Complicated Conversation (Part 2)

Posted on Sun Jul 5th, 2026 @ 8:54am by Cassandra Lennox & Nathan Crawford

3,204 words; about a 16 minute read

Mission: The Light House
Timeline: 19th December 2012

Cassandra shivered as she stepped back inside the house and took off her coat, taking Nathan's before he could hang it up to take it through to the kitchen to hang up. She hated how dark the house was in the winter, but it was the safest at the moment with the dark nights, even with the Europa hooked up, hopefully in the morning to bring some warmth back. It did not bring any attention to them.

"Come on, I'll make us something to warm us both up." She murmured as she led the man through the small corridor into the dimly lit kitchen. She hung both coats up on the door and shivered again. "Bloody freezing tonight." She whispered as she could not hear anyone but she saw glasses gathered on the sideboard as she lit another candle.

Nathan was dressed in several layers to contend with the cold. Still, he shivered slightly from the cold too. The quiet house was a good indication that most people had gone home or were asleep already. "I'll check and secure all the doors and windows." He began making a sweep through the house. He returned a few minutes later to find a bottle and two glasses on the kitchen table. "Lola's fast asleep on the couch. René's sitting by the hearth tending the fire. He says your mum went to bed and James left about twenty minutes ago."

“Well at least I do not have to explain anything to mum or the vicar yet,” she laughed a little. "The hooch or would you want a cup of tea?” Cassandra asked as the man appeared as she was bringing in several logs from the small connected garage. The fire obviously needed something to heat the pair up if they were sleeping there and for the morning,

"Hooch." Nathan took a seat and poured them both three fingers from the bottle. He picked up both glasses and walked over to where she was bent over loading wood into the stove. He gave a content and loud sigh as he checked out Cassandra's perfect backside. He had met many beautiful woman in his travels around the world in the Royal Navy. Cassandra was the model of perfection in his opinion though. He held out her glass as she stood back up and turned to face him.

The woman laughed as she noticed the look on his face. “Thank you.” She took a sip and winced at the taste. “Strong.” She breathed having forgotten how strong the hooch was. It was the stuff that she had been given by Samuel after she had gotten some of the ingredients he needed the last time she had been out and about. “So… feel better?”

Nathan took in a slow, deep breath before nodding at her question. "I do. Even with everything going on with Lola, Brigadier Felton, York...being back here with you is..." he placed a hand on her hip and slid it to the small of her back and pulled her in close, the front of their bodies pressed together, "...it's where I feel the happiest."

Cassandra smiled. “I am glad to hear that as right here, right here with you makes me feel similar, But what has brought this on?” She wondered looping her arms around his neck. “When you left you were not quite this deep. Did something happen?” She wondered.

Nathan breathed in Cassandra's scent. "Doctor Bailey and Nurse Gavin finally got married. I was Bailey's Best Man, Melero was Maid of Honor with Captain Skye officiating in the wardroom. It was something simple, uncomplicated and yet...beautiful in its simplicity. It just got me thinking that here are two people that found time to fall in love despite the suffering they have to deal with every time we put into port somewhere. I want that someday. I want that with you...someday." His hand moved from her back as he dropped to one knee and pulled off his Britannia Royal Navy College ring. "Don't answer. I just want you to hold onto this until I can get you a proper ring and...ask your mum for her blessing."

“Nath?” Cassandra’s eyes went wide as the man slipped away from her and dropped to the floor on one knee. What was with him? He had come back a completely different man. “I’m not traditional and neither is mum.” The woman whispered looking at the ring scared to touch it.

Nathan chuckled. "Sixth generation Royal Navy. Tradition is second nature to me."

The woman shook her head and knelt down in front of him leaning her had on his. “I know.” She laughed. “I want to say yes but … I have some unfinished business in Oxford. There’s been contact from there.. him.” She whispered softly. They knew each others past and stories for the most part apart from York. She had only ever discussed that with Juliet.

Nathan was taken by surprise. His face grew serious. While the revelation didn't make him happy. He did understand Cassandra would need time to process through everything. He finally nodded. "I understand. Take whatever time you need."

The woman smiled and leaned forward taking his face in her hands and kissed softly. “I wanted a better way to tell you but I am not going anywhere.” She assured him hoping she had not wrecked them or broken his heart.

Nathan returned Cassandra's smile with a hopeful one of his own. He had been unsure for a moment, but he kiss had reassured him. He rose to his feet, bringing her up with him. He embraced her in his arms and give her a kiss that was deep and filled not only with desire, but something new, unconditional love. One hand gently and slowly slid along he body to a point he knew would elicit her arousal. He didn't care that her mother was upstairs or that René was sitting vigil over Lola in the living room down the hall. He wanted to truly make love to the woman who inhabited his dreams and filled his heart with love and joy.

