ShaViva's Stargate Fan ... Stuff

Saturday, May 30th | Late Evening | Doctor Leia Mahanay's Quarters - after the Quiz Night

Evan strolled down the corridor with Leia held close into his side. They'd had fun together ... they always did and he'd felt comfortable and relaxed, a feeling he'd managed to hold onto until about three seconds ago when they'd turned the corner heading directly to her quarters and potential awkwardness. He had no expectations ... wasn't even sure what he actually wanted for the remainder of their evening. Stopping at Leia's door, Evan turned and looked at her intently. "Thank you," he said simply. "I had fun."

"I had a lot of fun too. Would you like to," Leia hesitated then pressed on, "would you like to come in? I've got some coffee," she told him, opening her door.

"Ah ... sure," Evan said, glancing to his left and right before following her inside. The door closed behind him silently and he looked around curiously. He'd never been inside her room before ... a line he'd been unwilling to cross while still determined to treat her as a friend, to give her time to resolve her feelings for Daniel. Leia's room surprised him ... he'd expected something that hinted at her personality, something with a few personal touches. Instead the room was sparse, tidy to a fault, with only a few throw rugs and books to distinguish it from any of the unoccupied rooms in the city. "Still waiting on stuff from Earth?" he asked curiously, watching her closely.

Leia frowned, then realization dawned on her. She hadn't planned to return with him... and hadn't changed her room to suit. "Um... A lot of my things are in storage. Old habits die hard..." Leia said lamely, kicking herself for such a weak excuse. "When I was with the Foreign Services, I always put my things away... I guess it never occurred to me to bring them..."

"Now that I understand," Evan replied. "I've moved so many times there are things I never bother to transport anymore ... even after more than three years here." Silence descended on them ... the awkward, expectant kind. Giving her a weak smile he turned towards the windows, intent on checking out her view of the city.

"Maybe you should," Leia told him as she smiled at him and then headed to the kitchen area, slipping off her shoes gracefully. She started coffee and glanced out her windows. "The view is great though. Makes the entire 'not having anything' pay off," Leia said, playfully.

"Maybe," Evan agreed. "But with views like this a room hardly needs any decoration." Turning away from the windows he watched as Leia made coffee ... noting her return to normal height with amusement. Walking over, he folded his arms across his chest and leaned against her counter. "That's better," he said, smiling as he nodded to her feet.

"Hey... I'm not that much shorter than you are, buddy. Those just happen to be a little tighter than I remember. All this clean living," Leia told him, leaning on the counter. "It's good for dancing... Not that I do it often, but sometimes I just... have to move," she told him, embarrassed all of a sudden.

Grinning, Evan held out a hand, straightening away from the counter. "Show me," he said, inviting her to dance with him.

Leia laughed. "Are you serious?" she asked, honestly surprised at his suggestion. She took his hand and they started dancing as Leia hummed a song, slow dancing together.

"What ... a guy can't enjoy dancing?" Evan asked, holding her close and swaying in time to her rendition of Something stupid. "I'd be crazy to pass up the opportunity to hold a beautiful woman in my arms."

"You're just a surprise... I didn't expect it for some reason," she said softly, stroking his head. Leia let out a breath and looked at him as they swayed together. She closed her eyes, hesitating slightly then kissed him gently on the lips, pulling her body flush against him.

Evan let her take the lead, accepted her kiss without feeling the need to turn it into something more. They had plenty of time, the urgency he'd felt the last time they'd kissed transformed by his desire for this to be something meaningful ... lasting. Not that he wasn't aware ... the feel of her in his arms, the way they instinctively moved together as she continued to hum the song, had a portion of his thoughts engaged where any male’s would be. Running a hand up her back and into her hair, Evan clasped the back of her neck, squeezing lightly as she rested her head against his chest.

They moved slowly until she stopped humming, the 'song' over. Leia looked into his beautiful eyes, feeling the same current that went through her at the elevator returning. "Now that we're here... what do you want to do?" she asked him softly, deliberately undoing the buttons on his jacket and pulling the jacket open to show him her interest but going no further.

"What do I want to do?" Evan stopped, leaning back to look down at her. "Everything. What do I think we should be doing?" He took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. "That's the real question isn't it? This is our first real date Leia ... I don't want to mess this up by moving too fast." He kept his eyes looking into hers, felt that same connection he'd sensed since the first time they'd met. "But there's a lot of ground between nothing and everything," he added, pulling her up and kissing her purposefully.

Leia looked at him in brief confusion, trying to figure this out. He wanted to do everything... but didn't think they should out of some sense of what? Leia returned his kiss, pulling him closer. They finally broke for air. "You act like this is new... but we've been dancing towards this since the first time we met and I brought you ice cream..." Leia told him with a superior smirk. "I don't think we've been moving fast at all..."

"So you understand what I want from you?" Evan asked seriously, watching her expression as he continued. "You think you understand me? Because I'm not there with you Leia ... and I need to be. Sex isn't just something to do ... not to me, and it shouldn't be to you either. I'm not disagreeing that we've been on this road since that first day but just because it's inevitable doesn't mean we do it without due regard for what it should mean."

Leia looked at him and nodded. "Ok. Sorry that I pushed... I just... I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to put you on the spot. Would you like some coffee still?" she asked, completely embarrassed that she'd been so pushy and didn't anticipate his wishes better. "Sex... sex isn't just something to do for me though. I thought we were ready to get closer..."

"You really are an all or nothing kind of woman aren't you?" Evan said, exasperated. "Closer is good ... I want to get closer." Matching actions to words he wrapped his arms around her waist and shifted her back into him. "But does every kiss have to lead to the ultimate conclusion?"

Leia grinned, closing her eyes in embarrassment. "I suppose I am all or nothing. I want to be closer too," she said with a brief chuckle. "Well, no... but you have to admit... it would be nice and it's not like you have to marry me or something," Leia told him, not getting the hang up but trying to respect him.

"Oh it'll be a lot better than 'nice'," Evan returned, grinning. It was pretty clear to him that she didn't understand where he was coming from which had two thoughts vying for attention in his own mind. That he'd been right to put the brakes on where they were heading before things had gotten out of control ... because they didn't understand each other. The other part was his concern over the kind of men she'd associated with in the past ... this wasn’t about Leia offering sex because she thought it was expected or would keep him interested ... it was something more than that ... he just wasn't sure what. "And see ... we're already learning more about each other."

Leia inclined her head. "Rightly so. What else would you like to know about me?" she asked, enjoying the closeness they were sharing but worrying about what he was thinking. It was a pretty close knit community... would he tell others? She didn't think so, but.... it was something worrisome. She couldn't lose this position.

"Where do I start?" Evan said with a rueful laugh. Leading her over to the sofa he waited until she’d taken a seat before sitting down beside her. "What you were like as a little girl. Your first crush. Your heroes. Your best day. Your worst day." He shot her a cheeky grin before adding "how you'd look waking up naked in my arms." Evan knew he couldn't learn all that in one night ... but he wanted to make it clear that he was interested in knowing all of her.

Leia grinned, loving the way she wound him up. "I was..." she started then stopped, losing the grin. "I was... very serious. Very, very serious. My first crush would have been when I was sixteen... unless you count my Father figure. Anthony Kiedis from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. I don't know why," she rushed out, embarrassed. "I didn't have any real heroes... not ones that are worth remembering anyway. My best day was when I graduated University and my worst day would have to be...," she trailed off, a flash of her first kill swimming up to the surface. "Probably when I found out that my Mother abandoned me," Leia told him then lowered her head for a brief moment. "And I'd probably look ... a little mussed but good. How would you look?"

"How would I look waking up with you naked in my arms?" Evan asked. "Probably pretty damn pleased with myself!" Turning serious, he thought about all the things she'd revealed with her answers .... and all the additional questions they raised in his head. Putting his arm around Leia's shoulders, Evan drew her down to rest against him, his breath rustling her hair as he considered what to say next. "I can see you as a serious little girl," he began, "driven, wanting to be the best. Particularly for your ... was it adoptive parents?" he looked at her questioningly, wondering if he had that right. "Your Father figure first crush - was he a foster parent?"

