Love-Stricken

spacegypsy1

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A Daniel and Vala fluffy one-shot.

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"Hello."

Her voice sent a wave through me that I wasn't prepared for and it had nothing to do with surprise, no, not surprise, though I was certainly surprised. It was beyond joy. Something I've never experienced. Something whole and good and wonderful. Something I need. I want. I crave.

"Oh. Er." I stammered, not yet recovered from her simple yet powerful, 'Hello'. "Hey, when... I mean... Wow, it's good to see you." As an attempt to not appear completely idiotic I met her halfway between the door and my desk. It'd been nearly a year, and I wondered if I would do something totally insane.

We stood mere inches apart until finally I reached and yanked her to me for a hug. Vala's arms wound around my back as far as they could go.

I never intended to move, but I found myself burying my face in her hair, and with eyes closed, I breathed in her subtle scent. My knees almost buckled.

Realizing she was losing the battle to hold back – feeling her tremble, her tensing, her slight moan – I loosened my hold on her. Vala took a deep breath and broke the contact.

"You're..." She attempted to speak

"You're..." I stumbled on the word which came out at the exact time as hers.

"You first, Daniel."

That amazing whiskey, throaty voice of hers washed through me and I closed my eyes. I hesitated a moment longer enjoying the feel of that heady rush, then found my own voice. "Oh. Right. I was going to say that you look great."

"Oh, me too, I mean that you look great. It's great to look at you... I mean..."

Again, without a thought, without a care, with disregard of where I was or what I was doing I drug her back into my embrace and yet again attempted to put two words together that made sense. God! The way she makes me so nuts I can 't think! "What are you... why are you here? I didn't know you were coming."

My hand splayed on her back pushing her a close as possible and I could feel her breasts press against my chest through the thin layer of my black T-Shirt and I wished it wasn't there. I tried to will her to pull the damned thing up and run her hands across my back.

"I didn't know I was coming by either until I ran into Reynolds on Renatoc... P2 something or the other I believe. Sam told me he'd be there and I wanted to say hi and he invited me to join him on his return and General Landry was kind enough to allow me to visit. So how is everyone?"

I think I kissed her temple then, hugged her tighter, then let my arms fall and my hands grasp her hips. "Oh you know..."

Vala pulled back, making space between us, her hands coming to rest atop mine. "Sure, I hitch a ride now and then with Sam. We stay in touch."

"Yeah, but she didn't mention she'd seen you recently. She usually lets us know when you two get together and that you're doing well." She wouldn't look me in the eye as I spoke.

"Good." She said, long dark lashes cast down as if she was studying my T-shirt.

My hands automatically went into my pockets and I tucked my chin in, looking at her scuffed boots. "Yeah, good."

"So, I..."

That whiskey-husky voice again, got me.

I interrupted, blurting out... "I miss you." Then, as if someone took possession of me, I raised my voice in anger. "Why the hell did you have to leave!"

"Oh I don't know, Daniel!" She snapped back, sounding as angry as I, "Because I was unhappy?"

"Why?" I knew... I knew and still I baited her.

"Because!"

"Because why?" My voice had risen to new heights.

We were nose to nose.

"Because … you suck! And I hate you. And I couldn't stand another moment living so close and not having you and you like me as your best friend and I was so madly, crazy in love with you I couldn't sleep and I couldn't pay attention and I almost got you killed because of loving you and ..."

Halleluiah! She admitted it! She loves me! I snatched her into my arms and kissed her hard, with pent up passion full of the love I denied her until now. God I love her!

Before I could tell her I loved her, she asked, her tone saddened, "Daniel, why didn't you come after me?"

My eyes widened. "I did!" For god's sakes, she knows that!

"That didn't count, being not quite the romantic scene I'd fantasied about. Too much yelling."

She can do audacity, brazenness and impertinence better than anyone I know! I decided my best choice was to remind her, "But then..."

"Then the second time there was nothing except for glaring and barking orders to come home but never saying why! Why, Daniel? Why did you want me to come home?"

Well here it is. Time to confess or lose her forever. "Because I love you, Vala. I was too... stupid to tell you, and I've loved you for so long. I'm miserable without you. I was about to make another attempt. I'd planned on..."

"Ms Mal Doran?"

The SF coming to the door startled me.

"I took all your luggage and boxes and stuff to... the place like you asked." The man said grinning foolishly.

"Thank you, Airman." Vala said and turned to wink at me.

"Boxes? And stuff?" I barely eked out.

"Umm hmm." She replied, head bobbing, eyes sparkling with delight.

I grinned, happy. God was I happy! "You were coming back?"

"Umm hmm." This time her head bobbing was accompanied by the sparkle of tears.

"Sam told you?" I really didn't need to ask. Sam obviously told her I'd been miserable and carefully planning to come after her... again. And I'm sure Sam mentioned that I confessed I loved her... that is Vala... more than I could ever express. Good for Sam!

"She did. But I did beg, darling. My best ever begging. No one can withstand my best ever begging."

"No, no one could, I feel sorry for Sam. So. Where is your stuff? Where did he leave it? My quarters? VIP room?"

"Our apartment."

"Our?"

"It is now." She leaned into me, looking up, eyes wide and loving.

"Yes, it is ours." I kissed her again. What else could I do? Those large red lips hovered just over mine. The batting eyelashes.

Vala's husky - sexy... beyond sexy voice whispered words of love through the kiss as I intermittently babble things like forever and ever, and ever.

I'm done, fried, love-stricken.

~END