Air Tonight

Everyone else looked up as somoene entered the large research room. He didn't. It was like a shift in wave frequency or an electric crack in the atmosphere - something he felt along every nerve in his body. He didn't need to look up. He knew who it was because he could feel her standing there.

The click of her thigh-highs echoed around the suddenly hushed room. If there was one sure fire way to silence an entire room of nasally brainiacs, it was to send a former space vixen traipsing into the mix. Of course she didn't traipse. She swayed...giving those scientists a false hope of having her.

It was too bad she was so totally taken.

She casually stepped up beside him, twisting her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck. He inhaled deeply at the contact. Like white hot fire that burned so good. She knew it drove him wild, but he knew some of her weaknesses too.

"Busy?" She asked quietly.

He lifted his mouth up from where it rested in his palm. "Little research." He saw her nod out of the corner of his eye. Her hand moved down to rub along his back gently.

"Need anything?" Her beautiful voice got closer as she mimicked his position leaning on the huge workstation. He shook his head minutely and felt her hair tickle his cheek. Her fingers fiddled with the edges of his shirt sleeve. She was being very touchy-feely.

"What do YOU need?" He asked knowingly. Her fingers stopped their motion, and she rested her forehead against his cheek.

"Some money, maybe?" She smiled.

"Don't you just maybe make some of your own?" He asked back patiently. She sighed with mock exasperation and stood back up. He wasn't even surprised when her finger poked his cheek. He fought the small smile that played on his lips. "Back pocket. I only have about a hundred, so please leave me something."

She reached her hand into one of his jean pockets - the one she knew was empty.

"You KNOW it's in the other one." He sighed as her fingers gripped his ass momentarily, then pulled out of that pocket and pushed into the other one. He felt the loss of his wallet immediately. To know that it was in her hands didn't even set off any warning alarms in his head anymore. Before, he had earned for him. Now, he earned for them.

"Awww, that's you and me." She sighed, and he knew she was talking about the picture he kept in there.

"Good to know it hasn't changed since this morning." He answered, then was rocked a bit as she hit her hip against his.

"Sixty, Forty?" She asked hopefully. He shrugged.

"Who gets sixty, and who gets forty?"

She 'hmphed'. "I've taught you too well."

He nodded. "How about we play the fair card, and you take fifty." He made it a statement, not a question. She sighed and he felt the wallet being pushed back into his jeans. Normally she wouldn't have gotten that lucky. But he was only on base for a few hours, so he hadn't bothered with changing.

"Okay, I'm gonna head off." She leaned her hip against the worktable. "You gonna be home soon?"

"Hockey game." He stated, and saw her nod in understanding. "If I'm not home, I'll have to answer to his bitching...and I make it a habit not to have to do that."

"He says the same thing about you." She leaned down, her face even with his. A few moments of silence passed, then as he expected she spoke again.

"Daniel." She stated gently. Finally his smile broke free and he turned his head towards her. He kissed her lovingly, and once more the atmosphere cracked - this time with a heavy, heavy cloud of jealousy hanging in the air. It had him smiling some more and adding a little more to the kiss.

"Buy something I'll like." Daniel said as he placed a final parting kiss to Vala's full lips.

Vala stood up and tapped his nose. "Edible or wearable?"

Daniel stood up, stretching his arms high above his head. He smiled as Vala's eyes wracked his body happily. She rocked on her heels, and he wrapped his arms around her. "Can't it be both?" He asked casually, and didn't miss the choked cough from another part of the room.

He had such a joy making the geeks sweat. When he'd stopped labeling himself as such, he wasn't quite sure. Probably around the same time a certain then colonel had as well. From the looks he could feel the others giving him, Daniel knew they didn't see him that way anymore either. He had switched sides. If the delightfully warm body wrapped in his arms was punishment for going all "warrior" on the academics, then well...he wasn't complaining.

Vala shrugged at his request. "I'll see what I can do."

Daniel breathed in deeply, a naughty smile coming to his lips. "You can do a lot." He murmured as he leaned in to place a second final parting kiss gently to her mouth. Vala agreed against his lips with an 'mmmmhmmm'.

Reluctantly, Daniel let Vala walk out of his grasp. Just as she was about to pass beyond his reach, he latched onto her arm and pulled her back. Their lips connected perfectly for a THIRD final parting kiss.

"Have fun." Daniel stated as he kissed her forehead. He brushed her hair back, letting his fingers brush over her sparkly clip. "Don't get into too much trouble."

Vala smiled and sauntered out of the room. "You know me, darling!" She shouted back down the hall.

Daniel moved to the doorway. "That's exactly my point!" He shouted as he leaned out.

The exciting buzz in the atmosphere fizzled out as she threw a wave over her shoulder. He smiled contentedly as he walked back to his laptop.

He was aware of someone standing next to him a few minutes later.

"Yes, Bill?" He questioned without looking up. A hint of impatience colored his voice playfully. Bill was the one scientist who didn't think of him as a Benedict Arnold to all things academic. He was also the only one with a semi-decent sense of humor.

"I just thought you should know..." Bill let out a little laugh. "That she took all the money you had in your wallet."

Daniel laughed quietly as he nodded. "I know. I have every intention of..." He tapped a few keys. "Having her repay me."

As Bill walked away with a slight chuckle, the thick cloud of envy settled around Daniel.

He grinned - She could always change the feel in the air.

A/N: Whoot! Got both Wanted AND Kisses new chapters in one day...I'm good! Anyways, I have no idea where this came from...and the end was hard to put together, but I did it. REVIEWS ARE LVOE!