Leia snickered, glad he felt that way. "Not adopted. My Grandmother raised me until she passed. I had a friend of the family that helped out, was close to us... He taught me a lot and I guess it just made sense to fall in love with him," she told him, resting against him, feeling his warmth. "I wanted to be the best... and I wanted to be free."

Evan frowned at her use of that word ... free. It was a strange thing for Leia to have said ... feeling the need for freedom usually meant that a person was caged in some way. What kind of childhood had she experienced to feel that way? With every answer he only had more questions ... getting at the core of what made her who she was would take more time than he would have imagined at the start. An open, friendly facade hiding something sadder ... and darker? The flash of - was it memory? - caught hold of his mind. Leia standing above him, her face angry but also full of misery. The vision faded, leaving him confused. "And did you get there?" he asked, struggling to keep the confusion from his voice.

"Of course. I'm here, aren't I?" Leia told him, lying cheerfully. She was still very much in her cage.

"You are," Evan agreed. He felt troubled ... beyond the point of being able to solve it with more questions. Sighing, he shifted, slouching down in the sofa a little and taking her with him. Was it a prerequisite of the Stargate program that everything had to be ten times more complicated than it really ought to be? "So ...," he turned his head and looked at her expectantly.

"So..." Leia drawled as he looked troubled. "Coffee. We have coffee and you can tell me about your new team and why you picked them," she said, hopping up and getting their coffee.

"Okay," Evan agreed, reluctantly letting her go. He watched her bustling with the drinks thoughtfully, hating the feeling he had ... that somehow he'd let her down ... that somewhere in that conversation there had been a point where he could have made a difference ... rescued her ... but he hadn't seen it. Still couldn't. It tied back into his feelings when he'd first awoken in the infirmary and seen her watching over him. Protection ... the urge to go out and be that knight in shining armour slaying all her hidden dragons. Not for the first time he wondered what had really happened during those missing hours when he'd crashed that Jumper. Because sure as hell something had ... more than Leia had admitted to.

Leia hurried back and handed him a mug. "Is that how you take it? I watched the last time we ate..." she explained her knowledge of how he took his coffee. "Anyway... Your team. You've selected them right? How did that go?"

"It is - that was observant of you," Evan replied in surprise. "Thanks," he took the mug, putting it on the table and then patting the spot beside him. "Sit down," he invited, waiting until she'd settled herself beside him again. "I'll tell you about the team in a minute. First ...," he hesitated for a moment, "I need to tell you something. Since I woke up in the infirmary I've had this feeling that I need to protect you from ... something. I don't know what or why but ... Leia," he grabbed her hands and looked deeply into her eyes. "I need you to promise me that if you are in trouble ... if that feeling I have is based on something real ... that you'll tell me, that you'll trust me to help you."

Leia sat down, getting comfortable again. "Ok... Tell me, Evan," she told him, starting to get a little scared. Was he remembering? Did he remember? Was this the moment of truth? Leia looked at him confused after he’d finished speaking. "Evan... It's probably just a bit of unresolved stuff from the crash. It was pretty scary. But I'm fine. But sure. I'll tell you if something is wrong. I promise," Leia told him, touched by his devotion.

"Okay," Evan nodded, trying to let that be his reassurance. Relaxing back ... telling himself to relax and forget about it ... Evan smiled. "So - my team. I could make you guess the new line-up but that'd be cruel because you probably won't. Daniel's still gonna be 2IC and I've managed to get Radek to agree to join an off world team permanently. You don't know him that well but let me tell you that is quite the turnaround from his attitude when he first came here. Last spot's going to Captain Sterling - General O'Neill's man. He'll still work for the new department but will be on the team for any team missions." Evan looked at her, interested in her reactions, her opinions.

“That's quite the accomplishment, Evan. I've heard of Dr.Zelenka's infamous stance on going off world. You should be commended," she said, teasing him. "The last is an unusual choice... isn't he outside of your chain of command?" she asked, looking thoughtful.

"What can I say?" Evan quipped. "I can be pretty persuasive when I need to be," his eyes sparkled as he rose an eyebrow at her suggestively. "You're right about Sterling ... he's outside my chain of command in the general sense. It'll take some adjustment but I can't see why this arrangement can't work ... I'd defer to General O'Neill in any case, regardless of who Sterling reported to."

Leia laughed. "Yes, yes, you can... too bad, I don't seem to be able to persuade you," she teased, getting comfortable again. "Makes sense... it's just an odd choice. But not bad odd, just... not what most would expect. You're full of surprises, like I said earlier..." Leia told him, taking a long pull from her coffee.

"Don't underestimate yourself," Evan said seriously. "I'm sure you're just as persuasive when the situation calls for it."

Leia chuckled. "Well, of course... I just have to get the right tools for you," she said, in a very suggestive tone.

"Tools?" Evan found himself grinning. "Do I even want to ask about that?"

"No... probably not," Leia told him with a teasing look in her eyes.

"See, now you've got me thinking," Evan slouched back on the sofa, resting his head on the headrest as he mock glared at her. "How am I going to sleep tonight after that?"

"The old fashioned way. You take off your clothes and sleep naked," she quipped, grinning at him.

"Or maybe I keep my clothes on and stay with you," Evan retorted, giving as good as he got. "Keep my eye on you so you can't get up to mischief."

"Do you really want to? I mean, stay the night? We could just snuggle or something..." Leia offered, looking over her coffee mug at him.

Turning his head, Evan considered her suggestion, his eyes locked on hers. He'd been joking but now the offer was out there he found himself wanting to accept ... to take the opportunity to get closer. "Sure," he said finally, with a faint smile. Giving an exaggerated yawn, he raised an eyebrow. "I'm feeling pretty tired myself ... you?"

Leia grinned. "I'm definitely tuckered out... all that fun just wiped me out," she said, getting to her feet and offering her hand towards him.

Evan took her hand, let her pull him up from the couch. Putting his arm around her shoulders, he went along as she led the way towards her bedroom. Glancing down at his attire as they walked, he grinned. "I'm not sure I want to ask if you have anything that'd fit me because if you do I'll be wondering why, so I'll just ...," he trailed off, making a vague gesture she could interpret any way she liked. "Go do what you have to do ... I'll just wait for you out here," he suggested.

"I figured you'd just sleep in your shirt and boxers... I might have a pair of PJ pants that would fit, but that's only because the elastics about gone... Not saying you’re big or anything, but you are larger than I am," she told him, considering him. "Anyway, I'm going to change really quickly." Leia shut the door behind her, stripping from her dress and pulled on a pair of shorts and a Washington Capitals jersey. She opened the door and smiled as she crooked her finger at him and gestured him inside her abode.

Evan smiled at how quickly she changed, charmed at the way she gestured to invite him in, not to mention how cute she looked in her bedtime attire. He'd already shrugged off his jacket ... sitting on the edge of the bed he bent to get rid of his shoes. Standing again he looked at her ... not missing the way her eyes were following his every move. "You're watching me?" he quipped, reaching for the zipper of his pants.

"Gotta get my thrills somehow, Evan. But I'll cover my eyes if you'd prefer..." Leia told him, lifting her hands dramatically and covering her eyes.

Chuckling, Evan still used her antics to get out of his pants as gracefully as possible. Down to t-shirt and boxers just as she'd intimated, he moved back to the bed but then stopped. "You got a preferred side?" he asked curiously.

"Usually the left side," she said, uncovering her eyes and pulling back the sheets. "But I'm flexible." Leia told him with a shrug.

Thinking about the various comebacks to that one, none of them appropriate for two people about to sleep together in the purely platonic sense, Evan wisely went for nodding silently. It was strange how natural it felt for him to get into the bed and lie down beside her. On his back, his eyes on the ceiling above them, the only thing that felt awkward was the careful space between them. "You know ... I'm pretty sure one simple kiss goodnight would be appropriate,” he said lightly.

