod and pulling the door closed, they launched from the Maru as the vacuum of space overtook the ship.

"Made it!" Beka gasped. Her limbs felt like jelly, muscles shaky after straining to keep them both upright.

Tyr dropped to the ground, relieved to still be alive. For brief moments, he had believed they would be rent apart with their vessel.

She said a silent goodbye to the ship that had been like a member of her family, hoping that there would be enough left to salvage and repair once the destruction had finished. Then Beka sank to the ground beside him, watching as part of the roof was ripped off the Maru. At least all of the alien ships had disappeared for good when Roseanne detonated in the tunnel. They wouldn't be shot while moving through space. She leaned against Tyr, careful of his injuries.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. She nestled against his chest, oblivious to the scent of smoke and blood that clung to them both.

"We should activate the thrusters to get back to the Andromeda," he murmured sleepily.

"That would be futile," Beka replied, pointing to a blank panel on the wall. "No thrusters. This escape pod was salvaged right before we took the Andromeda job. Hell, we should be thankful it doesn't leak. Two years and Harper still hasn't gotten around to rebuilding most of the escape pod."

"Too busy repairing the Andromeda after our many battles with our enemies?" Despite their predicament, Tyr merely smiled and pulled her closer. "Is it such a loathsome condition to be stranded here with me?"

"Now that you mention it," Beka teased, snuggled in his warm embrace.

Tyr leaned down and pressed a kiss into her blood-stained hair. "I love you," he whispered.

Beka smiled, her eyes drifting closed. "Love you too," she murmured as she fell asleep.

Moments later, all was quiet as the two drifted in their escape pod, sleeping in each other's arms.

****

As Tyr awoke, he was instantly aware of two things. One, his broken left ankle hurt like hell. Two, Beka was in his arms and her hands were caressing his chest. Her eyes were closed, he noted, so she may not have realized how she was affecting him.

Beka lay in Tyr's arms, trying to gather the strength to open her eyes. She felt so safe, so peaceful here… just drifting in space with the man she loved. As she lightly traced his firm muscles, she felt the change in his breathing pattern indicting his wakefulness. They were finally back together, alone and uninterruptible. After their nap she felt stronger, the pain and dizziness almost gone. However, covered in blood, she was sure she must have been a sight to behold. But Tyr wasn't even able to stand, so there was no way he…

Her thought was interrupted by the glorious sensation of Tyr's fingers reaching under her shirt, stroking her abdomen before moving further up her body. "Tyr," she murmured, not wanting to start something they weren't capable of finishing… after all, he was barely able to move at all…

Beka gasped as he brushed against her nipple through the thin material of her bra. His other hand was on her back, tugging at her shirt. "Tyr!" she said, more firmly this time, lifting her head off his chest to catch his eyes. "What do you think you're doing? You can't walk. You're barely capable of moving."

"Are you all right?" he asked. While he still felt his wounds quite keenly, they would not prevent him from claiming his mate. Hers, however, could pose an entirely different story.

"I'm fine." Beka smiled, reaching up to stroke his cheek. "It's you I'm worried about."

"I feel surprisingly well." With a sudden movement, he pulled Beka on top of his prone body. She gasped as her pelvis came into contact with his growing erection through the confines of their clothing. "Besides, I don't have to walk to make love to you."

With a growl, he captured her mouth in a fierce kiss. He possessed her, barely leaving her with enough room to breathe. She met him, force for force, her mouth never leaving his as she pushed his undone vest off his shoulders.

Tyr pulled at her shirt, desperate to touch her succulent body. Before he could rip the fabric, Beka pulled away from him, and in one swift motion had her shirt on the floor. She leaned back down, trailing her hands over his arms as she met his mouth. Now all that separated them was the thin silk of her bra.

They feasted on each other with wild intensity; hands, tongues, lips were everywhere. Stroking, probing, teasing, making every moment count.

Tyr growled, frustrated at the fabric that was still keeping her from his touch. He ripped the straps of her bra, hurling the offending garment across the room as he took her breasts in his hands.

Beka whimpered as his thumbs stroked the sensitive skin of her breasts, teasingly swirling around the areolas without touching the peaks that wantonly craved his touch. She shuddered as he lightly pinched one nipple between his thumb and forefinger, her desire brought to a fevered pitch by the overwhelming sensation.

