Click here to go to the version of this chapter with milder sexual content
CHAPTER FOUR
Vala lay on the bed, eyes closed, a small smile on her face as she thought about her passionate lovemaking with Cameron. It was not the first time, nor would it be the last. She'd been with many men in her life, but that had definitely been one of the most memorable.
The desire, the need, burned within Vala's mind and body, drowning her senses with overpowering lust. She was already naked, having stripped the moment they were in the room together. Cameron was naked from the waist up, his vest and T-shirt having been wrested off him by her. Vala had seen his bare upper body before, but, this time, it was so much different. She glided her hands over his skin, running her fingers through his chest hair.
"Vala, come on. You know we're not supposed to do this," Cameron said, trying to push her hands away and clearly making a Herculean effort not to look at her body.
"I don't care," Vala told him. "I want you. Now." She slid her hand down inside his pants.
Cameron yelped, almost levitating off the bed. He let out a string of curses. Vala only smiled. She had felt his arousal. He was just playing hard to get. She began rubbing up and down his body, running her hands over him.
"God, Vala. Please stop. I'm only human, and. . . ." His voice trailed off in a moan as her hand went back inside his pants and under his boxers. He bucked against her, choking out a curse. "L-look, I'll, uh . . . I'll just take care of you, okay? T-then the effects will wear off, and . . . and . . . oh God." He groaned as Vala licked one of his nipples.
Cameron grasped Vala's shoulders in a firm grip. Blazing eyes stared into hers. And then his mouth came crashing down on hers in a bruising kiss. Now, it was his hands on her body, touching her everywhere, driving her wild.
Between the two of them, they stripped off the remainder of his clothes. And then he was on top of her, mouth and hands on her breasts, her stomach, and lower.
"Now, Cam. I want you now," Vala begged.
Cameron slid back up. With a single, swift motion, he plunged deep inside her. They both groaned and wasted no time in starting to move, the passion taking complete control of them. Vala flipped over so that Cameron was beneath her. Rising above his body, she rocked with him, crying out at the incredible feeling of pleasure. Cameron's sounds of rapture rang in her ears, the grip of his hands on her hips tightening as their movements sped up.
And then, all at once, Vala's climax hit her, setting her on fire. She cried out her lover's name, hearing him groan hers as he climaxed seconds later.
Vala smiled in pleasure at the memory. They'd both lain dazed for two or three minutes. The effects of the fruit were just starting to noticeably wear off when a woman came in, causing Cameron to scramble to cover them. She apologized for coming in too soon, but, by then, it was clear that Cam was going into shock over what he'd just done. They got dressed without speaking a word.
Even though Vala knew that the only reason it happened was because of the effects of the fruit, she did not regret it. It was an incredible experience, and she hoped it would happen again someday. But she would have to be patient. Because they were teammates, Cameron wouldn't let it happen again . . . at least not yet. But, in time, that might change. Sooner or later, Vala would get Cameron Mitchell in her bed again. And, when she did, she'd make him very happy that he was there.
Daniel sat staring at the blank TV screen, his bare feet on the coffee table. With a sigh, he took off his glasses and laid them on the end table, rubbing his eyes. He should have gone to work today. Maybe he would have gotten at least something done. He hadn't been able to accomplish a damn thing here at home. His mind just kept wandering to Sam. He had thought that time would dull these feelings, make them go away. But they weren't going away. In fact, they were getting stronger. He ached for her. He dreamed of being with her, and not just while he was asleep. And his dreams were of more than just sex. That was the scariest part. He wanted her in more that just a physical way. How could he be feeling this way for Sam, a woman he'd been just friends with for so long? This was insane.
There was a knock on the door. Daniel opened it to find the object of his thoughts on the other side.
"Hi," she said, smiling a little nervously.
"Hi." Daniel stepped aside for her to come in, then shut the door.
Sam headed into the living room. She went to the fireplace and began fidgeting with a small figurine atop the mantle.
"I, um . . . I've still been thinking a lot about . . . it," she said. "I can't seem to keep myself from thinking about it."
Daniel sighed. "Yeah, me too, although I've really tried hard not to."
"I've been trying to figure out why this is happening. I mean, I know how it started, but I couldn't understand. . . ."