“I think so too," Leia told him, wondering if he was going to relax. She turned over and kissed him passionately for several moments. She finally broke off the kiss and laid back down, pulling his arm around her waist.

Evan pulled her to him as she initiated the kiss, enjoying how she took charge. When it was done and she was back beside him, the two of them as close as they could get while still being able to sleep comfortably, he smiled. "Night Leia," he said like he'd done it a million times before, thinking the lights off and leaving them together in the darkness.

“God, you're handy," Leia told him as she got comfortable. "Night Lorne," she said with a smile.

Evan smirked. "You ain't seen nothing yet honey," he quipped, squeezing her tightly before relaxing again. Letting his breathing settle into a slower rhythm he lay in the darkness, listening to her breath as he thought about the evening and all the questions he still had. Some time later he registered that she'd fallen asleep ... he wasn't aware of it, but shortly after that he fell asleep too.

Sunday, 1st June | 0630 hours | Leia’s quarters

Evan woke in his usual way ... returning from sleep into consciousness in an instant. He knew where he was from that first moment. Leia's quarters. Leia's bed. During the night they'd settled into sleeping close but apart ... the only physical connection being Leia's hand resting on his chest as she slept on her stomach next to him. Turning onto his side to look at her, Evan found even that a contradiction ... that she would be so open to intimacy but subconsciously shift away in her sleep. The more he got to know Leia the more Evan realised there was to learn...

Leia slept on then instantly woke, opening her eyes and looking at Evan. "Morning," she said, pulling her hand back slowly as she tapped a gentle beat on his chest. "What time is it?" Leia asked, rubbing her face and stretching as her shoulders popped slightly. "Sorry," she said sheepishly, completely awake and ready for the day.

"Still early," Evan replied, smiling as he took in this 'just waking' version of Leia. "Did you sleep well?"

"Definitely. You're very warm," Leia said with a Cheshire smile. She lay back down on her stomach and settled on her arms, kicking one leg up behind her. "So, what shall we do with ourselves?"

"Warm huh?" Evan returned, watching her closely. "How would you know, sleeping all the way over there?" It was a subtle dig ... the desire to find the answers to questions he'd been asking himself driving him. Maybe it was nothing ... that subconscious retreat in the night ... but maybe it wasn't.

Leia frowned. "Uh, okay. So you're unhappy with my nocturnal movements? I stay cold usually and I woke up ... warm this morning. That's how I knew. Is there something bothering you?" she asked, being direct.

"Of course not," Evan replied, reaching out to brush a strand of hair away from her eyes ... more an excuse to touch her than out of necessity. "Maybe my manly ego is dented a little ... and maybe I'm seeing meaning where there isn't any. It's been a while since I ... ah," he broke off. Talking about 'the last time' he woke up beside someone was a mood killer for sure ... and he didn't want to talk about his past.

"Ahh. Aha. I see. Well, it's not on purpose. I just..." Leia shrugged, smiling at the gentle touches. "So, what are your plans for today?"

"Sunday morning plans ...," Evan thought for a moment. "You could repair my manly ego by joining me on this side of the bed," he suggested. "A hug wouldn't go astray ... some conversation ... get to know each other better."

Leia grinned at him and crawled over to his side, wrapping her arms around him and settling against his chest. "Better?" she asked with a smirk.

"Much," he agreed, putting his arm around her as he settled onto his back. For a few moments they remained silent ... the light filtering in from the window casting early morning shadows into the room. "So ... tell me more about this Father figure," Evan requested out of the blue, tightening his arm when he sensed that she might shift away. Maybe it was a pretty heavy place to start out but Leia's comments of the prior night ... the way she'd labelled her first love that way ... struck him as important somehow.

Leia blinked at him and felt his arm tighten. She considered it for a moment. "He helped raise me from when I was very small. Taught me everything..." she said with a warm smile.

"How old was he?" Evan asked curiously.

"Late thirties if I were to guess... I don't know," Leia said, uncertainly, having never thought about that before.

“Big age difference," he commented, "for you to see him as a suitable first love rather than a real Father replacement." Evan wondered how those emotions had arisen - had it been a harmless crush over someone Leia had admired from afar, like her admissions about that singer. Or had it been driven by real behaviours from the guy? "Do you still see him?"

"From time to time. We visited before I came out here. When I go on assignment, there's a bit of a ritual. I visit him, tell him goodbye and he gives me a gift." she said. "The last gift was a picture of Washington that he took... I should probably hang it up actually." Leia said with a thoughtful frown.

"Probably," Evan agreed lightly. Gifts from father to daughter weren’t unusual ... in fact nothing Leia had said, nothing in her reactions or demeanour explained Evan's thinking that there was more to the relationship than Leia was letting on. He briefly considered asking a more confronting question but decided against it ... he didn't want to upset her or damage something still new and fragile. And he didn't have the right to question or judge her past ... "No other family back on Earth?" Evan asked instead.

"A brother, but we haven't spoken in years. He just never really.... Liked me," Leia said with a shrug. "I guess I was just closer to my Father Figure..." she explained.

"That's a shame," Evan replied, rubbing his hand up and down her arm absently, thinking as he continued. "I was always close to my sister but then we always had a lot in common. I find it hard to believe he didn't like you though ...," he trailed off for a moment. "Does this Father figure have a name?" It struck Evan as odd that Leia always referred to him like that - as though it were a title rather than a description of the nature of their relationship.

Leia smiled at him as he stroked her arm. "Eh? Oh. Sorry... It's more of a respect thing... I'm rather weird that way. Marcus. His name is Marcus Parish," she told him, getting very close to her cover and feeling a twinge in her stomach. God... she was going to blow her cover... He was going to make her blow her cover! This was bad. This was very bad.

"Well don't start calling me Major or anything," Evan quipped back, casual and light hearted on the surface. Internally though he was already planning on emailing an old friend in the next data burst back to Earth. No harm in checking out this Parish guy ... more than likely he'd find out everything was as it seemed and that would be the end of it, with Leia none the wiser.

This ... protective thing Evan was feeling for Leia puzzled him ... not that he didn't have that aspect to his character - he'd done enough crazy stuff during his career to prove how far he'd go to help even someone who was a stranger to him. This was different though ... personal and just a tad alarming for someone who prided themselves on knowing where to draw the line. He sensed with Leia the danger that she'd push him beyond that ... the whole thing was turning into a huge balancing act between his natural desire to get closer in every sense of the word and his equally strong desire to protect himself, her, and every principle he'd always held about not letting himself get too close to anyone. Trying to shrug off his thoughts, Evan went for a cheeky grin so she'd know he was joking. "Sir's good though ... I could get used to that."

Leia rolled her eyes. "I just ... He's different than you are," she said, flushing lightly in her cheeks. As he grinned at her, she smirked up at him. "Yes, Sir," she said softly, demurely, pouting her full lips slightly and looking undeniably sexy and slightly mussed.

"That's ...," Evan trailed off, his eyes meshed to hers. Before he could think about it he was kissing the pout off her lips, doing his damndest to muss her up but good. At the back of his mind the reasoning side of him was pointing out that perhaps lying around in bed with a sexy woman he was more than a little attracted to had not been his best idea.

Leia kissed him back, her brain lighting up with that useful titbit. He did like control. She let him have it, her fingers dancing across his shoulders, waiting for him to take her in his arms. Her body reacted to him taking charge, wondering if perhaps he would change his mind about the love making...

The kissing was heated ... intense ... hungry. If there was such a thing as chemistry then they certainly had it in spades. Evan knew he'd have to put the brakes on but let the moment play out. Kissing was great, sure, but before too long it wasn't enough. He had his hands under her t-shirt, trailing up her back in seconds ... her naked back. Oh God, he was in so much trouble here.

Leia pressed against him, shifting just slightly and getting into his lap, letting him feel her body. She broke the kiss, trailing kisses down his neck as she sucked gently, not wanting to mark him, ruin his perfect flesh as her hands smoothed over his rock hard abs and then snaked behind his back, letting herself be pushed and pulled by his whim.

