"You've set up candles, eh?" I said, smiling. "That was a bit presumptuous, wasn't it? How did you know I would sleep with you tonight?"

Another sheepish look. "I dunno...I didn't... It would've been nice anyway, even if we didn't...or don't. I just had a feeling... Why are you laughing?"

I took off my shoes and pointed my feet at him.

"What are you doing?"

"My toenails. I painted them this afternoon."

He looked confused.

"And...well...I don't normally bother. But I wanted to look my best tonight...I think I had a feeling too."

We looked at each other in wonder for a moment, and then Noah was by my side. This time, instead of a passionate kiss, he held me tight in a fierce embrace. And I suppose it felt nicer. Less frantic, less teenagery.

"Are you still sure you want to do this?" he whispered. "Because I'm willing to wait as long as you need."

I hugged him, letting his apple scent calm me.

"I am so sure."

Anita's computer started frantically beeping.

Reflex-quick, she began tapping violently on the keyboard and muttering maths equations under her breath.

Not wanting to disrupt her, Rain leaned over in the car and squinted at the screen. He tried to read the code but it was impossible from his angle. He left her to it.

The butch officer barely registered the computer's actions and continued to stare vacantly out of the window. His body was spilling over into Rain's seat and it was irritating him. He didn't like to be touched by strangers.

"Shit," Anita said. She'd never sworn before, not in front of him anyway.

"What's wrong?"

He wasn't sure if he wanted to know the answer. His heart was thudding against his ribcage, adrenalin was surging through his body and his breathing had sped up. He ignored these symptoms though. He'd been taught about them in training. It was fight-or-flight the body's extraordinary ability to cope with fear. The brain's danger mechanism triggered an entire crack unit of biological devices to help ensure your safety. His body was pumping him with adrenalin to give him more strength to kick ass or run from danger. His breathing had sped up, widening his lung capacity so he could run for faster and longer. Even the fact he'd inexplicably started needing a piss was triggered by his brain's defence chemistry. If he emptied his bladder, he would be lighter and could run even faster. Rain would never be able to fully comprehend the powerful impact the brain had on the body. There was so much about it they still didn't know especially about the potential of the brain and the body when they were combined. Anita always said they were just at the beginning. And, if they didn't all die tonight, maybe they could get a little bit closer to really understanding.

She didn't answer him at first. Her bottom lip was wobbling.

"What's wrong?" he asked again, trying to keep the fear out of his voice.

"We need to get there fast," she said. "I'm not sure we have enough time."

She swung the laptop round for Rain to see. He saw the green code charge down the screen and quickly did the maths.

"Oh dear," was all he could think of to say.

Anita leaned forward and spoke authoritatively to the driver. "You need to drive faster, and you need to drive faster now."

The driver shrugged his shoulders. "Lady. I understand that you're in a hurry but look out the window. I'm driving through a storm here. I'm going as fast as I safely can."

"If you don't hurry up we won't get there in time and you'll die anyway." Anita spoke calmly without any hint of emotion.

An ache of terror spread through Rain's chest. She was right. Could this be the end? All this, and they just didn't get there in time?

The driver laughed. "Ha ha. Very funny."

"I'm not joking. Now drive faster."

The driver looked around and the look on Rain's face was enough for him to change his attitude. He put his foot on the accelerator and the speedometer went over 90 mph.

Blackness sped past the window, raindrops exploding on the glass as Rain looked out. Then, through the darkness, he saw a simple white sign. It was lit up by two lamps and surrounded by a well-tended flower bed.

"Welcome to Middletown."

Rain gulped.

"We're here."

Noah's flat was quickly transformed. Flickering tea-light candles emitted a golden glow from every available surface.

I began to feel a little nervous.

Noah pulled me in close, wrapping his arms around my back and began to dance with me slowly, to no music.

"It's beautiful," I whispered, my feet in time with his.

"Not too much?"

"It's perfect."

I thought about it as we spun slowly. "Although for a supposedly heterosexual man, you have a hell of a lot of candles."

He laughed. "I like candles."

"Yeah. But what boy has about ten million?" I looked down at the glass coffee table. "Hang on... Are some of these scented?"

He spun me around. "Don't be silly."

I stretched my neck over his shoulder to see them better.

"They are scented," I said triumphantly. "Vanilla?"

Noah went a little red. "What's wrong with vanilla?"

"Nothing. It's great that you're so comfortable with your sexuality that you can...hey!"

Noah had jabbed me playfully in the ribs.

I jabbed him back, tickling him, and we dissolved onto the sofa in between shrieks of laughter. Noah, of course, was stronger than me, so successfully managed to pin my arms above my head and tickle me mercilessly. I yelped at him to stop, but when he did, I would just whisper "Vanilla" and would be subjected to another attack.