"Why it won't go away," Daniel murmured.
"Yeah." Sam put the figurine down and wandered in the direction of the couch. She was hyper-aware of Daniel's eyes on her and avoided looking at him.
Daniel watched Sam moving across the living room. He could see that she was very nervous. So was he, for that matter. All during these past two weeks, he'd avoided seeing Sam as much as possible because of what he felt every time he looked at her, an almost overwhelming desire to be with her. Now, alone in his apartment, it was taking all his self-control not to kiss her. God, he wanted that kiss so badly.
Recognizing that his control was slipping, Daniel cleared his throat and asked, "Do you want something to drink?"
"Um . . . yeah, some juice or soda would be good."
Daniel fairly sprinted toward the kitchen at the same time as Sam made a move for the sofa, and their courses unintentionally intersected. And that's all it took. Their self-control disintegrated, and, in the next second, they were in each other's arms, kissing with desperate, all-consuming hunger.
A moment later, Sam found herself lying on the couch, Daniel above her, his hands running across her body. She arched upward, pressing herself as closely as possible to him. A low groan rose out of his throat. He shifted his position to lie fully between her thighs. She could feel him rapidly hardening against her, and it was driving her senses over the edge of reason.
In that moment, all the thoughts about work, the rules, what was sensible, and what they should be doing didn't matter one damn bit. All that mattered was this, this incredible feeling running rampant inside them.
"Bed," Sam gasped, bucking her hips against Daniel's to add emphasis to the word.
Daniel lifted her up and carried her toward the bedroom, her legs wrapped around his waist. On the way, a wall got in the way, and Sam was abruptly up against it, Daniel's mouth on her neck. He grabbed the hem of her top and yanked it off to go flying across the room. Sam feverishly attacked the buttons of his shirt, almost popping a couple before managing to get the article of clothing off. Her bra was an obstacle that was soon no longer there.
Daniel's hands went to her breasts, kneading and caressing, teasing the nipples into hardened peaks. Sam threw her head back, her breath coming in sharp, rapid pants. She let out a gasping cry as his lips descended upon a nipple, suckling it deep into his mouth. She felt like she was going to explode at any second. She began fumbling with his belt and zipper. The pants soon fell to the floor. Daniel stepped out of them and kicked the material away. They struggled to get Sam's slacks off. At last, they were also on the floor, along with her shoes, socks and panties.
Sam's hand slid beneath the last article of clothing separating them to touch him. Daniel groaned loudly and rocked against her. He couldn't wait any longer. Apparently, Sam felt the same way, for she pushed his boxers down.
Daniel lifted her away from the wall and carried her to the bed, where he lay down upon her. For the first time since their lovemaking began, their eyes met. And then, Daniel was inside her, buried deep within the heat of her core. They both cried out at the feeling.
For a moment, Daniel couldn't move, the feeling so intense that he was in danger of falling off the edge. He met Sam's eyes again and saw that she was as overwhelmed by the feeling as he was. It would not take long for them both to fall.
Finally, Daniel began to move, causing a groan to rise from their throats. Their eyes slid shut as the feeling took over, immersing them completely. It did not take long for Daniel's pace to begin quickening. Sam was right there with him, matching him move for move, head thrown back in abandon. Their moans, gasps and soft cries were not like the noises they'd made while pretending to make love. They spoke no words, what they were experiencing taking them beyond the ability of speech.
Daniel's movements grew in power and speed. He could feel his impending release swiftly approaching. But he did not want to have it alone. He was preparing to slip a hand between them when Sam began bucking wildly, a loud cry rising out of her as she shuddered in his arms and tightened around him, her climax hitting her with the power of a runaway freight train. With a shout, Daniel joined her in release, his senses blacking out for an instant at the intensity of it.
Their climax seemed to last forever and left them weak and shaking. For a long minute, they lay unmoving. At last, Daniel lifted his head and gazed down at Sam. He caressed her cheek, his eyes searching hers for some sign of regret. There were none.
Smiling, Sam touched his face. "Daniel."
He returned her smile and kissed her softly, gently. Holding her close, he rolled onto his side. Time ticked by as they lay side-by-side in each other's arms, hands slowly caressing.
"I guess I shouldn't be surprised this happened," Sam said. "When I decided to come over here, I knew I'd be playing with fire."
