Chapter 3 : 'The Inevitable Conversation'

I'm speechless. That is to put it gently. It's like someone smacked your head, grabbed your bike, shook you hand and then took off before you know what's going on. But the good thing is that I have a good idea on the red ribbon thingy. I just got to look at her, it's a bad idea but I just have to. She stands right beside me.

I know that she's beautiful, but under the dim light of the city she's just stunning. So breathtaking that I have to hold my breath literally.  She stares into the space but I noticed that her right hand fiddling with her left little finger. She's not dense, on the contrary she's the most brilliant people I've ever met, she found out what's the ribbon for. To my relief, she didn't take it off, instead she seems to cherish it. Before I knew it, my hand reached for the ribbon. She startled a bit, and then turned her head so that her eyes meet mine. At that moment, we know what we wanted to say but not spoken.

The priest had finished his story long ago but no one dare to say a word, afraid that they would end the mystical experience. Teal'c is the one who break the silence. "I believe the Hailanese legend is not consistent with the one you are familiar with, Daniel Jackson."

Our close proximity is broken abruptly.

"Yes, this is intriguing." Daniel is frowning, clearly puzzled over something. "This is closer to the Japanese version rather than the Chinese one."

"Pick up the wrong legend, Daniel?" Danny-boy, look what have you done. Not that I regret having an opportunity to hold Carter's hand, it's just that our relationship is already complicated as it is.

"I was so sure that their version will be the same as the Chinese. Let me ask some more questions OK?" Once again, he's off to talk to Xian. I look at Teal'c.

"No offence T, but I don't want to have my red thread connected to you on this planet."

He smiled so slightly before bowing his head and said, "I must concur."

Carter's been quite, she has her left hand behind her back so that Daniel and Teal'c couldn't see it. They don't know about our little encounter with the little boy, we need to talk, soon.

"Teal'c, will you watch Daniel for me? Carter and I will go around the city, see if there's anything out of the ordinary here. Make sure he doesn't touch anything OK?" I know I can count on the big Jaffa to keep Daniel out of trouble. I waited until Teal'c nod his head.

"Carter, let's go."

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We walked through the crowd. I take the lead, my eyes look for a quite corner or hidden alley as she follows closely behind me. Bingo, I found a perfect spot. A clearing just outside the main complex, it looks deserted and quite. I stop walking suddenly, causing her to bump onto my back.

"Sir?"

I turn around to face her.

"We need to talk."

She seemed reluctant at first but she knows better that we need to have this conversation sooner or later. "Okay."

I let out a sigh. She's avoiding my gaze, staring at her P-90 instead. Funny, I never picture her as a shy type. So I take her left hand with my right hand and lift her chin with the other hand, her blue eyes met mine. Collecting all my courage, I start to speak, carefully.

"After the armbands incident I know that I agreed to leave things in that room." Her eyes lit in anticipation. "But we need to talk things through. I tried to keep it to myself but ... my felling for you is growing each day and I don't know if I could hold it much longer ... so I just want you to know." Here comes the big talk. I fix my eyes on hers, letting myself be lost in that deep shade of blue. With all of my emotions I begin to let her know.

"You know that I ..." love you.

"I know." She whispers back at me.

"You also know that I can't ..." act on it.

"I know" She squeezes my hand.

"But if the situations were different, I would ..."do absolutely anything to be with you.

"I know you would." She closes her eyes for a moment, her expression shows that she feels the same.

"I really wish that ..."there's another way around this.

"Me too." The tension is elevated.

"Given our circumstances, I'm glad that we're still capable of having this normal conversation."

She's chuckling and it only makes her more desirable, I move my left hand from her chin and stoke her cheek.

"You know everything ..., don't you?" I ask slowly.

"Yeah, but it doesn't make it any easier." Her eyes reflect her despair.

"No, it doesn't. But one day ... I promise you one day ... I'll make it possible for us to be together."

"But you don't know for sure when that 'one day' is, do you?"

"Does it matter?"

She took her time to think about my question. "No." But she looks dejected.

I hate to see her sad. So I pull her into my embrace, holding her close and whisper to her ear. "There's something else that you need to know."

She wraps her arms around me, resting her chin on my shoulder. "What?"

"I've adored you from the moment you challenged me into that arm-wrestle."

She's giggling now, "God, you're a master in keeping romantic moments going, you know that?

She relaxes, so I let my fingers run through her blond hair and planted a kiss on the top of her head. I'm felling so happy that I wouldn't give a damn even if Hammond and Jacob decided to show up right now. We're holding each other in silence.

"So ... "

"So ... "

"Do you accept my application for being your future boyfriend?"

She chuckles, she always appreciate my jokes no matter how lame they are. I love that about her, no scratch that, actually I love everything about her.

"It depends." She said.

"On what?"

"On how good you are in arm-wrestling."

Oh God, she's making me laugh now. I feel like I could spend my whole life with her.

"Is that the only condition for that position?"

"Of course not. There are other ... qualities that I required from my boyfriend."

She's playing a game now and I'm more than happy to join in.

"Care to share that with me?"

"Okay. He has to be brave and doesn't easily be intimidated by me."

"I'm your CO, I intimidate you." This one is easy.

"He has to be understanding as my work is very important for me."

"I'm a very understanding person." She snorts, but I bluntly choose to ignore that.

"He has to love me, care about me and has the ability to make me laugh."

"Consider it done." Piece of cake.

"He has to be able to comfort me when I'm feeling down."

"I'm doing it right now, don't I?" Holding her in my arm should comfort her anytime.

"And the last one, which is the most important one." She puts her hands on my shoulder and then pushes me away at the length of her arms and then she gives me an inspection from the top of my head to the bottom of my shoes with her eyes. I liked the way she looked at me, until she smiles dubiously.

I have to open my big mouth and ask, "What?"

"For the record, I have to say in advance that you definitely have it." Her smile is getting wider.

I'm getting impatient, "What is it?"

"He has to look good in a skirt."

- to be continue -

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AN: I made some mistakes on chapter 1, should be a 'Prologue' instead of 'Epilogue'. Sorry, so I've edited the first chapter. Any another girl out there that love to see a man in sarong or kilt? Do you enjoy the story? Please send reviews and feedbacks

blue-topaz@lycos.com