"Leia," Evan sat up abruptly, taking her with him so that she ended up sitting on his lap with her legs on either side of him. "Le-ia," he said again, drawing her name out when her kisses to his neck had him shivering slightly. Grabbing her hands he held them firmly, locking eyes with her as they both breathed hard. "I'm not gonna apologise for that," he said in a low tone. "And I'm not gonna deny that I want to take this all the way," he shifted slightly, knowing she could feel the physical evidence of that. For a few moments he just looked into her eyes ... couldn't have said what he was thinking if she'd asked him. Letting go of her hands he gently threaded his fingers through her hair, holding her lightly. He looked at her for another moment before leaning in and kissing her ... this time it was all tenderness and caring. Pulling away, he rested his forehead against hers. "How do you always manage to short circuit my brain? I decide one thing and end up doing something else entirely."

Leia heard her name and nipped slightly at his neck, her legs spreading across his lap. She moaned as he said her name again and grabbed her hands, pulling her away. She breathed in and out, looking at him as if she was having trouble comprehending. Leia stayed silent, her chest still rising and falling, feeling his body reacting to hers and her closeness as he spoke firmly and in a low voice. They looked into each other's eyes, the tension crackling around them. He finally released her hands and Leia shivered, feeling his fingers in her hair, pulling her closer as he kissed her again, caring and lovingly. They broke, breathless as they touched foreheads. "If it... If it makes you feel better, Evan... You do the same to me," she whispered, closing her eyes.

"It does and it doesn't," Evan replied, pulling back so he could look at her. "Who knows where we could end up if we just let the mood take us."

"I have a fairly good idea where that would be," she said dryly, giving him a look.

"Not quite what I meant," Evan said ruefully. "This really doesn't bother you does it? The whole getting intimate before you really know the other person thing."

Leia scoffed. "I'd say I know you rather well. Are you implying something, Evan?" she asked.

"Maybe I'm implying something about me then," Evan returned, lifting her off his lap and settling her down next to him. "I'm starting to realise that you're a lot more ... experienced in all of this than I am. That's not an accusation or a judgement ... just a statement of fact." He let out a rueful laugh. "Another blow to my manly ego there ...,"

Leia flushed. "Oh. Ohh. Sorry. I guess-" she said, frowning and pulling her legs up to her chest. "I'm sorry," Leia told him. "I guess I figured this would end up with you calling me a slut and leaving..." she admitted, not making eye contact.

"One - I don't buy into that double standard crap," Evan shot back, feeling just a little insulted that she'd think he would. "And Two - I've never called any woman of my acquaintance a slut, let alone a friend!" He took a moment, not wanting to say something he'd regret later. "It troubles me though Leia, I won't deny that. What are you doing, valuing yourself so poorly? And don't tell me you've had real feelings for every man you've been with because I wouldn't buy it."

Leia looked up, glancing at him. She frowned, looking down at the bed. "I don't value myself that poorly. Sex just feels good. I had a boyfriend that did the same... I guess I just was using a broad marker to mark you," Leia explained, getting huffy. "I figured you wouldn't, but geez, Evan. I lose control when I'm around you and I guess I'm just scared that my ways, the fact that I go to bed rather quickly, would drive you away. It's just the way I learned, ok? I'm sorry!" she yelled, angry and unable to keep the wild emotions under control that were surging through her.

"You learned?" Evan asked, incredulous both at her choice of words and her reaction. "Leia," he grabbed her shoulders and pulled her around to look at him. "What do you mean it's the way you learned? Who taught you to treat sex so casually?"

Leia looked away as he confronted her, feeling sick that she'd let him in that far. God, there was no return... Her mouth opened and she almost admitted it all, told him the truth, the ways she was trained, that her Mentor had taught her that being attractive was good, for Sex could be the best weapon she had. "No one," she lied, unable to make eye contact.

"Right ... no one," Evan returned grimly, the fact that she was lying all too apparent. Getting up from the bed, he grabbed his pants, sliding them on quickly and then sitting on the edge of the bed to put on his shoes. There were plenty of things going through his head that he could have said but it all came down to one thing really. Finished with his shoes he turned back to Leia. "Tell me you're not ready to talk about something ... tell me to mind my own business. Don't lie to me Leia."

Leia looked at him as he started to leave, tears welling up in her eyes. God, she'd lost him. She'd lost him... Leia wanted to laugh, wanting to cry and wanted to beat the shit out of him. Don't lie to him? DON'T LIE TO HIM! What the hell else had she been doing this entire damn time?! "I... I'm sorry, Evan. I'm sorry. My Grandmother... she always said I wouldn't amount to anything unless I was pretty and good to men..." she whispered out, looking at him and letting him see the pain in her eyes. "She wanted me to marry Marcus at one point... and I'm sorry, but I didn't want you to think I was messed up and you already do..."

"God Leia," Evan let the annoyance drop away in the face of her obvious pain. Getting up he walked around the bed to her, dropping down to his knees and putting a hand to her cheek. "I'm sorry my questions brought back painful memories ... I shouldn't have pushed you." He stroked a hand over her cheek. "You're all grown up now Leia ... surely you don't still believe your Grandmother was right?"

Leia looked at him. "Of course not... I just... I thought I was past all this and I wanted to get closer to you, be with you and it all backfired..." she rambled, crying.

Evan cursed himself even as he pulled her into his arms, shifting with her to sit on the bed with her in his lap. Running a comforting hand over her back, he held her close and let her cry. "I wanted to get closer to you too," he eventually said softly, "by getting to know you better. I guess that backfired too, huh?"

Leia cried harder, having messed up everything. "I'm sorry. I thought I was over this... I'm so sorry," she told him, letting him comfort her.

"It's okay Leia," Evan told her, stroking her hair. "If you agree to forgive me for being too pushy I'll forget about the rest. Please don't cry."

Leia nodded, letting out a small sob that she quickly muffled and then pulled away, retreating to the bathroom. She blew her nose and wiped her red eyes, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. She'd salvaged the situation... she'd salvaged the situation, but Christ, at what cost? She let out a scream and punched the wall, splitting her knuckles. "Fuck!" Leia yelled.

Evan watched as Leia got herself under control enough to make a retreat to the bathroom. The muffled scream and thud followed by a very obvious curse had him up and to the door in seconds. "Leia?" he called out. She didn't respond and he was tempted to just override the door controls. "Leia!" he shouted again.

Leia heard her name muffled by the door, feeling absolutely stupid. God, if she could control her temper... She continued to ignore him, cradling her hand and knowing that she was being an idiot.

When she still didn't respond Evan shot a glare at the controls, swiping a hand over them and being rewarded with the door swishing silently open. The scene that greeted him wasn't a surprise given what he's heard. Leia stood, cradling one hand in the other as blood flowed slowly from her knuckles. "What did you do?" Evan took command immediately, taking her shoulders and guiding her to the basin to wash the blood away so he could see how bad it was.

"Punched the wall..." she told him as she hissed, feeling the cold water on her bleeding hand.

"Got quite the temper there don't you," Evan commented lightly as he efficiently cleaned her wound. Assessing it closely, he nodded. "Lucky for you this is just gonna be bruised and sore for a few days - no stitches required." Looking around for the bathroom cabinet, he opened it and rummaged around inside for basic first aid items. "You got bandages in here?" he asked. Spotting something he added, "never mind, found them." Motioning for her to sit on the only available seat he squatted down and applied antiseptic cream and bandaids with gentle competence. "There you go," he said, getting up and disposing of the rubbish before washing his hands. Turning around, he folded his arms across his chest, leaning back against the bench with his feet crossed one over the other. "All this anger just because I asked you something that brought back bad memories?" he queried lightly, inviting her to talk to him but hopefully this time not pressuring her.

Leia exhaled, glad that she hadn't messed up her hand. "I'm an angry person, Evan. I guess that's how I cope. I get angry. It's not your fault... really. I just-" she sighed again, tension in her shoulders. "I don't know any other way and then I act stupid and well..." Leia told him, holding up her hand to show off her wound.