Then, just as my mouth was open, mid-laugh, Noah put his lips to mine and the mood changed instantly. I stretched up to meet his mouth properly and we shared a lingering, delicious kiss. I heard thunder erupt overhead but barely registered it. Noah pulled back and stared directly into my eyes. He looked beautiful. His eyes were so black, his cheeks flushed, his still-damp hair flicked across his forehead. There was a vulnerability there, an open expression only I got to see. Intimacy in its most simple form.

"I love you," he said. "I love you so much it doesn't seem physically possible."

I reached out and gently caressed his lips. "I love you too. Incredible amounts."

And then it was time to stop talking and we fell back onto the sofa.

I didn't hear the cars pull up outside.

The thunder shook the windows of the car. Shuddering, Rain felt primal fear coursing through his veins.

"We're too late," he whispered. "This is it."

Anita's face was pale but her determined, emotionless expression stayed the same.

"If it was too late we would both be dead already."

The jeep and its following convoy screeched down a residential road lined with manicured hedges.

"This is the one," Anita said, her voice full of urgency. "Pull up there on the right. Quickly!"

The jeep jolted to a halt outside a block of expensive-looking flats.

"Right. It's on the top floor. Get in there. Now. Go, go, go, go!"

The officers jumped out of the cars and ran at the door, their weapons already in their hands.

Rain took one look, possibly his last, at Anita.

"Here we go," she said, half-smiling.

They jumped out into the pouring rain and followed them.

Noah's mouth had moved past my neck to my chest. Our bodies were practically fused, bound together, by lips kissing flesh, lips kissing lips, flesh touching flesh. He expertly wound his hand around my back and undid my bra. He began kissing my collarbone. It felt incredible. I sighed and rolled my head back. Then, I felt a tremble and he stopped kissing me.

"What was that?"

There was another tremble, stronger this time. The walls of the apartment shook, the lights of the candles flickered.

"Is it an earthquake?"

The room was still again.

Noah shook his head. "Middletown's hardly near a fault line. I think it was just a big lorry driving past." His mouth returned to my neck and his hand ran up the inside of my thigh. "Now," he said. "Where were we?"

Just as they got to the stairwell, the ground began to shake. Not violently at first, but then a second shock rippled through the building. Many of the officers stumbled and fell on the stairs. Their eyes were wide with confusion and fear. They stayed on the floor, watching almost with admiration as the world began to jerk around them.

Anita, hugging the walls for support, screamed instructions. "Get up there. Get up there now. Get up, get up, GET UP!"

The tremor subsided and Rain tripped over his own feet as he ran behind the SWAT team.

"We're too late. We're too late. We're too late."

He said a quick prayer. For his family, for his friends, and for himself.

I tugged at Noah's T-shirt. It glided over his head and floated to the floor. His chest was perfect and I explored it with my mouth. His fingers were tracing the outline of my knickers. I almost couldn't bear the pleasure his touch was bringing. I let out a low groan and strained my body towards his hands. He continued kissing my neck as I felt him tug at my pants, pulling them down to above my knees. And then he was up, fiddling with his belt buckle, moulting his jeans. The moment had almost come. Just for a second, apprehension consumed me. Noah looked deep into my eyes and pushed me gently onto my back. I waited for it. The connection, the feeling of us fusing. Becoming what we were always supposed to become one single entity. Two imperfect people combined to make a perfect match.

Then came a loud, terrifying battering on the door.

They reached the top of the stairs and pelted down the corridor. The officers thumped loudly at the door. Rain and Anita ran past them and joined the leading officer from their jeep at the threshold.

There wasn't an answer.

Anita reached out and knocked again. Her delicate hand produced a surprisingly efficient bang.

She shouted through the door. "It's the FBI. Open up or we'll have this door down."

Still no answer.

She stepped aside and gave the officers instructions. "Try not to kill them. But if they even try to stay touching each other, then neutralize them immediately."

The lead officer nodded to his men. Then, with a bash, the door was down and they all rushed inside.

"What the hell is that?"

We sprang apart, staring at the door like it was a rigged bomb.

"I have no idea," Noah said.

"Is it a joke?" I gasped, pulling up my dress straps to cover myself.

There was another loud banging. This time we sprang together, holding each other with fear.

A voice rang out. It was shrill and sent shivers of dread up my spine.

"The FBI?" Noah muttered. "It must be some kind of joke."

My heart was thudding madly as we both stared at the door.

And then there was no door. A mass of soldiers ran at us, guns at their sides. I started screaming and glued myself to Noah.

It's not real. It's not real. It's not real.

Things seemed to slow down. A burly man was heading straight for us and I realized he was trying to grab Noah away. I screamed harder, praying the neighbours would ring the police. I had to stay with Noah. I grabbed hold of his hand and refused to let go, still yelling. "You can't take him! You can't take him!"

Then I felt something pinch my stomach. I looked at my waist and a tiny staple was sticking out of it.

"No," I heard Noah yell, but it was like he was underwater. My head was cloudy and I wanted to sleep all of a sudden. Even with all this madness around me, I felt calm.