Hi guys, I know it's been a while since I've updated. You may have noticed that I've deleted a chapter or two – the reason for this was because I felt they didn't do the previous chapters justice and I didn't like where the story was going. Hopefully you'll find this chapter better suited to the previous ones and that the story flows a lot better.

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Cameron was standing on the bridge admiring the view of the beautiful city below, it had been a long while since he'd last come to Atlantis and now not only was he looking forward to a little R & R, but most importantly he couldn't wait to be with the woman he loved. To finally get the chance to be alone, to explore their feelings and to take the first step towards the rest of their lives together.

Maybe they could find a little hideaway on the mainland, he mused, where they wouldn't be disturbed – just the two of them. Cam smiled to himself – yeah that sounded really good… they'd pack some food, hopefully the weather would clear up… and from there Cameron planned their first date in his head as he slipped into a little daydream.

She'd be wearing a sexy little black number,correction Cam thought with a mischievous grin, a backless sexy little black number. She'd have enough skin on show to tease him, to make him think of nothing else but her. There would be enough material on her to make him think only of what was underneath to the point of insanity. Mmm… he couldn't wait to get his hands on those delicious curves; he could almost taste her gold velvety silk skin. She would smell of earth and of woman and by the end of the first of their many nights together she would have his scent too.

He was quickly yanked out of the daydream when the first of the destructive explosions ripped through the ship.

Cameron spun round towards the sudden violent sound of the blast, only to come face to face with shards of jagged edged metal flying straight towards him. There was no time to duck, to get out of the way. Everything froze for him in that one single moment. Cam could see each individual sharp point sneering wickedly at him, taking aim and inching towards him one millisecond at a time.

Droplets of ice cold air surrounded him as his fate suddenly became very clear and then in one single whoosh they struck with meticulous precision, slicing away at him.

The fragments pierced and buried themselves in his body. The immediate shock of the hot searing pain had him falling to his knees, his body hit the ground hard and his head bounced, repeatedly, off the floor as the force of more explosions rippled through him.

Flashes of black and white danced across his bloody red vision as the ship struggled to regain control. The chaos around him was drummed out by the roaring sound of his own blood pumping out. Cameron's eyelids flickered shut, he had only enough strength left for one more breathe – one more dry, dusty, smoky metallic breathe and then the darkness came, cocooning him like a comforting blanket, promising to take away the pain.

His first and last thought was of Sam.

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Sam was woken by a slight movement beneath her hand. Looking up from where her head was resting against his bed, she watched him stir. Her eyes dropped to her hand as he held onto her tightly. She heard her name spoken in the quietest of whispers and her heart lurched as she focused on his face. The dim lights of the infirmary were deceptive in concealing some of the semi healed scars and bruises on his face. His colour had returned and his condition had improved rapidly over the course of the last few days but for a while there it had been touch and go, even the very thought of it now sent a cold shiver down her spine.

He had been drifting in and out of consciousness since his surgery six days ago. There was some worry about tissue and muscle damage but they wouldn't know the full extent of it until Cameron was able to move around. He had two major injuries to his body, one was a large wound on the inside of his left thigh, where a piece of metal debris had lodged itself at an angle, that began two inches above his knee and ended mid thigh,. The second larger wound was just underneath the right side of his collar bone from where shrapnel had pierced him through and through. There were more smaller injuries that covered his entire body but, thankfully, most of them were just flesh wounds, though they would cause him some discomfort.

Cameron's eyes flickered open, adjusting quickly to the low light, and all the tears and worry were forgotten when those precious blue gems settled on her and the smile that she adored so much greeted her.

"Hi."

Sam didn't say a word, she couldn't. Even when her eyes misted over, she could still see the love he had for her shinning as brightly as any star and all she could think was how much she loved him, how much she had missed him and how very close she had come to losing him.

"I love you."

They were just three simple words but to Cam they meant the world and more. He had known lust, he may have once, a long time ago, even came close to being in love but nothing had prepared him for what he was feeling right here right now, for her and for them.

"I love you too."

Sam had dreamt of this moment every second of every day, of all the different ways she had imagined him telling her he loved her, lying injured was not one of them. She felt an incredible amount of guilt for his current condition but she also felt ashamed, ashamed for running away from the most important person in her life.

Cameron watched the stormy mix of emotions play across her face, "Sam what's wrong?"

Unable to meet his eyes she apologised, "It's all my fault Cam, you nearly died because of me…"

Cameron cut her off with a sharp intake of breath when he tried to sit up, "God!"

"Easy Cam…" Sam said, guilt forgotten, as she took a hold of him, "Take it easy."

Cameron inhaled and exhaled rapidly to try and ease the agony he was in, even with his eyes squeezed shut tears of pain streamed out.

Sam helped him ease back down on to the support pillows and then gently wiped away the tears. He was still breathing heavily but he looked a little more relaxed.