"Yeah - the wall always wins," Evan replied. "Believe me I know. Take my advice ... next time use a punching bag - much more effective and less unforgiving on the knuckles." Walking forward he held out his hands, waiting for her to take them. "How about we get out of here? Go walk - shake off the bad mood?"

Leia laughed, unable to stop herself. "Ok. Want me to get dressed or shall we go like this?" she asked, blowing her nose again and wondering if he thought she was crazy yet or if he was just keeping her calm.

"While I'm all for your current outfit I'm not so keen on every other male in the city getting the chance to appreciate it," Evan said, amused, running his eyes over her legs with a wink. "Go get dressed ... I'll wait in the living room."

Leia nodded and wondered if he was just as crazy as she was, trying not to let the events of that morning bother him. She waited until he was clear and got dressed in a black with white polka dots sundress and slipped on a pair of comfortable sandals, topping it off with a bucket hat. She emerged, looking calmer but frowning, looking at him, not sure what she should say.

Evan paced around the living area while he waited. He needed to think ... to work out what the hell had happened that morning. How they'd gone from being perfectly in tune in bed to her punching a fist into the wall. Something wasn't right there and since he didn't think Leia was crazy his mind was conjuring up other explanations, none of them good. The sudden throbbing inside his head had him sitting down abruptly on the sofa ... remnants of the concussion he still suffered from time to time.

A mental image - Leia standing over him glaring. You don't know him like I do!. Shaking his head, Evan frowned, concentrating on trying to bring more to the forefront but it was gone. Flashback? Had that been he and Leia talking after the crash? Who was ”him”? Parish or someone he hadn't found out about yet?

Before he could decide the door swished open and Leia walked into the room, looking summery and casual and nothing like the angry or upset woman of earlier. Rising to his feet, Evan moved to take her hand. "You look nice," he smiled, kissing her injured knuckles gently.

Leia smiled tightly at him as he kissed her battered hand. "Thanks... Are you sure you want to be seen with me?" she asked, half teasing. She used her fists too much sometimes... she really did.

"Why not," Evan replied, moving them towards the door. "You're hot ... you can cook, you're smart ... and did I mention hot?"

Leia laughed. "Well, then. I suppose I can't argue with that reasoning. Thank you," she said, holding his hand. "Where should we go?" Leia asked.

"Well after that glowing advertisement I'd have to say somewhere very public," Evan quipped. "How am I going to look good if I hide you away on a balcony somewhere?"

"Publically showing me off... Well, well, this is an event," she teased. "I thought you didn't want to ruin your Perfect Soldier image?" Leia told him, fluttering her eyelashes and generally pretending that this morning hadn't happened.

"I don't have a perfect soldier image," Evan insisted. Out in the corridor he paused for a moment before deciding on the Mess Hall ... for some reason he was hungry and they'd be serving breakfast even though it was only just gone 0700 hours. "If you'd been around for longer you'd be fully aware of all the times I've messed up ... since you weren't I get to keep that to myself."

"Oh really? That's not how the Marines see you," she countered, revealing that she'd been seeking out information on him. "I'm sure I could bribe the information about of some select sources, if I were so inclined," Leia told him primly as they went to the Mess Hall and got breakfast. "So... Should I be on my best behaviour, Sir?" she asked him, teasing him.

"You've been talking to the marines ... about me?" Evan asked in surprise. "And I haven't already heard about it? They're the biggest bunch of gossips on base ... did you have to bribe them to get their silence too?" He laughed at the image in his head of Leia offering some of the tougher Marines on base anything in exchange for information. "You can try getting information honey but good luck with that ... I'm in charge of the duty roster and they all know it."

Once in the Mess Hall they moved to get breakfast ... Evan opted for bacon and eggs which wasn't his usual fare. They walked to one of the tables and Evan couldn't help but smirk at her question. "Are you sure you want to be calling me Sir?" he asked in a low tone. "Look what happened the last time."

"I have," Leia said smartly. "They don't seem to realize that I'm pressing for information, so don't be too hard on them. I didn't bribe anyone, I just was very interested in what they had to say... nothing more," she told him. "Who said I only had Military sources, dearest?" Leia asked as she got a plate of eggs, bacon, sausage and toast. "Well it wasn't so bad the first part of it..." she said, referring to the kissing that was absolutely amazing.

"I guess it was o-kay," Evan teased, making an exaggerated cringe back as though he expected her to want to smack him for that one. "I can't really recall ... all happened too fast." He was making light of the events of the morning ... they needed that since talking about it was so not an option. Evan would email his friend ... find out more about Leia's background. Then he'd know what he was dealing with.

Leia kicked him under the table and gave him a look. "It was very fast. Perhaps we should replicate the scenario... just for research," she told him. "See if the results are the same."

"Ouch!" Evan jumped as her foot connected with his shin. "What happened to Sir?" he added, rubbing at the sore spot, only straightening when she finished speaking. "I'm not opposed to research ... although I think we both know the results will be the same. Gotta put a label on you that says 'dangerous'," he reached out and brushed a hand over her forehead, “right there.”

"Sorry, Sir," Leia drawled. "Leg spasm," she said, making a face at him. Leia grinned. "So, Dangerous, eh?" she asked, covering his hand with her own. "You're the one that makes me this way," Leia told him.

"Me?" he asked innocently. "Perfect soldier boy?" He grinned. "Nope ... I was just minding my own business when you strolled in with ice-cream so I'm afraid I'll have to hold you entirely responsible for anything that happened after that."

Leia laughed. "It's alllllll me. So it's my fault that you kissed me like I was the last woman on earth this morning, eh?" she asked, raising her eyebrow.

"Afraid so," Evan shrugged casually. "You Sired me remember ... and not like any subordinate I've ever commanded. It was ... hot." He smirked. "What's a guy to do under those circumstances, huh?"

"Kiss the offender obviously. Ok, I take the blame... I suppose you should give me a fitting... What would you call it? Punishment?" she asked, giving him a teasing look.

"Teach you to show me the proper respect?" Evan quipped. "Oh I intend to ... one of these days. Until then, best be on your toes honey."

"That's the one," she supplied cheerfully. Leia straightened up and saluted sharply. "Yes, Sir, Major, Sir!" she told him, her eyes laughing.

"Don't do that," Evan laughed, grabbing her hand and pulling it back to the table. Looking around the room and noting the slowly filling tables he shot her a look. "Well if they weren't talking about us already, they certainly will be now. Probably should have stopped by my quarters on the way here," he added, looking down at the same clothes he'd worn at the quiz night, "rather than wearing a big 'I didn't go home last night' sign on my back."

Leia giggled and shrugged. "Let them talk. I'm proud of being seen with you," she told him. "Hmm, I suppose you're right... I'm sorry," Leia told him with a slight frown, not even realizing.

"I'm sure it's not the first time I've been the subject of base gossip," Evan dismissed lightly. "This is probably the first time I did something to deserve it though," he added with a grin. "We should have placed a bet on ourselves ... could have made a killing in at least one of the betting pools."

Leia threw up her hand. "Damn. I knew there was something I was wanting to do," she said. "I think... Evan, you're a white shining Knight in this place. I'm sure this is the first time you've really been the subject of this sort of gossip," Leia told him.

"One day I'm gonna do something that'll disintegrate that pedestal you've got me on Leia," Evan said seriously. "I can only hope you'll still be talking to me after."

"I doubt that, darling. I really do," Leia told him. "You're noble..."

"You know the Air Force core values right?" Evan asked curiously. "Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do ... I believe in that Leia ... lived it for more than 20 years. But it's something real, not an ideal to aspire to. The Air Force is made up of real people just trying to do their best. I'm no different."

"No. You are. Just trust me on this one, Evan. You're different. But if you want to look at it that way, by all means..." Leia told him, being stubborn.

