Their gazes remained locked, and Scott continued to hold her tight.  With her body pressed against his, she felt the evidence of his arousal and it fueled her own, sending her thoughts drifting until she imagined the hand on her hip slipping beneath the fabric of her shirt…his warm touch on her bare skin, sliding around her waist and across her belly, his fingers teasing higher to trace the curve of her breast.  A tiny tremor of delicious heat rippled through her body to her very core and she swallowed hard; the air around them hummed alive with simmering, unspoken passion, but also that powerful sense of something more profound, something just beyond reach that spoke to her heart.<br/><br/>Breathing rapidly from the lingering sensations of their kiss and all her emotions swirling beneath the surface, she was so very aware of him that she knew the moment reality encroached, and the responsibilities of the mission weighed on his shoulders once more, but she also sensed he did not want to release her, and she didn’t want him to. Yet, her eyes filled with tenderness and she returned his smile with a soft knowing one, stepping back when he did, and feeling the loss of his closeness immediately as the first drops of rain splashed down on her cheeks and the cooler air rushed past.  Remembering all of the people back on the ship depending on them, she felt a niggling of guilt because they should be, no needed to be, her priority.  Whatever this special magic was now blossoming between her and Scott, she knew he was right and they needed to set it aside and focus on what they were here to do; and they would. Taking a deep breath, she glanced up at the sky to see the dark clouds churning, all but obliterating the two suns, and then a series of lightning flashes far in the distance, followed by a loud clap of thunder left no doubt the coming storm would be a big one.  Katherine nodded her agreement, “Yes, let’s go.”<br/><br/>They moved fast to gather up the scattered supplies, and the nearby trees swayed and rustled from the sharp gusts of wind that now seemed much stronger.  Trying to avoid the gory scene where the creature’s body lay in a heap, she thought of how Dr. Pike would have loved to examine the beast, and then her head snapped up.  Reaching into a pouch to grab a small glass vial, she looked at Scott, pointed to the creature and said, “Just a minute, I need to get a sample from that thing.” Not that she wanted to, but she could only imagine Dr. Pike’s indignation if she came back with a story of an alien like this and no DNA.<br/><br/>Wrinkling her nose and coughing from the acrid smell of death already emanating from the hideous, broken carcass, she covered her face with her arm and crouched down near its jaws, seeing up close for the first time the damage done by Scott’s bullets, amazed at how many times he hit it.  Rotating to glance at him over her shoulder, she raised a brow and regarded him with a whole new appreciation for his marksmanship; he hadn’t just killed the thing, he had destroyed it, and it reinforced just how lucky she was he had been there.  Shaking off the memories of fear that were still too fresh, and thoughts of ‘what if’, she forced herself to focus on the task at hand and grimaced, but with a series of quick swipes she scooped some of the oozing blue fluid until the vial was full, then snapped the lid shut, returning to Scott’s side.  “There, that’ll have to do.”<br/><br/>Jogging now at a good pace, they stayed in the open and Katherine didn’t complain because she had visions of the woods crawling with those panther-spiders and she never wanted to see one again as long as she lived.  The storm was coming closer; the air crackled with electricity and the smell of fresh ozone as fork lightning struck in the distance, but still too close for Katherine’s comfort and she ran faster, ignoring the ache in her side.  Though the rain held off despite the ominous clouds and rumbling thunder, it was so dark now and the wind so strong, that they had to yell in order to hear each other over the din.  After about twenty minutes, the path veered to the left, around a thick copse of trees at the base of a cliff, and when they rounded it, Katherine skidded to a halt…a large cavern loomed before them, partially hidden by thick vegetation.  It appeared to be abandoned judging by the overgrowth surrounding it, but they approached with cautious steps until they stood only a few feet away, trying to peer into the darkness.<br/><br/>Trying to decide whether to investigate, the angry sky decided for them and chose that moment to unleash its fury.  Bolts of lightning exploded all around them, hitting the ground in a shower of sparks.  Chilling rain came down in sheets, drenching them in an instant, followed by a clap of thunder so loud it reverberated through the earth beneath their feet.  They dashed for the entrance, ducking under the thick vines draped in front until just a few feet inside. The roar of the raging storm outside was deafening, and Katherine blinked against the darkness, gasping and trying to get her bearings. "What kind of storm was that!"<br/><br/>Suddenly, the cave walls began glowing with a soft yellow light and she moved backwards, heart pounding as the light revealed the inner chamber. It was huge, with what appeared to be several exits along the far walls, each leading to a different pathway.  It was barren except for the large stalactites descended from the ceiling, and stalagmites on the ground reached up to meet them, every surface covered with specs of glittering minerals.  An eerie echo of water dripping from somewhere deeper in the cave filled the space, and Katherine rubbed her arms to ward off the chill. Looking at Scott, she said, "I hope the storm passes quickly, because I don't think I like this place."<br/>