Her breath came in little gasps as his tongue moved down her neck, lightly nipping at the heated skin. All the while, his fingers continued to work their magic on her taut nipples. Her head fell back to give him better access to the smooth column of her throat. Beka felt her wetness increasing, and ground her pelvis against his, desperate for more stimulation. "I want you," she panted. "I need you inside me."

Pulling away from him, Beka rose to her feet. She was gorgeous, hair tousled, lips swollen from their kisses. She was his. He growled as a wave of possessiveness passed through him. She would always be his.

Standing in front of her lover, naked from the waist up, Beka had never felt more free. She carefully removed her gun belt, setting it off to the side of the cramped pod. His eyes were like a weapon, seducing her with their intensity. She could feel his gaze on her body, as potent as a touch. She slowly undid the fastenings of her pants, letting them gape open at the waist. She balanced against the side of the pod as she deftly removed her boots.

Tyr stared at her with rapt fascination. He wanted to see all of her creamy flesh, touch it, claim it as his own. His hands clenched at his side, straining with the effort of not reaching out and touching her. He reminded himself to be patient. Soon, she would all be his.

Beka smiled as she saw his clenched fists. He wasn't as immune to her as he appeared. Good. She wanted him to whimper her name and beg for her touch. Deliberately, she began to unbutton her pants. Then, suddenly she stopped, a strange look on her face, and began moving towards one wall of the escape pod.

Tyr growled. What was she doing?

Beka turned, opening a compartment in the wall. Should be right there… Aha! She pulled out a small square of fabric and tossed it at him.

Tyr looked at her quizzically.

"Survival blanket. For after…" She smiled seductively. "Now, where was I?"

Her hands went back to her waistband. Inch by inch, her pale skin came into view. She was doing this deliberately to drive him crazy. Her unhurried movements were mesmerizing. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. He needed to touch her…

Finally, she stood before him clad only in silky black panties. Ignoring the stabbing pain, Tyr hooked his right leg behind her feet, pulling her off balance.

With a shriek, Beka fell forward, caught by his strong arms. Laughing, she leaned in for another kiss. The laughter died as his lips captured hers, merging as if they were one. His tongue explored the warm depths of her mouth; hers pushed against his, demanding equal time investigating his.

She pulled away as his hand lightly rubbed her back, his hand moving downward over the curve of her buttocks, tearing her panties to bare her for his touch. "There's one thing wrong with this scenario, Anasazi."

"What would that be?" he asked, smiling as her hand wandered over his bare chest.

With one finger she traced a line down the center of his firm musculature and hooked her finger in the waistband of his pants. "You have entirely too many clothes on."

She pushed him backwards, pinning him down and plundering his mouth with a fierce kiss. Her hands were at his waistband, ripping his belt from his pants. "I want you naked," she groaned, tugging on the leather.

Tyr winced as she her movements jostled his left leg.

Beka looked up. She'd been so caught up in the moment she'd almost forgotten about his injuries. She felt him moving beneath her, probably adjusting his battered body to make up for her weight. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"

She turned to look up at him, but found a large knife inches away from her throat. "Okay," she said shakily. "Not quite the reaction I was hoping for."

He flipped the knife around and handed it to her, handle first. "My left ankle is broken. The swelling is likely so bad that my pants and boot will not be able to be removed from that leg. I'm offering an alternative."

"You want me to cut your clothes off?" she asked incredulously. Okay, in some of her more prurient fantasies she'd imagine cutting his clothes off…this scenario didn't include handcuffs, but… She gave him a wicked smile. "Sounds like fun."

She backed down his legs until she was kneeling in front of his feet. Beka gently tugged on the right boot, freeing his foot from its confinement. Tyr grimaced at her actions, but smiled when he realized the pain in his right leg was actually getting better.

Beka turned to the left ankle. She skillfully wielded the knife, slicing through the thick leather with minimal movement to his injured ankle. Cutting off his socks, she gasped at the bruised, swollen lump that was his ankle. "Tyr…"

"It doesn't look as bad as I imagined. My repair nanobots are already at work."

