Returning from Jack's quarters, her chest feeling much lighter than it had earlier, she poked her head into Daniel's office and smiled on seeing the Archaeologist engrossed in his work. She quietly entered and took a seat across the desk from him and just watched him, amused.
Nearly a full minute later, he looked up, startled and asked, checking his watch, "Sam? When did you come back?"
She remarked, feigning innocence, "Ohhh… about two hours ago…"
He momentarily looked panicked and then retorted in disbelief, "We were at your house two hours ago!"
She continued smiling, and said, ducking her head briefly, "Actually, a couple of minutes. It was just nice seeing you so lost."
Blushing slightly, he asked, "How did it go?"
Her expression warmed up a little as she replied, "It went good… better than I had expected… And apparently, I've got to tuck you in with a mug of Cocoa."
He raised his eyebrows in disbelief, and said, "What?!"
"Yep, Jack's sense of humour… I think you'll always be a kid to him one way or the other."
He rested his elbows on the desk as he replied with a wistful expression, "All those years, it was supposed be Charlie he was having battles with, and if Jack's anything to go by, I'm sure the boy would have given him hell."
She nodded, sad and replied, "He would have made a great father."
"Yeah."
Nothing was said for a few moments as they reflected on their friends' eternal grief, and then she said, changing the subject and sounding upbeat, "So, ready to be sprung?"
"Oh yeah, this can wait."
She remarked, amused as she got up and perched on his side of the desk, facing him, "That's not the man I know who'd stay long into the night and early morning to get his work done."
He smiled up at her before getting up and kissing her, holding her close. He then said, "I've changed a lot."
He kissed her again and asked, "So… can this lunatic drive you home?"
---------------------
As Daniel pulled up in front of her house, Sam in the passenger seat and now looking tense as she eyed her house, he gazed at her, knowing why she was so. She turned to him and said, looking sheepish,
"Daniel… I don't think it'll be a good idea for you to come in. As much of a cliché this might sound, it's not you, it's me… or rather the fact that my last relationship didn't turn out well because I rushed into it headfirst."
He nodded and said as he caressed her jaw, "I understand – you need space, and for us to take it slowly. I'll let you set the pace but I don't want you to feel pressurised into anything – just take it under your own steam."
Tears had sprung in her eyes during his speech, and she bit her lip before saying, smiling through her oncoming tears, "God, that's why I love you."
His cheeks tinged the faintest shade of red at her heartfelt praise, and she smiled. He may have seen and done so much since they had met, scaled seemingly insurmountable odds, and had developed so much personally but he was still, and always would be that shy, insecure man who could nonetheless surprise anyone with his nerves of steel, strength of character, towering intellect, and unshakeable sense of right and wrong.
Still smiling, she looked down at her lap briefly before saying as she looked back at him, "I think we could get away with a kiss goodnight."
"Now, that I can do."
She raised an eyebrow at him, and he rolled his eyes, reddening again as he remarked, "Sam, I'm not a eunuch."
She chuckled softly before their lips grew closer and she initiated the kiss as he let her take control. Almost rolling her eyes, she gently reached behind him to caress his neck, which sent delicious tingles down his spine and he took the hint.
They each pulled back a good couple of minutes later, feeling utterly boneless, their eyes glazed over. She exhaled a long breath and remarked with all seriousness,
"We've only kissed a handful of times but that has, by far, got to be the best."
He nodded in agreement, barely able to speak, and she really looked at him, noticing much to her inner astonishment that his eyes were only partially shrouded by his perpetual emotional wall. With a soft smile on his face, he remarked,
"Encore?"
She grinned and retorted, "Like you had to ask."
After another earthshaking kiss, he pulled away first as they had almost reached the point of no return… in his car. Not ideal especially for a first time with someone he had been holding out for, for so long. As it was, he wasn't entirely sure that he could get out without embarrassing himself in front of her at the very least. He remarked, his cheeks a soft rosy red as he smiled, stroking her cheek,
"If we go any further, we'll lower the house prices around here."
"That could be a good thing."
She kissed him, this time a quick although certainly not unenjoyable one for either for them, and she said as they hugged, "I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight Daniel."
He returned the kiss and replied, feeling utterly happy as he rested his forehead against hers, "Goodnight Sam."
They kissed one more time and then she found enough willpower to open the door and he gazed at her, totally and truly amazed that she returned even a fraction of his own feelings. She got out and asked, stooping so that she could look at him, her hands rested on his roof,
"Who's calling who?"
His smile grew wider as he replied, "I guess I'll have to be the gentleman this time."
"That's going to be interesting – you're always a gentleman."
He ducked his head briefly and she smiled, saying before closing the door, "'night Daniel."
"'night."
She walked up the front path and turned on reaching the front door to see him still there, waiting for her to get in safely, and she smiled at his thoughtfulness. Unlocking the door and switching the hall light on, she turned to wave at him. With a reciprocal wave, he drove away. Smiling, she turned back into the house and closed the door when suddenly the prospect of being alone, especially after a wonderful day with her new boyfriend, was the complete opposite of promising.
Closing her eyes, she slid her back down the door until she was seated on the floor, and she held her head in her hands as she began to cry.