The woman let out a soft sigh at the way his hands roamed her body as if he wanted to claim her so James could never come close. “We cannot do this with a house fall and you chose to come here.” She whispered against his lips.

Nathan smiled and winked at her. He leaned in and whispered softly in her ear. "I can be quiet if need be. Can you?" His hand slowly caressed her special spot knowing it would drive her mad with desire.

“Nath…” She gasped as his hand slipped inside her trousers and teased her. “Not in here. Come on.” She whispered pulling away reluctantly.

Nathan stayed in lock step as Cassandra pulled him away from the kitchen. The entire time he kept one arm around her as the hand of the other arm continued to slowly tease her. Inside her pants. He quieted each gasp, murmur and moan with a deep kiss as she led the way. He felt her body trembling as if trying to to decide whether to resist the desire flaring within her or give in to it.

“You are wicked.” She moaned as she finally got the door to the old office open and practically threw them both inside and locked the door behind them. It was a rarely used room off the garage and green house that Cassandra should be using to manage things.

Nathan pressed Cassandra against the door and kissed her passionately. One hand loosened the belt on her trousers as his other hand probed deeper. He hooked one finger on her soaked panties and pulled both down until gravity took them to bunch at her boots. He reached under her sweat shirt and tee-shirt and massaged first one and then the other as the fingers of his other hand finally brought her to a body quacking climax. Her soft moans like music.

Cassandra bit her lip hard against the cry that escaped as Nathan finally achieved what he had been desperately wanting to do. "Nathan..." She breathed, leaning out to his shoulder to support herself.

Nathan took both hands and hoisted her up. He took several steps towards where he knew the desk was and rested her backside on the surface of the clear desk top. He slowly removed her boots first. "I haven't eaten since lunch." He removed the trousers and panties and lay them in the office chair. "I'm hungry for something as sweet as it is spicy." He started to kneel down when Cassandra stopped him.

The woman pushed him back as he tried to carry on past her point and looked at him carefully. "Nathan? What brought that on?" She whispered breathless as she stood up shakily and undid the first button on his top.

Nathan let out a content sigh as she began unbuttoning his uniform tunic. "I wanted you to feel how you have always made me feel."

"No... that was different. That was ... very different." She argued, smiling patiently as she tried to understand what had brought on that side of him.

Nathan stroked Cassandra's cheek and kissed her forehead and lips. "That was me showing you I am no longer only interested in sex. That I love you with all that I am and that from now until forever I want you to feel ultimate pleasure during love making."

“I have never for a moment thought you were just interested in that.” Cassandra commented softly as she got the shirt over and pushed it off his shoulders. He was staring at her in a way she had never seen before. “I am just a woman, a human, with needs, and desires, and deep-set fears just like everyone else.”

Nathan shivered slightly, not from the cold of the office, but from the light touch of Cassandra's fingers on his bare shoulders and chest. "You are so much more than that. You're not just the most beautiful woman I have ever known, you have an intelligence and conviction that is unrivaled in this world. You have a compassion that never wavers." He hugged Cassandra close. You can see into people and know if they are good or bad. You...always do what's right and never have I seen you take the easy way out. God knows most of us probably would." He looked around, not at the office, but as if he were looking at the world around them. He looked at her, he saw her for who she truly was. "You give the people of Thistledrift something I rarely see in this world. Hope." He released her and grabbed something from the shelf. A moment later the snap of a match being struck sounded and light flared. He lit the candle he had found and placed it on the shelf. He slid an arm around her waist and stared at the candle. You may not see it, but I do." His loving gaze traveled back to Cassandra's face. "You are the light Cassandra Lennox."

“Well don’t you have a way with words recently.” Cassandra breathed softly as she watched him trying to work out the emotions flickering across his face in the candlelight. She had never seen him like this before and it unnerved her a little as she was not used to this intensity of it.

Nathan shrugged. "Not particularly. I've had lots of time to observe you the last couple of years. Your strength, resilience, in some cases sheer tenacity. I watched as the Prodigal Daughter returned and grow to lead this town into prosperity."

The woman turned to kiss him properly. “Not so bad yourself Commander.” She breathed starting on his belt as her kisses moved to his neck. “Less observing. More action .” She whispered in his ear tugging him back against the desk.

Nathan wasn't about to argue. He kissed Cassandra back hungrily as his hands slipped inside her shirt to gently massage her chest, his thumbs slowly teasing. His breathing grew harder as she pulled his pants down enough to free him. Then a gasp of ecstasy as she took him in hand. He felt her legs come up and wrap around his pelvis as she alternated stroking him and rubbing herself with the tip of his manhood. "And you call me wicked?"

“Because you teased.” She breathed laughing a little at the tone of his voice. It was amusing to see his control slowly withering away. They could talk more in the morning but right now she needed him.

One arm wrapped around to steady her as he looked at her hungry expression. She had him in position and he slowly entered her and filled her completely and held himself there for a full minute just filling her.