"Fine ... I'm different," Evan gave in ... gave her what she seemed to need from him. Time enough in the future for her to discover he was just as flawed as the next man. Finishing up his breakfast Evan raised an eyebrow. "Ready to get out of here?"

Leia grinned, glad that she had won that one. "Definitely," she said, having already finished.

They cleared the table, deposited their trays and then walked together from the room. "So ... what now?" Evan asked as they continued down the hall. "A Jumper flight request wouldn't go down well after our last effort, it's too nice a day for a movie ...," he trailed off, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Let's go to the moon pool and stick our feet in the water," she suggested.

"Sounds good," Evan agreed, turning them in the opposite direction. "My quarters first," he explained.

Fresh clothes and a couple of hours spent companionably watching for Atlantis ocean life did them both wonders. Evan hadn't forgotten his concerns but he'd put them to the background where they belonged, determined to just enjoy the initial phases of his relationship with Leia. He'd worry about the future when he knew what it was he had to worry about.

Wednesday, 3rd June | 1000 hours | Vala's temporary quarters

Cam walked into the room where Vala had been 'staying' after ringing the chime and waiting for a few minutes. "Is this where you've been staying?" he asked, looking around. "Geez ... your room is bigger than mine. That's not fair," Cam told her as she packed up her stuff. Cam raised an eyebrow and held up a pair of handcuffs. "When were you planning to use these?" he asked, not mentioning the pair that he had found in his gear when he first left for the Hammond, presumably a gift from her.

Looking up from her case, Vala grinned at the handcuffs Cameron held up. "They're for contingencies," she said lightly. "A girl has to plan for every situation ... you never know when a pair will come in handy." Moment of amusement over, Vala returned to her task ... unwelcome but necessary just the same.

"You should've bought 'em with you one of our nights. I did," he told her, grinning at her. He had ended up bringing that very pair he found that night he apologized in the event she hadn't wanted to forgive him... or listen. He would've talked to her one way or another. "What have you got left?" he asked, looking around the room.

"So you did find my little gift then?" Vala glanced across to him slyly, before shrugging. "Strangely I had no desire to restrain you Cameron," she admitted, frowning. Because that was play and to her everything with Cam was still so serious? Because she didn't want to travel the same road with him that she'd travelled in the past ... the road that led to ... well, nothing of any value? Wanting to change the subject Vala waved a hand around the room. "I think I've got everything but by all means snoop around."

"I did indeed find your little gift. Cute, very cute. I appreciated the thought behind it," he said as he inclined his head. He raised his eyebrow at her admission and wondered what that meant. Was she actually taking this... love affair, for lack of a better word, seriously? "You should've told me... I would've come and helped you pack. Maybe stolen some of your loot so you'd have to come back..." Cam said, looking at her.

"I didn't bring much," Vala dismissed his offer lightly. Carefully placing the last items in her suitcase she zipped it up slowly, stood looking at it for a moment and then resolutely turned to him. "So I guess this is it," she said casually, lifting the bag off the bed and extending the handle so she could roll it along beside her. "I'll ah ... I'll email you," she offered, her expression composed.

Cam looked at her and scoffed in disbelief, blinking at her. "So, that's it? You'll email me? What happened to trying to work this relationship thing out?"

"Isn't it already worked out?" Vala folded her arms across her chest and frowned in confusion. "You're here and I'll be there ... how else are we supposed to keep in touch? This is just goodbye for now." Vala wasn't deliberately being unfeeling ... well, maybe she was, but only for self preservation. The last thing she wanted was to have to walk into the Gateroom obviously upset to be leaving. She wanted to be brave ... and she didn't want to open herself up to examine everything she was feeling right there and then.

"Vala Mal Doran!" he said sharply, crossing the distance between them. "Do you deliberately do this? I made you a promise... a promise to be there if and when you needed me. To be loyal to you. Don't do this. Don't shut me out again, Vala," Cam told her, pleading with her.

"I'm not shutting you out!" Vala retorted, eyes glittering with angry tears. "I just don't see the point in wallowing in being miserable when it won't change the end result." Softening a little, she put a hand to Cam's chest just to have some kind of connection. "I'm leaving the city Cameron ... not you. I just ... I don't know how this is supposed to work once that's the reality. What do we do next?"

Cam looked at her and frowned, his eyes softening. "Sorry," he told her gently as he covered her hand with his own and moved it so she could feel his heartbeat. "I don't know," Cam admitted, pulling her closer and hugging her against him. "My Grandma always used to tell us to hold on to the good memories when we had to go somewhere far away. We love each other... and that means more to me than my ship, the program, everything. We'll just have to start planning the next visit," Cam told her, revealing the depth of his feelings for her.

"Your grandmother was a very wise woman," Vala said softly, resting her head against his chest and letting the steadiness of his heartbeat comfort her. She thought about saying it to him – confirming his belief that their feelings were aligned ... that she loved him back ... but that would make it hurt too much ... put her too close to the edge of losing control. When it was time, she leaned up and pressed a kiss to his lips, stepping back before he could turn it into something more. "Walk me to the gate?" she asked.

"Still is. I plan on taking you down to see her. Especially since you made such a good impression on my parents. Momma asked me about you last time I spoke with her," he told her, kissing her hair. He kissed her, and then leaned forward to recapture her lips when she pulled further back and he straightened up. "Sure. I'd be happy too," Cam said, feeling a little disappointed.

"Your Mother asked about me?" Vala smiled ... at the time she'd thought Wendy Mitchell had been disappointed in Cameron's apparent choice of a weekend date. Taking his hand, and with her suitcase handle in the other, she began their walk to the Gateroom. It was a strangely silent journey ... in her case because she didn't know what to say ... anything that came to mind seemed trite and only guaranteed to raise his ire again. And then they were there ... in front of the Stargate. All that remained was for them to wait for the weekly dial in to Earth to take place.

"Yup," Cam told her, not telling her that he had often spoken about her, even before he realized how he really felt. They walked hand in hand together, everything that he thought of saying not coming out right... sounding so awkward in his own head. He just wanted to pick her up and lock her in his quarters, refusing to let her go back. They waited together, the silence between them getting thick as Cam started missing her already, knowing that she wouldn't be there in the morning. His thumb rubbed over her hand as he brought it up and kissed it gently, knowing that this was goodbye for a little while.

At the designated time the Stargate began spinning ... Vala watched as each chevron locking took her closer to leaving. When the wormhole kawhooshed, she took a moment to steady herself and then turned to Cam with what she hoped was a bright smile. "So ... see you ... whenever I see you," she said. Moving in she gave him a swift hug and an even swifter kiss before pulling away.

Cam frowned, glad that he'd that much, but was almost hoping for a little more. But there was next time and Cam figured he should be getting his crew in the next couple of days so that would distract him. He hoped.

Turning, Vala walked up to the event horizon, thinking that the sooner she got it over with the better. Until she found herself standing frozen, the tips of her boots almost touching the open wormhole.

She couldn't do it ... she couldn't just leave without ... turning she rushed back to Cameron and threw herself into his arms, pulling him down to her and kissing him with all the passion she'd kept in check since he’d arrived at her quarters.

Cam grabbed a hold of her, wrapping his arms around her waist and picking her up as they kissed, passionately, leaving nothing in their relationship to the imagination. Finally, he reluctantly broke off, sucking in a breath of air. "I'll miss you too. I love you, Vala," he told her with a smug grin.

"Just because I feel the same way doesn't mean you get to be all cocky," Vala replied sternly, the twinkle in her eyes saying that she was teasing. Weaving her fingers into his hair she gave him a kiss guaranteed to have him thinking of nothing but her. And then before she could dwell on it any more, she pulled away, turned and strode through the open wormhole, back to a place that would no longer feel like home.

"I'm always cocky, Vala... I just have a really good reason for it today," Cam told her then returned her kiss, intertwining his fingers in her soft hair and pulling them free as she left, going through the open wormhole as his heart ached a little, knowing that she was gone... even if it was only for a little while. Cam turned away with a sigh and resolved himself to missing her. Just until he could get away anyway.

