Disclaimer:
I do not own anything. All rights belong to R.A. Dick (Josephine Leslie)and 20thCentury Fox.

Alsothanks to all GAMM writers, both from the series and fan-fiction authors for publishing such wonderful stories; there is no attempt on my part to imitate any of these published works.

AN: Hi all. I browsed through the GAMM fictioin the fanfiction website yesterday and found that there was already a story with the title "Touch' by Anonymous Lily. I offer my sincere apologies to her as I did not know that she had a story with this title in the GAMM Universe. Accordingly I have changed the title of my story from 'Touch' to 'A Simple Touch'. Hopefully that will resove the issue.

Summary: Who knew that something so simple, something we take for granted could be so important…

A Simple Touch

The sun was just starting to set, to drop below the horizon, long fingers of yellow and gold making way for the darker shades of orange and red. The colors stretched over the dark blue and black of the ocean, accentuating the contrast between the suns's lingering grasp and the darkness of the ocean's night.

Carolyn Muir stood on the balcony of Gull Cottage memorized by the beauty of the ocean before her as she leaned on the worn wood of the ship's wheel which proudly held its spot on the balcony outside in the elements.

The ship's wheel belonged to the indomitable Captain Daniel Gregg, the man who built the house in which she and her children now lived. The ship's wheel was from the first vessel he was Captain of, and it was a piece of his life that he refused to part with, a part of his life that she could only imagine from the stories he told. She was glad it as here, it was a real physical part of his life that she could hang onto, quite unlike the good Captain.

He was still around, often more than she would like, and in every sense but physical. When he died he didn't he didn't leave the house he had worked so hard to build, instead he settled in as its resident ghost.

It was quite a shock to discover that ghosts did exist, that they were real. As far as she was concerned he was far too real. Even though he was no longer of the physical world, her world, he had permeated her thoughts and heart to such a degree that no other man would do. He was an extremely maddening, irritating, egotistical, self rightous man who was in equal parts conscientious, compassionate, loving and sweet, and she loved him to death.

She sighed and dropped her chin to rest on the curved surface of the wheel, allowing herself to give in to her 'if only' thoughts. The one preoccupying her at the moment was the one that went 'if only we could touch one another, hold one another.'

She was only slightly startled when the object of her desires materialized next to her. They had a sense of each other that was unexplainable, she almost always knew when he was about to appear. She looked into his handsome face, and allowed herself to enjoy the sight. Looking was all that she had, so she might as well relish in it.

Captain Gregg knew something was wrong as soon as he materialized, he felt the aura of sadness that enveloped her like a worn overcoat.

"My dear, you seem quite…pensive. May I inquire as to what is wrong?"

"Nothing," she moped, chin still resting on the wheel, just because she felt like it.

"With an expression like that something must be wrong."

"Daniel, it's nothing, really." She stood up and gathered herself together. She smiled at her ghost. "What can I do for you?"

"I have a surprise for you, dear lady, one that I think you will like. At least one I hope you will like." His blue eyes studied her with an earnest expression. "If you will but step inside?"

"Of course," she murmured and entered the Master Suite through the balcony doors. She stopped in front of the desk and turned to face him. He stood several feet away, staring at her.

"Daniel?" She prompted, curious about his uneasy behavior. "Is something wrong?"

"No, I think something is very right," he said and seemed to take a deep breath, then swallowed what appeared to be a lump in his throat.

"Daniel, you look nervous. What could a spirit possibly be nervous about?" She laughed, teasing him.

He stepped over to her, placing himself in front of her and searched every nuance of her expression with his eyes.

"Daniel!" She laughed, exasperated by his behavior.

"It will be easier to show you than to tell you. Do you trust me?"

"Of course."

He gave her a happy smile. "Then close your eyes, my dear."

With good humor she did so, wondering what in the world he was up to. A moment later, she felt the sensation against her cheek, the softest of touches, like a butterfly passing across it. Her breath caught and she held it, afraid to break the moment, afraid it may not be real. She gasped when she felt a hand, a very substantial, masculine hand resting against her cheek. She opened her green eyes, blinking back tears of happiness and saw her feelings mirrored in his joyful blue eyes.

"Carolyn, I can touch you," he said, and she buried herself in his arms. He held her tight for what seemed forever, until she finally pulled away to look at him.

It was amazing. Captain Gregg, her Captain Gregg, the spirit of a man who had died nearly one hundred years ago was standing before her, and she could touch him, actually touch him. She looked at him in wonderment, and he grinned back at her, very pleased with himself.

"And I can touch you," Carolyn said, amazement in her voice as she ran her hands over his shoulders, his very broad, solid shoulders.

He watched her a bemused expression on his face. He stood in place as her hands made gentle cursory explorations of his physical form. He uncrossed his arms and she ran her hands down them, taking his hand in hers for just a few moments as she stared at them, and then back at his face, unable to hide her smile. Then she released his hands and studied him for a moment and slowly walked around behind him. He half turned his head, unable to completely watch her and waited to see what she would do next.

He had such a nice broad back, but she wanted to see it better. She began to remove his coat, and with a grin of amusement, he let her, and then looked at her. She resumed her spot behind him and thought about what she wanted to do next. She stepped forward and placed her hand on the top of his shoulders and rested them there for just a moment. Then ever so slowly she let her hands trail over his shoulder blades, around his ribs, and down the flat of his back. He stood completely still. After a moment's hesitation she gently placed her hands on his firm, muscled buttocks.

"My dear?" He chuckled in surprise.

"Daniel, this is new, you having a body. Can I continue?"