“It’s okay.” She breathed and kissed him hard, in no hurry to rush him or herself. They weren’t teenagers looking for a quick fumble, even if they were acting like it hiding away from people.

Nathan began a slow in and out rhythm to prolong a slow build up to her climax. Her own rhythmic squeeze and release got him throbbing in a slow build up as well. He alternated kissing Cassandra deeply, his kisses travelling from mouth to neck and chest, followed by long moments of gazing into her face. His kisses became more frequent as a means to quiet the occasional moan or squeal of pleasure they both experienced.

Cassandra moaned loudly and pressed her mouth against his shoulder to quieten herself but to was hard when she was so close to her peak. “Nathan!” She cried loudly not caring even as he pulled her mouth against his. Her mother’s room was the other side and the living room close to it. The walls were thick enough.

Nathan felt her body begin to tremble as she approached the apex of her sudden climax. He finally exploded inside her as clamped down on him, his voice joining hers "Oh, Cassandra, you are absolutely incredible!" The sensation was unlike any they had experienced together before. His body shook and he kissed her with every ounce of love and passion he had for Cassandra. Waves of euphoria engulfed both of them in that moment that seemed to
stretch on and on. He was gasping breathlessly as she still dug nails into his shoulders. He watched her chest rise and fall as the waves of pleasure washed over her, even still.

The woman gasped as she finally let her legs move from his hips, and she fell back on the desk with a moan at how her muscles hurt. “We should have gone to bed.” She giggled softly.

Nathan let out a raspy chuckle. It took him a moment to respond. "We would have not been quiet enough."

"I did tell you to go to yours." She whispered, stroking a hand down his chest, grinning. The woman was reluctant to leave her mother living alone. "We did not exactly do much checking on Lola."

Nathan did a half nod/half shake of his head. "I checked up on her and René when I was locking doors and windows. She was sleeping on the couch. Looked like René was keeping an eye on her though."

"You did the mature thing," Cassandra said, feeling a tad guilty as she pulled away a little. She leaned over to grab the blanket on the back of the chair to cover herself up a little.

Nathan looked at her covering up. A wry smile crossed his face. "You do know the best way to stay warm is to share body heat. I promise to keep my hands to myself if you want to head to your bedroom. Provided you keep your hands to yourself as well?"

“I think I can cope with that.” She laughed a little as she pushed against his chest to sit up and shift off the edge of the desk. She wrapped the blanket around herself and quickly set the room right before grabbing up her clothes putting on a few items.

Nathan pulled up his pants and boxer briefs. He found his tunic, undershirt and fleece sweater. He glanced at Cassandra as they finished sorting out the clothing situation. She still looked a little disheveled. Hopefully they wouldn't encounter someone on the way to her bedroom. "Ready to go?"

“No,” She laughed as she blew out the candle and opened the door. The house was silent as Cassandra slipped along the corridor and glanced into the living room. She smiled as she found both Lola and Rene sound asleep. She closed the door to keep the heat in and turned back to the man. “Go on up,” she whispered putting her boots down.

Nathan led the way upstairs silently. He breathed a sigh of relief once they made it to Cassandra's bedroom undetected. He took a seat at the foot of the bed and quietly got undressed. He watched her undress as he pulled back the covers and got into bed.

“Scared of Maureen Commander?” The woman wondered grinning as she undid what was left of her clothes and popped them into a pile to look at properly when she could see in the morning.

Nathan tilted his head side to side as he thought about the question. He finally nodded. "Frankly. Yes. Your mother can be somewhat of a force to be reckoned with." He lay in the bed and admired Cassandra's nude body for a moment. "Her daughter can be equally formidable, if not more so at times."

Cassandra just laughed and disappeared into the small bathroom. She returned a few moments later and climbed into bed, just staring at the man in the darkness. “Nath? Was this all because I mentioned Oxford?” She whispered.

Nathan pulled Cassandra close. He stroked her hair and planted a gentle, lingering kiss on her lips. "I had said how I felt before you spoke about James. I can wait until you figure things out. You have to do what's right for you, and I understand that." He held her in his arms.

"Not what I meant, and you know it." She whispered as she wiggled to face away from him. Her tone was worried more than accusatory. She loved this man and wanted him to be secure in loving her.

Nathan snuggled close with Cassandra, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I know. It has to do with the last couple of years. Working together to make Thistledrift and Europa better. We've built a relationship based on cooperation, respect and friendship."

Cassandra was not entirely sure on that but let the silence settle between them as her thoughts took over. So much had been revealed in the last few hours that it would take a lot of time to unpack if she was honest with herself.

Nathan understood their relationship was undergoing a significant shift. It was something that would tremendously shape dynamics for many. Not just the couple snuggled together. They wound work it out over time.

Good for you?

 

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