Daniel ran a hand down the curve of her side to her hips. "I have been fantasizing every day about doing this."
"Me too."
Daniel pulled away slightly so that he could look at her body. He caressed a breast with his fingers, gazing upon it like he'd never seen a woman's breasts before. The touch made Sam tremble.
"You are so beautiful," Daniel murmured. "God, I can believe I'm feeling this." He bent and kissed one of the soft mounds, placing a second between her breasts. A third was pressed to her breastbone. He lifted his head and met her eyes. "If someone had told me a month ago that I'd be lying here like this with you, I'd have said they were crazy. Yet, now that I'm here, it feels like it's where I should have been all this time."
Sam touched his cheek. "I know. I feel the same way. It almost doesn't seem real." She smiled. "You know, at one time, I used to think of you like a brother."
"You did?"
"Uh huh, back in those early years. We'd stay up half the night, puzzling over some alien object, finishing each other's sentences like our brains were hardwired. It was like we were twins separated at birth."
"Hmm. Well, I'm very glad that those brotherly feelings aren't around anymore."
"Oh? And why is that?" Sam asked, her hands skimming over his haunches, giving him a little squeeze and making him gasp.
"Well, if you still thought of me like a brother, I wouldn't be doing things like this, now would I." Daniel tongue came out and dipped into Sam's ear, making her let out a little moan.
Sam rolled Daniel beneath her. "You're absolutely right. No more brotherly feelings ever, ever again," she said just before capturing Daniel's lips with hers. The kiss was long and deep.
Daniel felt his desire returning. "Sam, I should tell you that, despite rumors to the contrary, I do require a little bit of time to, as Vala put it, recharge my equipment."
Sam smiled. "Don't worry." She placed her lips against his. "I can be very patient."
As it turned out, Daniel's recovery time wasn't nearly as long as he'd thought it would be. Of course, the incredibly sexy, gorgeous woman making love to him might have had something to do with it.
As they climaxed for the second time that night, they were overwhelmed with the joy of it, never having experienced more fulfilling lovemaking.
Once they were sufficiently recovered, they crawled under the covers and back into each other's arms. Soon, sleep overtook them.
Daniel was the first to awaken the next morning. He gazed down at Sam's sleeping face, and, suddenly, his heart swelled with so much emotion that it brought tears to his eyes. It was a feeling he'd had only one other time in his life: during the time he had with Sha're. That realization stunned Daniel. He was in love. As crazy as it was, he'd fallen utterly in love with Sam. And a fall it had been, a wild tumble off a steep cliff. Just as he'd fallen at first sight for Sha're, this change in his feelings for Sam did not have a gradual awakening, a fire that slowly grew. Up until that day he pretended to make love with a nearly naked Sam, she had been just a dear friend and teammate, nothing more. How could things have changed so suddenly? How could this feeling have metamorphosed so quickly? Feeling it now, it seemed so natural, as if it was always supposed to be this way.
Sam stirred in his arms, her eyes fluttering open. She smiled at him. Then she saw the rather stunned expression on his face.
"Daniel, what's wrong?"
He looked intently into her eyes. "Sam, I. . . . As insane as it may be, I think I'm in love with you."
Sam gasped. "Oh my God."
"I know it's crazy. Only three weeks ago, you were a teammate and friend." He cupped her cheek. "But I know this feeling, Sam. I've felt it before. I love you."
Sam was speechless, utterly stunned. This was unbelievable. How could things have changed so fast? She felt things for Daniel, feelings that she'd had before, but never anywhere near this powerfully. Never before had she'd known in her heart that she would give up anything to be with someone.
Daniel was talking again. "Sam, I don't expect you to feel the same. This is all so sudden. But I hope that—" He was interrupted by Sam's fingers on her lips.
"You're right, Daniel," she said. "It is crazy, so crazy that it's hard to believe. But I think that . . ." she gazed into his eyes, "that I'm crazy right along with you."
Daniel's breath drew in sharply. "You are?"
Sam smiled. "You'd better call the men in white coats to come get both of us."
Daniel began to laugh. He pulled Sam tightly against him, burying his face in her hair. He kissed her neck, then her jaw, then softly on her cheek. He drew back and met her eyes. "I love you," he whispered as he closed the distance between them, kissing her with all the love he was feeling. Sam returned it equally. She said the words back to him as their lips separated.