"That's not bad?" she asked, unable to picture anything worse. Well, there weren't any bones coming through his skin, that was a plus. Had he actually walked to the escape pod with such flimsy support?

Seeing the shock on her face, he knew the spell of the moment had been broken by the sight of his injuries. "Please, continue," he urged. He still needed her. He had little doubt their ardor would return quickly once they were naked together.

"Are you sure you're up to this?" Beka asked. She didn't want to cause more damage to his wounded flesh, especially knowing how energetic they tended to be when making love.

"I want you, Beka," he growled. What did he have to do to make her see he was ready despite his pain? "Come take me," he dared.

Beka never could turn down a dare. She made quick work of his pants, careful not to jostle him needlessly.

When he was naked, she merely stared, fascinated by his magnificent body. His bronze skin gleamed in the dim light, the glow casting shadows over his impressive musculature. His chest was streaked with soot and sweat, rising and falling with each breath. His abdomen was firm, chiseled, bisected by a thin line of dark hair that ran down to his groin. His manhood rose proudly, seeming to swell under her scrutiny. She wanted to feel his pulsating flesh inside of her. His powerful thighs and strong legs were still, but she remembered the glorious sensation of lying beneath them. She wanted him, too, with a passion that threatened to consume her.

"You're gorgeous." Her eyes back traveled up to his face, captivated by the intense look in his eyes. "And all mine."

He felt himself harden under her inspection, skin humming…his body was on fire and only she could extinguish the flames.

Beka gently licked the toes on his right foot, causing him to moan with delight. She slowly worked her way up, pressing gentle kisses up his right leg, careful to avoid the areas that had given him pain. His skin was slick with sweat, muscles bunching under her onslaught.

As she approached the juncture of his thighs, his entire body tensed. She stared into his eyes before lowering her head to his erection. Her tongue darted out, teasing the tip with quick strokes that had him moaning from the bliss. She laved his shaft with longer strokes before enveloping him in her mouth.

He jerked, writhing under the intense pleasure. Her mouth's suction drove him wild, while her tongue…oh, her tongue… "Beka," he groaned, feeling his control slipping. "I want you with me."

She moved over him, straddling one leg as Tyr's hands roamed her soft flesh. She shivered as he stroked her bare abdomen before moving lower. His hand teased the waiting curls, one finger slipping inside. Wet and aching, Beka rocked against his hand, urging him to find the part of herself that cried out for his touch.

His mouth swallowed her scream as he brushed his hand against her clit, gently stroking the sensitive nub with increasing pressure.

She felt the heat building inside, spiraling upward, consuming her body. She wanted… needed…She felt her orgasm approaching, but wanted to take him with her.

Beka reached down, gently taking his shaft in her hand. He jumped at the contact. She really was determined to drive him crazy, he thought.

She gently caressed his burgeoning length, reveling in the feel of silk over steel. When neither of them could stand the manual stimulation any longer, she sheathed him in her waiting warmth, groaning as he filled her.

They began to move together, in perfect synchrony. Shivers of pleasure ran through his body with every motion; she quivered with ecstasy with each thrust. They were one. Her nails scored his back; his hands clutched her buttocks. Their mouths feasted on each other with ardent ferocity. Helpless against the waves of passion that consumed her, she surrendered to the rapture, and felt him with her as she tumbled over the edge.

Their bodies sated, the lovers laid in each other's arms, too overwhelmed by the intensity of their encounter to even consider moving. Beka shivered in the cool air of the escape pod, but was unable to summon up enough energy to make her limp body find the blanket she's tossed to Tyr earlier. She merely snuggled closer to his warm body, careful of his injuries, as his arm wrapped more securely around her.

Tyr reached out with his free hand, thankful for Beka's foresight in retrieving the blanket from its storage place. With one hand, he shook out the thin material, draping it around their bodies.

"Mmm," Beka murmured her approval. "Nice."

"Anything for my lady's comfort."

Beka smiled. "I like the sound of that. Being your lady."

"You are mine. Forever. As I am yours."

"For eternity."

"Yes." He wanted to hold her like this forever. Sleep each night with her snuggled against him; wake each morning with her body draped over his. To know that he would no longer be alone.

