Unit 15

Chapter Twenty Five: One Week Later

ONE WEEK LATER

"After extensive physical and mental testing, we're still unsure as to the specifics of Shirley's black out. Manuela believes it was just an emotional reaction to the situation at hand. After 7 days of evaluation, all of her vitals continue to be relatively normal and we're going to let her out of the observation chamber at the end of the day."

The TL's and STL's surrounding the table listen intently as Stephanie relayed Manuela's finding's to them.

"If there's nothing else, I believe that concludes our daily meeting."

They all begin to disperse from the room, tired after a long day of work and ready to relax for the night. Vincent stayed behind, needing to talk to Stephanie about her decision of whether or not to take Johnson up on his offer.

Vincent hadn't talked to her about anything other than Unit business since they had the argument a week before. He wanted to try to keep a level head about him, wanted to see things from her perspective, but all he could see was red at the thought of her leaving him.

"Something we forgot to discuss, Vincent?" Stephanie asked as she gathered the last of her stuff and headed toward the door.

"You decide what you were going to do about Johnsons offer?" Vincent asked, rather almost whispered, as he blocked the doorway to the conference room.

"Yes, I have," she said simply, trying not to look at him.

She was still emotionally sore from the last time they talked about it. She wasn't ready to discuss it with him again. But from his steady stance inside the door, she knew she didn't really have a choice.

"And?" he prodded.

"And in a few weeks, I will be joining Johnson on the road."

Vincent fought back the urge to yell. He didn't want to fight with her. But he couldn't help that it made him angry.

"What the hell are you going to do out there, Stephanie?" he demanded. "You're going to be alone. You're not going to know what the hell you're doing."

She tried to push past him, ignoring his comments. She had already made up her mind and there was nothing he could say that would change it. She had been chosen to do something great for the world. What kind of person would she be if she denied herself that opportunity?

"No," Vincent said, not allowing her to pass. "I won't let you go with him. I can't," he said, surprising even himself.

"Why the hell not, Vincent? What do I have here that's so damn important that I can't leave?" she screamed at him, once again trying to push past him.

He grabbed her arms, probably too rough and turned her so that she was flush against the wall.

"It's not what's here, it's who's here. You know exactly why you can't leave," he said a little softer, but still coarse and angry.

His hands traveled to her shoulders and he pressed his lips to hers roughly. Stephanie fought back at first but the feel of his lips on hers had her relaxing into his grip.

For so long, Stephanie had thought about this moment and then hated herself for it immediately after. She had wondered how his mouth would taste, how his hands would feel, and now she knew.

She pushed him back, her breathing heavy and erratic. The two of them glared at each other before Stephanie fisted the front of his shirt and pulled his mouth back to hers.

Her arms found their way around his neck and she surprised them both by moaning into his mouth. Their tongues crashed against each other's hungrily, and it felt like hours (which in reality were only seconds) before they pulled away for another breath.