<br/>Cold droplets of water trickled from her wet hair, down the bare skin of her shoulders and back, and Katherine shivered again while rubbing her arms vigorously to generate warmth.  Her eyes followed Scott who seemed tense as he did a quick check of the immediate area inside the cave, and she couldn’t help smiling.  Ever the confident Marine Captain, he definitely took control of every situation without hesitation and it gave her a warm feeling, to know that she was safe with him there.  No, she admitted to herself, it was more than that, knowing in her heart that her feelings ran much deeper, and it was a cruel twist of fate that they were here and not able to explore their changing relationship, something she felt even now despite their precarious circumstances.  Shaking her head, she felt silly and selfish for thinking of that again, and worried he would read her thoughts if their eyes met, she looked away and tried to focus on something else.<br/><br/>Relaxing her stance, she took a better look around, trying hard to pay attention to their surroundings and ignore the now throbbing pain in her side. The cave had a fresh damp smell, like wet earth rich in minerals, and though there didn’t appear to be any signs of animal activity, the glowing walls were a mystery and she still couldn't shake the eerie feeling this place wasn't somewhere they should linger too long.  It was just her intuition, nothing she could explain, but the hair on the back of her neck bristled from the sensation.  Admonishing herself for overreacting, she stepped closer to the wall, wondering what could be causing the light, and thinking perhaps bioluminescent creatures that lived inside the rock like the glow-worms back on earth, or something else entirely, not natural at all. Her hand reached tentatively to touch the stone.  It was cold, so the light did not generate heat…curious she thought. Perhaps they should try to break off a piece and take it back to the ship.<br/><br/>Turning her attention back to Scott while he finished his perimeter check, her adrenaline rush faded fast and the lull now that they seemed out of danger for the moment brought her emotions rushing back to the surface.  What she really wanted was a damn good cry and a spectacular breakdown.  Blinking back tears, she didn’t know how she’d been able to set those emotions and fears aside earlier, and assumed it was simply the fight or flight response of the human psyche to a life or death situation.  But as her mind raced with all that had happened, deep down she knew that wasn’t it, not entirely. And then it hit, the realization of what it truly was; an inexplicable need to earn Scott’s respect, to never be a burden, and prove to him that she could stand by his side no matter what they faced, no matter how terrified she was inside.  Almost from the beginning when they first arrived on board, she wanted him to be proud of her, and it was that desire that spurred Katherine on to find the inner strength to keep going even in the face of death, something she never imagined she could do.  It defied logic and she couldn’t explain it, but she knew it was the reason she’d been able to keep it together this long.<br/><br/>So consumed by her thoughts, she startled when he dropped his rifle and mentioned her injury.  As he knelt down to search through the pack for first aid supplies, his playful demeanour was just what she needed to snap her out of her melancholy.  She opened her mouth to protest that she was fine, but instead she shook her head and grinned.  “Aye, Aye Captain,” she said, then laughed and gave a mock salute, feeling a much needed release of tension.<br/><br/>“I think there was something sharp when I fell down the slope,” she said softly, stepping forward.  Kneeling down in front of him, she hesitated and took a deep breath before gingerly lifting her tank top, wincing and biting her lip as the damp fabric peeled away from the partly closed gash on her side.  Holding the shirt against her ribs just at the band of her black lace bra, one of her indulgent personal luxuries, she met his gaze and exhaled, feeling a little self-conscious. One of the shirt straps slipped off her shoulder, and she absently moved it back in place.  “I don’t think it’s serious, just a deep scratch.”  She gave him a soft apologetic smile. “I probably should have mentioned it before, but things got a little crazy out there.”<br/>