"Explore to your heart's content."

She let her hands linger on his behind and slowly moved downward, gently feeling his thighs. She thought she heard him take an audible gasp, but it was so quiet, she wasn't sure. Knowing exactly what she was doing she brushed his inner thigh and he squirmed ever so slightly. Then, allowing her fingertips to trace their way along a hip, she move to stand in front of him.

"I want to see your chest," she said, a faint smile on her face.

"You mean my naked chest?" He grinned.

"Yes, will you?" She indicated his shirt, and within moments it was gone.

She was very pleased with the sight before her. He really was well muscled in all of the right places. His muscles prominent and well defined, his abs were tight, and he was a wonderful sight to a woman that had not desired any man but him in the last four years.

As If of their own accord, her hands were on that well muscled chest, and she almost groaned with the feel of him under her fingertips. His skin felt real, smoother, cooler perhaps, but real, much as any normal man.

She looked into his blue eyes and saw the amusement there, and the pride that he could do this for her, and for himself. And she saw his love for her, a love so deep she felt she could drown herself in the depths of it.

"You're real," she breathed.

"My love, I have always been real, even when you did not believe. But now I am corporeal, physical as it were." He reached out and touched her cheek with great tenderness.

She swallowed and gathered her courage, letting her eyes drop to his belt buckle. "How real are you?" She whispered.

"I'm not certain yet." He brushed some stray hairs away from her forehead, and leaned in, his lips meeting hers in a lingering sweet kiss. "But I know I can kiss you."

"Yes, please," she said and pulled his head down to hers.

Their kiss was tender, lips brushing softly against each other. They looked into each other's eyes and lost themselves. In a moment they kissed again, he placed sweet kisses on her face, starting with her chin, her cheeks, and her eyelids, making her giggle. The he focused on her mouth and nibbled on her lips, and she opened her mouth to him. His explorations were gentle, tongue inquisitive as he explored. She was much less patient, and made bold explorations, causing him to pull away abruptly and stare at her.

"Daniel?" She was puzzled.

"You are very…bold," he said and didn't know if he should be offended or pleased by her behavior.

"Is that all?" She smiled at him and it lit up her face. "Women are a bit more aggressive nowadays."

"I gathered that." He laughed. "I am not quite sure how I feel about that."

"I could go," Carolyn indicated the door and took a step towards it.

"No, don't!" He reached for her and pulled her to him.

Off balance she stumbled and ended up pressed against his delicious hard chest, and was most content to stay there as he wrapped his arms around her. They remained like that for long moments, gently rubbing circles on each other's backs, pleased with the simple joy of touching one another. He held her close and she didn't think he would ever let go, not that she minded one little bit.

"Carolyn," was all that he managed to breathe into her ear, but in that one word she heard a world of love, trust, and desire.

"Oh, Daniel, I love you so," she said and pulled back to look into his face.

He leaned in to kiss her again and this time she saw the fire in his blue eyes, the desire he had for her, and she opened her mouth to him. They opened their mouths and kissed hungrily, suddenly aware of their unfulfilled need for one another. They only broke off when Carolyn needed to come up for air.

"You live up to your reputation, Captain Gregg. You are a sensational kisser," she said.

"I guess all of that practice was so that I could please the woman I love," he said.

"Me?" She asked, already knowing the answer.

"You, only you, Carolyn Muir."

He pulled her close and chuckled quietly, and when she moved against him, she felt the length of him against her. She moved slowly, pressing against him and he groaned, but she saw the delighted smile on his face and raised an eyebrow in his direction.

"You certainly feel as if you could…" she moved her eyes toward the bed.

"Ahh, my love, at the moment I do feel like a man, and capable of what a man can do with and for a woman," He pulled her close and pressed himself tightly against her.

"Are you going to do anything about it?" Her voice was soft, hopeful.

"Now? No." With great reluctance he gave her a sweet kiss and stepped away from her.

"Daniel?" She tried not to let the disappointment show in her voice.

"I need more time, my dear. Time to puzzle out if I can do for you what you so desire." He gave her a sad smile. "I do not want to promise you something that I am not capable of."

"Not capable? But…" She stepped close and placed herself against him, once again feeling the bulge in his trousers.

"Yes, it seems promising, but I do not want to attempt too much at once. It takes some effort on my part to maintain this physicality. And in truth I do not know everything I am capable of in this created form. Perhaps all, perhaps no more than this."

"This?"

"Touching, being able to touch you. That is a gift in itself," he whispered, and placing a kiss on the top of her forehead, held her tight.

They swayed back and forth together in each other's arms in a silent slow dance that neither wanted to end, a dance they wished to share forever. After some time he stepped away from her, looked into her green eyes that were filled with love and adoration for him, and felt his heart do a flip flop. How could this lovely vibrant woman love him?

"You are everything to me, you are the woman I waited for my whole life, the woman that I never found…until now." His blue eyes overflowed with the sincerity of his heartfelt words.

They kissed again, a long, lingering kiss filled with the promise of what they had, and what was to come. Then stepping away, he gave her a warm look of appraisal, and inclined his head to her before he disappeared from her sight.

Carolyn sighed. He was right. There was no need to rush anything, they had plenty of time to explore things together and they had been given a most precious gift, the gift of touch. She gazed at her hands, remembering the feel of his muscles beneath them, and knew someday they would share more. But for now, she was happy.

It was so simple really. A touch of his hand sent a flood of emotion rushing through her; a touch of his hand meant everything to her, who knew it would ever mean so much?

Touch. It was the most amazing thing.