Is this destiny?

Aiden inhaled the familiar scent of the medicinal cream Sarah carries around. She always applies in on him for the smallest cut and bruise, even when he says that it's not necessary.

Aiden wondered, did he get hurt on the last mission? No, he didn't go on a mission in ages because they are infiltrating the base of the Voronin family and he is participating in some ridiculous competition while Sarah is watching from the bleachers.

Aiden remembered his last task with the safe, and the room without oxygen, and Maksim, and that Maksim wants to have dinner with Sarah, and that there was a package delivery… and then there was a knock on the door and Aiden thought that Hong is early but it was several guys and… Aiden opened his eyes in panic.

"It's OK…", Sarah said with urgency while cupping Aiden's panic-stricken face in her palms and forcing him to focus on her.

"I'm here… it's OK…", she chanted while he anxiously observed her face and wondered if all that was just a bad dream.

Sarah scooted closer to Aiden on the bed because only full-body contact can put them at ease.

Aiden felt that something is not right with the texture of her left palm and he inhaled sharply when he saw that it's bandaged.

His mind exploded while another wave of anxiousness, but this time with anger, swelled inside him. It was not a dream!

"It's OK, love. We are OK. Relax. We are OK…", Sarah chanted while observing a million emotions that flashed in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry…"

Whatever Aiden wanted to say next, Sarah swallowed with her kiss.

Aiden grabbed Sarah and pulled her closer and he kissed her like there is no tomorrow.

Sarah knew that this is Aiden's way of calming down, feeling her next to him, and inhaling her scent as their flavors mixed. She can't imagine the panic he went through when he remembered the moment he was taken down, unable to protect her and their child. But everything is OK now.

Sarah is strong and she can protect him and their child when he falters, and she hoped that he knows how not all burden of keeping them safe is on him. They are in this together.

Aiden and Sarah didn't hear Hong knocking on the door, but they heard him clearing his throat while holding onto two trays filled with food.

"No wonder you get attacked in your own room…", Hong grumbled. "You have zero awareness. What if I was the enemy?"

Sarah hugged Aiden tightly. "If it's my turn to perish, there is no place I would rather do so than in his arms."

Hong snorted and started rearranging food between two trays while grumbling: "Yeah, right. And how will that affect the one holding you? Or everyone else who depends on you? Youth and romantic ideas… only living in the moment… not practical at all…"

Hong put food for him in one tray and gestured that whatever is left is for Sarah and Aiden.

"I thought that we can eat together, considering what happened… but the two of you are too mushy for me and are ruining my appetite."

Sarah stifled a laugh at sulking Hong. "Please… let's all eat here. I have things to share."

Hong exhaled in disapproval, but he still stayed behind. He wanted to hear what happened.

Sarah told them about her experience with Maksim (without the Eve-details because Hong is not aware of Eve).

Sarah didn't mention that Maksim gave her Noah-like feel of being crazily obsessed with her, and she made sure to tone it down in terms of intimidation so that Aiden does not freak out, but he still didn't like it. Not even a little bit.

"We need to leave. Tonight.", Aiden said sternly.

Sarah rejected. "No. Maksim will not bother us."

Aiden frowned. "You can't trust him."

"I don't. But I know that for tonight he will leave us alone and that is the only thing we need right now. In the morning, they will announce the results and we will find out about your reward and things will be different."

Hong agreed with this. They were already attacked, and Sarah was kidnapped, how much worse can it get? But… "What if Alex's reward is to stay here? Maksim pulled strings to let us out for two days and probably to be Alex's team leader. We know that he is interested in you and what is to say that he will not pull strings to keep us here?"

"Let's talk about it tomorrow after we hear the outcome.", Sarah insisted.

After finishing the food, Hong left Sarah and Aiden on their own.

The moment Hong left, Aiden was back to his super-clingy mode and he needed to feel Sarah next to him.

He pulled Sarah to sit on his lap and nuzzled her neck with his nose while inhaling her scent.

"Do we need to wait until tomorrow?", Aiden asked Sarah.

"You don't approve?", Sarah voiced the obvious.

Aiden didn't deny it. If not for Sarah's stubbornness, he would pack their things and sneak out through the forest and call Aaron (or anyone else) to pick them up. And they would be out of here. As for the Voronins, he would mobilize their army of Chaos, and people from the White family, and allies, and whoever else is willing, and they would flatten this whole place to the ground. No one here is innocent, and no one here compares to the safety of Sarah and their child.

"It's just us, love. What happened tonight, showed that we are not enough.", Aiden reminded Sarah.

Sarah's eyes sparkled from excitement. She was waiting for this. "What if it's not only us?"

Aiden looked at Sarah suspiciously. "Do you know something I don't?"

Sarah moved her fingers in the air and enabled full Eve-access to Aiden's lens.