And then they made love, slowly, gently, every touch, every kiss having extra meaning now. As Daniel joined his body with Sam's, he spoke the three words again and heard them echoed back to him with Sam's voice. They cried out the words yet again as they climaxed together.
Quite some time later, they were in the kitchen, fixing breakfast. They were both ravenous. Daniel was admiringly watching Sam scramble eggs wearing nothing but his shirt. He came up behind her and ran his hands up her thighs and under the shirt, making her movements falter.
"You keep doing that, and we won't get any breakfast," she said.
"Hmm. I'm very tempted to say forget breakfast, but I have a sneaking suspicion we're going to need the calories." Daniel bent his head and kissed the side of her neck.
"Why, Doctor Jackson, what are you implying?"
He turned her around in his arms, pressing her up against the counter. "That I intend to make love to you all day long," he replied before devouring her mouth.
The eggs only got a little burned. They were eaten with gusto, along with toast, hash browns and juice. Once every crumb was gone and the dishes rinsed and put in the sink. Daniel grabbed Sam's hand and tugged her, laughing, back into the bedroom.
They didn't make love all day long, but they certainly did come as close as two people their age could.
They were now on the couch, spooned together under a blanket, naked and utterly content as they listened to music in the dim light of a single lamp.
Daniel kissed the back of Sam's neck. "Do you have any idea how long it's been since I was anywhere near this happy? So long that I almost forgot how it felt."
Sam ran her fingers up and down his arm. "I've never felt like this. Oh, I've been quite happy many times in my life, but not like this. I guess that's what love does to you."
"Sam, I really hate bringing this up, but what are we going to do about work?"
Sam turned around in his arms to face him. "I don't know. We could try hiding this, but, if our superiors ever found out, we'd both be in very big trouble."
"I'm not sure I could anyway. I don't want this to be just stolen moments behind closed doors, Sam. I want to feel free to walk down the street holding your hand, go to a romantic restaurant with you, do all the things a guy does with his girlfriend."
"I want that, too, Daniel." Sam searched his eyes. "One of us will probably have to leave the team."
"I'd leave if it meant I could be with you, Sam."
She shook her head. "No, you can't. You're needed on the team more than any of us. Your knowledge and understanding of the Ascended and your ability to read Ancient are vital."
"So are your skills, Sam. You've pulled us out of desperate situations more than once. Maybe something can be worked out to let us both stay on the team. The situation with the Ori is so critical right now."
"I know."
"Then I guess we'd better figure out what we're going to say to Landry tomorrow."
Morning came all too soon for the new lovers. Knowing that their teammates should be told first, Daniel and Sam asked them all to come to the archeologist's office. When Daniel closed the door, the three people knew this was going to be serious.
"Was something new found out about the Ori?" Vala asked.
"No, this has nothing to do with the Ori," Daniel replied. He glanced at Sam. "We thought it only fair to tell you that one of us might no longer be on the team after today."
"What?" Cameron responded, not liking what he'd just heard. "Why would one of you no longer be on the team?"
"Because they have become more than friends," Teal'c guessed, knowing that he was right.
Cameron laughed. "What? That's a joke, right?" He looked at the pair. "Right?"
They shook their heads.
"You mean that you two are a couple now?" Vala asked, beginning to smile.
"Yes," Daniel replied.
Vala's smile became a grin. "Don't you dare tell us now that you haven't had sex!"
Daniel and Sam looked at each other and smiled. Then Sam turned to Cameron, who was gaping at them. She recalled what he'd said on M2C-523 and decided it was her duty to set the record straight.
"And I'd like to say that being over forty doesn't seem to have slowed Daniel's recovery time all that much."
That's when Vala nearly fell out of the chair, her mind whirling with images of what Sam and Daniel's weekend must have been like.
"This is really not what I wanted to hear," Cameron said. "I get the band back together, and, now, you guys do this. I suppose it's too much to hope that you've worked it out of your system, and everything can go back to how it was before."
"Sorry, Mitchell, but there's no working this out of our systems," Daniel responded.
Teal'c smiled slightly. "They are in love."