Saturday, 6 June | Sam's Quarters

Daniel sighed in his sleep trying hard to not wake up but, as usual, once awareness stirred, it was impossible for him to stay in dreamland. Opening his eyes, he squinted at the clock on the bedside table and sighed again noting how ridiculously early it was. The next thing he noted was something warm and soft nestled against his back and this brought the hint of a smile to his face and warmth into his eyes.

Moving carefully, Daniel rolled over to face Sam who instinctively shifted back a bit to give him room, murmuring a soft something in her sleep. He smiled and rolled up on one elbow. Reaching out, he gently brushed tendrils of her short, silky gold hair back as he watched her sleep. Daniel loved these moments when he awoke first and could simply lay there watching Sam. His Sam now.

Since finally declaring their feelings and taking the next step toward intimacy, Daniel and Sam had spent most of their off duty time together. Most often, Daniel stayed at Sam's place since it was far more spacious and she would be easier to reach there in case of a city emergency. So far they had been content to share their time in just being close and in lovemaking.

Now, a mischievous glint entered Daniel's eyes as he leaned over Sam and trailed warm kisses down her elegant throat, murmuring endearments after each kiss...

A soft groan was her response. Her eyes fluttered, but didn't open. Instead she wriggled closer to him and slid a hand up his chest. "Not again," she mumbled thickly. "I don't have the energy. You wore me out."

Daniel chuckled softly and slipped back down under the bedclothes, pulling Sam close against his chest, "I'd beg to argue that point, pretty lady, but now doesn't seem a good time."

Moments later, Daniel's breathing synchronized with Sam's and his eyelids fluttered shut as he returned to dream land.

Some time later Daniel awoke again. This time he could not ignore the demands of Mother Nature nor what felt like a dead animal taking up residence in his mouth. Carefully extricating himself from Sam, Daniel slipped from the bed and padded to her en suite bath to relieve himself and scrub his teeth. Grabbing his discarded yoga-style sweat pants...pajama bottoms of choice...he pulled them on and headed for the kitchen to set up coffee. He and Sam had no plans for the day beyond spending time together and Daniel was looking forward to that.

Sam joined him a few minutes later. Upon waking, she pulled on one of his t-shirts before slipping into the bathroom. Now she slid her arms around his waist and leaned into his back. Her lips brushed the back of his shoulder, and then his neck causing a shiver of pleasure to run down his spine. "Good morning." She stood there for a moment, simply enjoying the feel of him. Then she smiled and reached beyond him for the cup of coffee just poured. "Smells good." With an impish smile she lifted it just out of his hands and twirled gracefully away, bringing the cup to her lips. "Tastes good too." Blue eyes sparkled at him as she moved into the kitchen to rummage for breakfast. She located bagels, cream cheese and fresh fruit.

Daniel felt bereft when Sam stepped away from him. He had enjoyed her warmth against his bare back and the feel of her kisses along his shoulder and neck. They were still in the heady first few days of love where neither could get enough of the other. His protest as she filched his coffee was nothing more than a low growl and teasing snatch at his T-shirt that she wore so well. Sam was nearly as tall as he was so the shirt covered the bare essentials leaving her long, shapely legs naked for his perusal...which he was enjoying perusing.

She drew the fruit over to the counter and stood near him as she began toasting bagels and slicing fruit. She glanced at him, still smiling as they worked together. When the bagels popped up in the toaster, he began spreading cream cheese on them. They worked in tandem well, no words needing to be spoken. Sam lifted a strawberry and pressed it to his lips. She watched him bite into it. Then she leaned over and kissed his neck. Her lips moved along his jaw until she found his lips. He tasted of coffee and strawberry. Sam hummed appreciatively.

She drew back after a moment, her smile decidedly playful as she continued her work on their breakfast. When the fruit was sliced, she slid it off the cutting board and into a bowl. Then Sam pulled herself up onto the counter. She wiggled, getting comfortable. Then she reached for Daniel. She pulled him to her. Her knees rested comfortably on either side of his hips while her legs dangled off the counter. Sam lifted another berry from the bowl and slid it between his lips. She continued to feed him for a few moments, until he slid a hand behind her neck and pulled her down, kissing her passionately.

Sam slid her arms around his neck and kissed him back, just as passionately. When he lifted her into his arms, she gave a chuckle of surprise, which quickly became a moan at being pressed against the refrigerator, his body warm and strong against her. His lips were devouring her neck, his tongue warm and his teeth giving the kiss that edge. Then he found it, that spot just below and to the back of her ear that had her back arching and a low moan rumbling in her throat.

Then he was stepping back and taking her with him. They turned, and it sent more than just her head to spinning when her bottom bumped the edge of the small table in the corner of her kitchenette. He bent her backwards on it and his hands slid beneath the t-shirt, fingertips itching for the feel of her smooth, soft skin against them. He pushed up over her head, then he bathed a trail of kisses down the long, elegant line of her neck.

Sam sucked in a breath, moaning loudly as she enjoyed this side of him. And she did enjoy this side of him. With his passions unleashed it was almost as if he could devour her whole, and she would let him, for the sheer pleasure that he brought her in the devouring. She lost the ability to think when he cupped the backs of her shoulders and drew her to his mouth. Heat in the air around them filled her lungs as she drew in breath after breath, the sound of her breathing, the sound of his voice as he murmured against her skin. Even the sound of her own voice as she encouraged him became something distant as that heat curled and built within them.

It was a while before her mind had the ability to string two thoughts together. They were on the floor near the sofa, wrapped around one another. Naked and covered in a fine sheen of sweat, their hands had continued to caress and soothe even as the racing of their hearts returned to something resembling normal. Sam lifted her head, wondering for just a moment how they'd ended up there from the kitchen. Then she looked at him, and pressed a light kiss to the tip of his chin. "It's always the quiet ones," She teased.

Daniel smiled back while his eyes roamed over her reveling in her beauty and the sight of her blue eyes, smokey dark from their passion and love making. He inhaled deeply smelling his scent on her and a wave of possessiveness rippled through him...a primal need to make sure the world knew she belonged to him...and he to her. He rolled, cushioning the move with his strength so that he hovered over her, gazing at her bright and expectant eyes before lowering his head to claim her lips. This time their lovemaking was swift, less play, an exchange of aggressiveness and desire to posses one another thoroughly. It was fierce and passionate leaving both of them panting and gasping for air as they reached release in cadence and perfect timing.

Smiling down at Sam, Daniel gently brushed sweat dampened hair from her face, "Hmmmm...yes, you have to always beware of the quiet ones," he said softly, claiming her lips in a gentle kiss.

"Mmhm." A bit of the imp set her eyes to sparkling again. "That theory has definitely been proven." Sam curled a leg around one of his, then she bucked and rolled them. She smiled down at him. "But right now the only theory I'd like to contemplate is the shower." She rose gracefully to her feet her stepped over him. She walked a few steps before pausing to look back. "Well are you going to lay there all day, or are you coming?"

Daniel chuckled and rolled to his feet, "Minx," he growled playfully as he caught up with her and scooped her into his arms to carry her into the fortunately large and well appointed shower. Turning on the various body sprays as well as the central rain shower shower head, Daniel pressed Sam against the wall scattering kisses down her skin now warm and wet from the shower's spray. Love play turned to the simple comfort of helping groom one another as their libido at last subsided enough to let them tend to the important issues of hygiene.

As they finished and shut down the shower sprays, Daniel found two large, thick towels waiting on the warming rack and wrapped Sam in one before grabbing a smaller one and gently toweling her hair for her. For the next few minutes they tended to the mundane actions required to finish and dress. Daniel took a bit of extra time to run his electric razor over his face forsaking his preferred method of shaving with an antique straight razor. By the time he rejoined a comfortably and casually clad Sam in the kitchen, she had their bagels reheating and was in the process of brewing fresh coffee. Daniel gathered their earlier discarded clothing and dumped it in the hamper in her bedroom.