When he was unconscious, Sarah remembered all the text that flew in front of her eyes, and she didn't want Aiden to wake up with all that. Also, she wanted to keep it as a surprise that Eve is with them.

Aiden noticed additional information showing and mouthed: "Eve?"

Sarah nodded enthusiastically.

"How?", Aiden asked while selecting various options for himself.

He wanted to make sure he is not imagining it, or that it's not a fluke. He connected to the cameras in the Lebedev family main house, and he saw in the living room Zack and Masika discussing something with JoAnna and Sophia, and Hero was with them as well. If Aiden paid attention to the contents of the conversation, he would notice that they are talking about Sarah and Aiden being able to contact them (and the other way around) through the devices that Felix made, and about analyzing all the information that is coming into their servers.

Aiden smiled and looked at Sarah, still expecting to hear her answer about how Eve managed to get through the jammers.

"It happened in the place where Maksim took me. I don't know if that was a hole or if it went through the signal-obstruction, but she is here."

"Where is that 'here', exactly?"

"Everywhere. Let me show you…", Sarah moved her fingers and sent a few messages that revealed to Aiden how Eve infiltrated the Voronin network and they have full access to servers and all devices in the base. "Mishi and the team are getting loads of data, and they are sharing that with Anna and Sophia."

Aiden was pleased to see that they have full access to personnel files, locations, current missions… everything Voronin's have documented electronically is fully available.

After a few minutes of initial happiness, Aiden was back to his worrying mode. "This will not prevent another kidnapping."

"No. But it can warn us of one incoming, and it can help us get out if it happens." She moved her fingers and sent him a message: "It opens up the possibility of Eve controlling multiple drones and always guarding us."

Eve is still not fully recovered from the damage Nick's virus made, but patrolling the area with 'warn me of incoming enemies' or 'knockdown enemies' is definitely something Eve can do.

Aiden approved the idea of multiple drones, but they have only one with them. Aiden responded with a message: "Let's ask Felix to send us a dozen."

"In the morning.", Sarah said. She saw that Aiden frowned and she explained: "If you get a base far from here, we don't need burden to carry around."

Aiden looked at Sarah helplessly.

"The one we have is guarding this building.", a message from Sarah flashed in front of Aiden's eyes and she spoke softly: "If anyone comes close, we will know about it."

"What will I do with you?", Aiden asked while tightening his hold on Sarah. "You are the source of my biggest joy and you are causing me the most stress."

Sarah smiled and melted into his embrace. She wanted to say that it's the same for her, but he knew that already.

"Nothing can tear us apart, love…", Sarah whispered softly against his neck.

The two of them spent the next few hours holding each other and using the information through Eve-lens to get familiarized with the main base of the Voronin family. They were not looking for anything in particular, but they found out that there are many tunnels stretching underground from the center of the base in every direction, and they located a number of warehouses that were filled with different boxes and Aiden saw a mischievous smile on Sarah's lips that told him she wants to loot this place.

It was close to midnight when he reminded her: "Let's sleep. Tomorrow will be a busy day."

"Every day is busy." Sarah pouted in protest even though she knew he is right.

She had a plan to get in the bed and continue her investigation while pretending to be asleep. After all, she can do it with her eyes closed (literally).

Two minutes later in Aiden's embrace… Sarah realized that she overestimated herself as she drifted off into dreamland.

'Must be the stressful day… or the pregnancy…', were Sarah's last thoughts before she slept off.

For Aiden, it was not so easy to sleep off. He was troubled by the events of that day. The morning was fine, but the afternoon started with Maksim intimidating Sarah, the event where Aiden participated oblivious to the fact that Maksim has his eyes on Sarah, and then Aiden recklessly opening the door that lead to Sarah's kidnapping. Luckily, she returned to him safely... if she didn't, he is not sure how he would be able to live with himself.

He gently caressed her cheek with the tips of his fingers, making her lips lift slightly in a smile at his touch.

While gazing into Sarah's relaxed sleeping face and listening to her even breathing, Aiden calmed down a little.

Aiden skipped shower that evening because he didn't want Sarah to see the burn marks on his shoulder from the stun-gun. It would only make her feel bad and it's not her fault. None of this is.

Aiden would love to place the blame on someone, but even he is not sure how they ended up in this mess. How is it possible that they have so many enemies?

There was a time when he believed that he and Sarah are destined to be together, but lately, he is wondering if they are going against destiny.

From the beginning, the two of them were hitting one wall after another, starting with her father opposing their relationship. Or maybe their troubles started way back when Sarah's grandfather chased Aiden away from the Hill property after he stole Sarah's first kiss (and gave her his first one in return). But even if they are against everything there is in this world, Aiden has no intention to let go of Sarah. She is his everything, and without her in his life, nothing makes sense. 

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