"What? Love! Nobody said anything about love," Cameron objected.
"I'm afraid he's right, Cam," Sam told him.
Vala clapped her hands together. "How absolutely lovely. I know I don't show it, but I'm really quite a romantic at heart."
Cameron looked back and forth between the new lovers, finally seeing what Teal'c had seen almost immediately. They looked happy, truly, deeply happy. In the time he'd known Daniel, he'd rarely seen the man happy at all. Now, his face was transformed by it. He looked years younger, like the weight of the world that he'd been carrying for so long had finally been lifted. And Sam. . . . She looked more beautiful than Cameron had ever seen.
"You really do love each other," the pilot said.
"Yes, we do," Daniel replied.
"Then I guess I can't really be mad." Cameron could not deny them this happiness. They both deserved it. And it was nice to see them that happy.
Sam smiled at him. "Thanks, Cam."
"So, does this really mean that one of you will have to leave SG-1?" Vala asked.
"Yes, probably so, unless the military agrees to give us a special dispensation."
"How likely is that?"
"I don't know. Part of it is going to depend on how Landry feels. If he's against it, it definitely won't happen. If General O'Neill or even General Hammond was still in command, I'd give us a better chance, but I just don't know how Landry will react."
"He knows how important you both are to the team," Cameron said. "Hell, you two are our lead singers in the band."
The lovers looked at each other again.
"There is one thing we can do that might fix the problem," Sam said.
Daniel and Sam sat down in the chairs across from General Landry, who was seated behind his desk.
"Okay, what's this about?" he asked.
"Sir, it's on a personal matter," Sam replied. She took a deep breath. "General, Daniel and I are here to inform you that we intend to start dating."
Landry's mouth fell open. He looked back and forth between them. "Is this a joke?"
"No, sir. Our feelings for each other have changed, and we wish to pursue a romantic relationship."
The general just sat there, stunned. "Where the hell did this come from, that stuff on M2C-523?"
"That's what made us realize that we no longer wanted to be just friends," Daniel replied.
"And have you already been pursuing this romantic relationship?" Landry waved his hand. "Never mind. I don't want to know." He stared at them with a hard expression. "You do realize that this means one of you will have to leave SG-1."
"Unless the military is willing to give us a special dispensation, sir," Sam said.
"I don't know if that will be possible."
Sam handed him an envelope. "Then I'm giving you this, sir."
Landry took it. "What is it?"
"My resignation from military service."
Landry looked at her sharply, shocked.
"Once I am no longer a member of the military, I can be hired as a civilian employee," Sam explained. "As civilians, there would be no rules preventing Daniel and I from being on the same team and having a relationship."
"So, you're suggesting that you quit the Air Force, be hired as a civilian, then be placed back on SG-1?"
"Yes, sir. We have already spoken to Colonel Mitchell about this, and he said that he wants me on the team, regardless of whether or not I'm in the military."
Landry studied her intently. "You're actually willing to do this, give up your commission?"
Sam nodded. "Yes, sir. I used to think that my career was just about the most important thing in my life." She looked at Daniel. "I feel differently now."
Landry leaned back in his chair, looking at the envelope. "All right, I'll talk to some people, see what I can work out."
"Thank you, sir."
After Daniel and Sam left his office, Hank Landry picked up the phone and dialed a number he'd called many times since taking command of the SGC.
"Jack, you're not going to believe this."
Daniel stared at the picture on the screen, but wasn't really paying attention to what he was seeing. He and Sam had been on tenterhooks ever since their announcement to Landry yesterday morning. The general hadn't spoken a word to them since then, giving no indication on what the decision might be.
"Well, you really knocked me for a loop this time."
Startled, Daniel looked up to see Jack standing in the doorway.
The archeologist sighed. "I guess I should have expected this."
"That I'd come here after finding out that two members of SG-1 are suddenly no longer just friends?"
"Look, Jack, I know what you're going to say—"
"Do you?" Jack came further into the room. "You know what I thought when Hank first told me? I thought no way. You and Carter? After all these years? Uh uh. Not that you wouldn't make a good pair. You're enough alike that it could work. But friends don't suddenly become a whole lot more than that after nine and a half years of friendship. And then he told me about Carter's letter of resignation. She must love you an awful lot to be willing to give up her military career for you."