Sam had their forgotten breakfast setting on the coffee table along with fresh mugs of steaming hot coffee when Daniel returned. Settling on the sofa, he picked up half a bagel and bit into it, sighing in pleasure as he had only just realized how hungry their lovemaking had left him. For a few moments replenishing depleted energy occupied both of them. At last, however, Daniel got up, refreshed their coffees and settled again where he could see Sam.

Pulling Sam's legs into his lap, Daniel gently stroked her calf before reaching for one of her slender feet, grinning as he noted the purely feminine shell pink polish on her toenails. Rubbing gently, he massaged the arch and along the top of her foot, enjoying taking care of her. Slanting a glance at her, Daniel finally spoke, "I can't believe I waited so long to tell you how I felt."

"Neither can I." Sam smiled at him. "But I've decided to forgive that lapse on your part," she teased.

"Ohhhh...forgive me, huh," Daniel chuckled at her teasing, drawing a finger lightly down the arch of her foot in a tickling motion. "And what...you couldn't speak up once over the last oh...ten or twelve years?"

She laughed, and wiggled her foot in his grasp. "Who me?" Sam smirked at him. "I'm the queen of deflection and transference, didn't you know? No, I was too busy lusting after Jack." Her eyes shone with mischief. "Then there was Martouf, and then Jack again. Then Pete, and then Jack, again." Her lips pursed. "Now there's you. Hm. I'm sensing a trend." So obviously teasing him, she made as if she were going to get up. "I could be in the wrong apartment, maybe I should go see Jack..."

"Oh no you don't!" Daniel gently tackled her and bore her back amongst the sofa cushions, laughing softly, blue eyes sparkling with adoration, "I share a lot of things with Jack. This one thing...I'm not sharing. You're all mine, Sam-I-Am."

A smile curved her lips. "I'm glad that you think so." She settled in his lap and inclined her head, studying him. "It's a vice-versa arrangement, I hope you're aware of that." She smirked evilly. "So the very next time a mouthy little brunette puts her lips on you, we're going to have issues. Fewer issues if I know why she's putting her lips on you." Her brows rose. "Now would be a good time to have that conversation, in case you were wondering."

Uh-oh, Daniel thought with a mental wince. With Sam settled in his lap, he was truly a captive. One who knew this subject was bound to come up. In his defense, he had honestly not thought about much other than Sam over the last several days. No disservice to the lovely Madison, but the first throes of love and passion had driven almost everything entirely out of his mind. Yet, Daniel was nothing if not fair and honest, meaning that Sam more than deserved to know about his relationship with the doctor.

"When I came back to Earth after the incident with the Atero Device here, I was in pretty bad shape...but you know that. Dr. Garman, Madison, was pulled in because she was the top trauma doc in the game and came complete with a top-level security clearance," Daniel paused, he wanted Sam to understand but some of those weeks had been very difficult for him and as ever when that was the case, he was reluctant to talk about it. "I didn't rebound at first quite like she thought I should so she took a deeper interest in my case and we became friends. That evolved into more than friends once I was mostly out from under her direct care."

Daniel paused again before continuing, "Mads helped me through a very difficult time...emotionally and physically. I came to care for her...alot. And then...I got asked to come back here to continue my work on the Janus Project and...well...I didn't leave her well. It was abrupt and she was far more gracious than I deserved. I was very grateful our friendship seems to have survived even if Mads wasn't above tweaking me where you were concerned." He stopped and waited to see how Sam would react to the truth of how serious things had gotten between him and the doctor. Daniel did not go into his beliefs that Sam and Jack had managed to work themselves out amongst all the USAF regulations prohibiting such a relationship and that Sam was truly beyond reach for him. He was not the type to try to put excuses in the way.

"That does explain it." Sam stated. "Not that I was concerned, I do trust you. My curiosity was just getting the better of me." She grinned, relaxing against him. "Tweaked you, did she. Yes, I can see why. If I know you, and I do know you, the moment you got the offer you were packed and out the door, and probably didn't consider telling anyone you were leaving until you actually got here." She smirked at him. "Does that about cover it?"

Daniel had the grace to flush slightly, "Mostly. I did say good-bye." He ducked his head for a moment before looking up and meeting Sam's beautiful eyes, "I wanted to be gone before you or Jack announced your engagement and asked me to attend a wedding that would have killed me."

Sam sat up in his lap and turned to face him more fully. "This is the part that I can't wrap my mind around," she told him. "You honestly thought that Jack and I would be carrying out a relationship, on a level serious enough that marriage might be a factor, and I wouldn't tell you?" She shook her head at him. "Daniel, you're the person I confide those things in. I told you about Pete before Pete even knew we were an item."

Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her close to his chest, "But with Pete, you weren't potentially jeopardizing two military careers. And, Sam, Pete wasn't real for you...you cared for him...but he was not the person that meant everything in your life. We all tend to hold those things very close to our hearts lest it betray us wrongly to someone else. And there's that whole personal privacy thing with Jack...that were you in such a relationship, you'd have kept private out of respect for the man you loved...See? I know you too."

"Maybe," She told him with a smile. "I still think that I would have told you. With you there would be no fear of repercussion to my career. Yes, Jack prefers his private life to be just that, somehow I honestly don't think he would have minded you knowing." She smirked a little knowingly at him. "So I tell myself every time he tries to get details out of us."

"There are things you share and things you don't, no matter how close the friendship is. Perhaps, in time, one or both of you would have told me...perhaps not. Jack and I have never been prone to discuss our love lives much...what there's been to discuss in the past anyway. I'm not even completely sure he knows or knew about Maddie and I," Daniel smiled, his eyes lighting with his love for Sam. "We're just not into the usual Locker Room gossip, I guess." Yet Jack had intuited his feelings for Sam and had tacitly cleared the way for Daniel to try and build a life with her. In hindsight, Daniel could say he should have known that the perceived relationship between Jack and Sam was not as intense as he thought. There was no way Jack would have backed off or opened the door to Daniel if his feelings had been that deeply engaged. Of course, it was all rather a moot point at this stage and Daniel felt himself having to quell questions and feelings that Sam did not deserve. Was Daniel a fall-back, second choice because neither she nor Jack would take that next step? He sighed softly at the turn his thoughts had taken.

"Do not." Sam took his chin in her hand. She sensed the turn in his thoughts. "If Jack and I had been serious about one another, you and I would not be having this conversation. The simple fact remains, that as much as you might believe Pete was a substitute for deeper feelings I had for Jack, the truth is Jack was a safety net. As long as I convinced myself that I had feelings for him, it was safe, because he was out of reach. I've had these feelings for you, for a very long time." She told him gently. "Fortunately for Jack, his ego got to benefit from it for a while."

Daniel's eyes softened as Sam gently admonished him for feelings he had not had to voice to her. Her intuitiveness was yet another facet of the whole being that made up Samantha Carter that he loved as he had never loved in his life. She was truly his rohi, his soul. Sha're would forever dwell in his heart as his first love and the woman that had taught him so much about how to be someone's mate. Maddie, Sarah, even Leyta...all cherished for his time with them and for the lessons learned from each. Each woman had contributed a facet to his life that allowed him to be the man that Sam now loved as he loved her in return.

Now, he smiled tenderly at her although his blue eyes held a teasing light, "I could not bring myself to be jealous or or resent Jack. Too many years of friendship and shared losses. All I could do was stand back and wish two of the people I loved more than life all the happiness they deserved." He paused and the grin widened, "Pete...on the other hand...I toyed with getting him lost on that prison world...Hadante."

"Daniel Jackson!" Sam burst out only to dissolve into giggles. It was so rare Daniel ever wished violence or bad things on anyone this time had taken her by surprise. Yet it was flattering to know that this very controlled man had been jealous.

Jackson unabashedly grinned back at Sam and pulled her close to him as they settled into the soft comfort of the sofa. This time his kisses were gentle and soothing, the fires of passion banked low as sleepiness claimed them. With soft, almost synchronized sighs, Sam snuggled close against his chest and they closed their eyes to nap away part of the afternoon.

The End!

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