The escape pod shook with the impact of something on its hull. Looking out the viewscreen they saw the Andromeda ahead, a bucky cable stretching to the Maru's escape pod.

Beka looked up, puzzled. "That's weird. They're pulling us in, but we haven't even gotten a hail from the ship."

Tyr's sharp vision picked up a sign tacked to one of the walls of the pod. "Note to Harper," he read. "Fix communications relay on the escape pod. Signed, Harper."

Beka chuckled. Harper was forever leaving himself notes about things that needed fixing, but rarely got around to reading the messages he left for himself. She settled back into Tyr's arms for a few minutes of peace before they were back on the ship.

"You're not going to get dressed?" he asked. She'd been so intent on keeping their relationship private, he thought she would have been in a hurry to make things look as normal as possible.

"Nah. No more secrets. Not between us, not from them." She stopped, thinking about the hidden existence of Tyr's son. "Well, only one secret. And not between us."

Tyr nodded, relieved she wasn't going to insist he tell all about Tamerlane's 'death,' as adamantly refused to take the risk of involving others in their deception. He hugged her tighter, reveling in the feeling of her soft curves pressed against his naked body.

"Beka," he began. "I realize that you're not much for commitments of any kind…" He turned to her, trying to gauge her reaction to his words. She merely stared up at him, her expression unreadable. "To my people, all relationships are commitments. Though, in Nietzschean society it is the female who proposes the commitment by choosing the male."

Beka smiled at his endearing awkwardness. She knew exactly what he was trying to say. She loved him all the more for doing this the human way, knowing full well that the marriage proposal was not a Nietzschean custom. Normally, she ran from serious relationships, never trusting in forever. Now, with Tyr, all her fear was gone. She felt ready. She trusted him and had faith in their future.

"You are not Nietzschean, however, so I believe this follows your human customs." He stopped, staring down into her eyes before speaking again. "Rebecca Valentine, I would very much like for you to be my wife."

Beka took a deep breath, closing her eyes. Suddenly, she was incredibly nervous. It was one thing to think about marriage in the abstract, but this… to say yes… this was Tyr and it was forever. Faith, she reminded herself. Trust and faith.

Beka pulled him down to her for a deep kiss, before resting her head against his. "I would be honored to have you as my husband," she said quietly, blinking back the tears that were welling up in her eyes.

Her kiss began as a gesture of love in response to his question, but the fire between them quickly raged out of control. She crushed his lips to hers, assaulting him with an almost feral intensity. Beka pushed him down onto his back and straddled his thighs, careful to avoid moving his broken ankle. "Now I have you exactly where I want you," she said seductively.

She brushed the tips of her breasts over his chest as she leaned closer. Their lips met in kiss after kiss, wild and intoxicating, as his hands roamed over her tantalizing curves.

Beka gasped as he broke off the kiss, his lips trailing down her sensitive flesh to capture one of her nipples in his mouth. She felt the shocks of pleasure ricochet throughout her body. She'd never been so wet so fast. She needed him inside her now.

"Tyr," she moaned as he plunged deeply inside her. One hand grabbed her hair, pulling her down to him, his kiss an uncontrollable force driving her higher. His mouth was brutal, conquering her, branding her as his.

Beka ground her pelvis into his, meeting him thrust for thrust. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think; she was helpless to do anything but ride the wave of passion consuming her. His mouth swallowed her scream as she hit her first fierce climax. He was relentless, plunging into her over and over, driving her past the point she thought of as her breaking point, pushing her on to further heights of pleasure. With a gasp, she shattered, and felt him explode within her as he reached his climax.

Tyr lay gasping, Beka sprawled on top of him. He'd never felt anything that intense. He pulled the blanket over them, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close. He looked up as his genetically-enhanced hearing picked up a sound outside the escape pod. Outside the window, he saw that they were now on the Andromeda, the sounds likely the rest of the crew coming to 'rescue' them.

"Beka." He nudged her shoulder. "We will have company shortly."

"Let them come," she murmured, snuggling closer to his sated body. "I'm too happy to move right now." She smiled up at him. "Besides, we have to tell them about us sooner or later. Might as well be now. After all, you're going to be my husband."

"And you will be my wife."

"For eternity." Ignoring the outside world, they slept, sheltered in each other's arms.