Any minute now.
It started slowly, but moments later the dim rays of light were stretching towards him, getting brighter with each passing second. Soon vibrant colors spilled out of the horizon. He audibly gasped as the sunlight reached the buildings of the city. Their metallic surface reflected the sunrise casting hues of orange, pink, purple, and blue onto the ocean. It was breathtaking. He drank the sight in, willing himself to commit as many details as possible to memory.
So entranced by what he was seeing, he didn't hear the door behind him slide open. Nor did he acknowledge that someone had approached and was standing next to him.
"Daniel?" a soft voice said.
Blinking, he turned to find Elizabeth Weir beside him wearing a red shirt and an impish grin.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" She gestured toward the horizon.
"I'll say. I was so caught up in the moment that I didn't even know you were standing here."
She gave him a knowing smile. "I became a morning person soon after arriving in Atlantis. And this is every reason why."
"So you come out here everyday?"
"That's right."
"Can't say that I blame you."
Mimicking his stance, Elizabeth leaned against the railing of the balcony as they continued to watch the sunrise. "You know, I'm a little surprised to find you here," she said after a few minutes had passed. "I figured you'd be buried in some Ancient database somewhere."
"Oh, I was," he replied as he turned to look at her. "But for a long time now I've dreamed of being here and watching the sunrise over Atlantis and..." he trailed off.
"And you may not get another chance to see it," she finished for him.
He nodded as he turned back toward the sea.
"You could always stay," she suggested. "We still have a place for you here, you know. Your understanding of the Ancients would be a great help to all of us...plus I...I've missed having you around, Daniel." Her last sentence came out as almost a whisper, showing the true meaning of her words.
Her confession didn't come as much of a shock to Daniel. He knew from the moment they met that there was special connection between them, not that they'd ever been able to admit it at the time. But it was still there nonetheless, and now that they lived in two separate galaxies and worked under two different programs, he could see no point in trying to hide it.
"I've missed you too." Reaching out, he took hold of her hand a gave it a gentle squeeze. "But so much has changed."
"Vala?" she guessed.
He blinked at that. "Well, yes, but not in the way you mean. She caused me to miss the Daedalus...and together we inadvertently announced the presence of our galaxy to the Ori. I started this, Elizabeth. I can't leave earth until the Ori have been dealt with."
She nodded sadly. She understood that all too well. "I just wish..."
"Me, too."
Intertwining their fingers, they stood in comfortable silence as the sun continued it's steady ascent.
It was over far too soon. "The sun is up," Daniel observed. "I guess we'll be leaving for home."
"I know you have to leave, but it's just..." she sighed. "You just got here."
"I know, but don't worry," he leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. "I have a feeling we're very close to finding this weapon of Merlin's. Just take care of yourself and I'll be back here with you as soon as I can."
"And we'll watch another sunrise together?" she suggested with a sly smile.
He couldn't help but smile back. "It's a date."
Finis