"No more than I love her, Jack. I'd leave the SGC, if it was the only way to be with her. But she wouldn't be resigning just for me. She'd be resigning for SG-1's sake, too, so that we could both still be on the team. It was the only solution we could come up with, if we couldn't get a special dispensation."
Jack stared at Daniel silently for a long time. He then went to the phone and called Sam's lab.
"Carter, I'm in Daniel's office. Please come up here."
Sam arrived a couple of minutes later, looking very nervous. "Sir." She went and stood by Daniel.
Jack studied them. "So, you love each other."
"Yes, sir," Sam replied, "very much."
"This isn't just some flash in the pan that'll end in a few months."
"No, sir, it isn't."
Jack's gaze focused on his best friend. "Daniel?"
"I've never felt anything like this, Jack, except for Sha're. That should tell you something."
"Yes, it does." Jack nodded. "All right. I've already talked to the president about this. I figured that I'd go right to the top instead of working through channels. I told him about the resignation and your plan to stay together on SG-1 as civilians."
"And?" Daniel asked.
"And, after giving it due consideration, General Landry, the president and I," Jack looked at Sam, "have all decided that we're not ready to set you free from the Air Force quite yet."
Sam frowned. "What does that mean, sir?"
"It means, Carter, that you've got your special dispensation."
Twin smiles of delight spread across Daniel and Sam's faces.
"That's great, sir," Sam exclaimed.
Jack held up his hand. "Hold on. I'm not finished. There are two conditions. One is that you can both demonstrate that you can maintain a professional relationship while on duty, especially on missions. If you have trouble on a mission because you have a personal issue going on between you, then that's it. One of you is off the team, regardless of whether or not you're both civilians."
"And the other condition?" Daniel asked.
"That's the big one. I hope you guys really are serious about this relationship. You see, the president figured that he'd get less flak about this from the military bigwigs if he used a rather extreme variation of an exception that's in the regs regarding relationships between officers and enlisted personnel." Jack's gaze fixed on Daniel. "You'd better get down on one knee, Daniel. You're going to be proposing to Carter."
The two scientists gaped at him.
"W-what?" Daniel stammered.
"You have to be married," Jack explained. "If you're married, Carter can stay in the Air Force, and you can both stay on SG-1. If you're not prepared to do that at this time, Carter's letter of resignation will be accepted." Jack headed for the door. "I'll let you think about it for a while."
Jack left the room, closing the door behind him. Sam sat down rather heavily.
"This I hadn't expected," Daniel murmured.
"Me neither. Wow."
Daniel turned to her. "Sam, I don't know how you feel about this. Everything is moving so fast. But I want you to know that I would be the happiest guy in the galaxy if you were to marry me." He smiled. "I've already gotten one wife without a courtship. Why not another? At least, this time, I'd actually know I was getting married."
Sam gazed at Daniel, the man she knew in her heart was the love of her life. He had made his feelings known, leaving the decision up to her. Was she ready to marry him? Less than two years ago, she was preparing to walk down the aisle with another man but couldn't make herself go through with it. The reasons had been many, one of which no longer existed. As for the others. . . . At the time, though she had thought it was what she wanted, Sam had come to the conclusion that she was not ready to make the commitment of marriage. As much as she cared about Pete, the program and her career were the main focuses of her life, and she had known that, if she married him, that focus would have to change.
But, with Daniel, it was different, everything was different. She would sacrifice things for him that she never would have for Pete. Not only that, but, because he was also in the program, there would be no concrete division between work and family, no husband impatiently waiting at home for her to show up, no expectations for her to work only as long each day as was required and take all the leave time coming to her. But then, even if he was no longer in the program and would be that husband waiting for her to come home, Sam knew that she'd be eager to get home to him.
Sam's eyes returned to Daniel. He was watching her intently, waiting for her answer. She smiled at him. "So, do you think I should have Vala as one of my bridesmaids?"
Daniel laughed and pulled her into a tight hug. "Whatever you want, Sam. Just don't expect her to behave in a proper manner at the reception."
Sam drew back, her lips a hair's breath away from Daniel's. "I think I can handle that," she murmured, closing the distance between them with a kiss that was full of hope for the years ahead.
THE END