Holding his head soothingly, between her hands, Sam kissed him on the forehead, the eyes, his cheeks, chin and lips and with each kiss she murmured words of love and comfort. Easing herself onto the edge of the bed, Sam wrapped her arms around him and held him close to her and as tightly as she dared.

"I need you Sam, I really need you." Cameron' voice was muffled in Sam's hair but she heard it loud and clear.

"I'm here; I'm always going to be here, baby, always."

Right there and then they each made a promise to the other – no sacrifice was too big, no distance too great. The overwhelming sense of complete surrender and awe they felt was only heightened by the feeling of completeness and wholeness they found in each others arms and the acknowledgment to themselves of how incomplete their lives had been.

Being held and loved by her gave Cam a new lease of life and he knew he would never be the same again. She would be with him in everything he did, wherever he was and he would love this extraordinary woman forever.

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Over the next few weeks Cameron was encouraged to exercise in order to alleviate some of the stiffness in his limbs. They were taking a short evening walk through Atlantis's corridors with Cam leaning on Sam for support. Every so often they would stop so he could rest.

They were supposed to leave for Earth in three days but this morning they had learnt, during a communication with Stargate Command that they would not be returning to Earth anytime soon. General Landry had informed them that he would not be sending the Daedalus or the Odyssey to Atlantis for another couple of months. The IOA weren't comfortable with only having the one ship ready to defend Earth. They had recommended that both Cameron and Sam should stay in the Pegasus Galaxy until the Apollo's replacement was ready and the President had agreed. He told them to relax and enjoy their free time and that was exactly what they were doing.

Every waking moment was spent in each others company. They were yet to go on their first official secret date but neither of them noticed.

Cam leaned against the corridor wall trying to catch his breath, he had over exerted himself this time by insisting he could walk a little further than normal and now he had shooting pains in his left leg.

"Cam?"

"Just give me a minute Sam, my leg's giving me some trouble."

Concerned Sam looked closely at his leg, "How bad?"

Putting his arm around her shoulders he said, "Bad enough that I can't walk another step."

Sam looked around her; there was no place for them to sit down. She was going to suggest that she would go and get a wheelchair for him when she remembered that Rodney's quarters were just around the corner.

"Cameron, can you make it to the end of the corridor?"

Following her gaze he questioned her, "What's there?"

"Rodney McKay's room, I'm sure he won't mind. The last time I checked he was going to work through the night on a brilliant idea he had," Sam wrapped her arm around his waist as she helped him with those last couple of steps, "As soon as you're feeling up to it we'll go back."

Cam felt strange sitting on another man's bed. He supposed he was more uncomfortable because it was McKay's room. He knew that Rodney had feelings for Sam and it wasn't that he didn't like the man, he had nothing against him – after all he was a genius but he had nothing on Sam, Cam thought with pride. It was just that he was McKay!

"Feeling better?" Sam asked as she sat down next to him, "Anything I can do?"

Cameron looked at her with a twinkle in his eye, "You can start by kissing me…"

Grinning Sam leaned in close, "Think you can handle me?"

"I can handle you any way you want, honey!" Cam whispered seductively as his warm breath fanned her ear.

"I've got a couple of ideas." Sam whispered back nipping at his bottom lip.

"Yeah?"

"It goes something like this…"

Their lips touched. Thunder and lightning crawled up and down their spines; a sudden heat spread through their bodies as a helix of emotion and need took over. Electricity crackled, sparks ignited and an inferno of long simmering passion exploded. Gentle caresses became urgent ones, whispers turned into moans of pleasure.

"May…be …we…should…stop…?" Sam managed to get out in between the fervent kisses.

"Why?" Cameron asked as he moved onto her neck.

Sam couldn't think straight, her brain was a happy mush.

"You're... hurt?"

"You know what my first thought was after you kissed me back on Earth and I found out you'd gone to Atlantis?" He asked her as his hands travelled up and down her back.

"No."

The back of his hands began a slow tease across her breasts, enjoying her response to his touch, he replied, "I thought, you don't kiss me like that, run and hide in another galaxy and not expect me to come after you Sam," Sam's eyes flashed open with arousal, "and I'm coming after you with vengeance!"

It was a threat and he meant every single word.

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Rodney rubbed his eyes as he stared at his computer screen. He'd been working on this snag, in his genius of an idea, for well over four hours. Looking at his watch he realised that it was almost midnight. Grabbing his laptop and what he considered important equipment, he drained the last of his coffee and headed for his quarters.

"Maybe some sleep would help." McKay mumbled to himself. It was okay for him to admit to himself that even his genius needed a little rest; after all he could keep his own secret. That thought tickled McKay all the way to his room.

As soon as he walked through the door all Rodney saw was a tangle of arms and legs. His first thought was one of horror, that he had walked into the wrong room but when he noticed all his belongings lying around, he stood their speechless.

"Oh my God!" Was all he could say when he recognised the two people making out on HIS bed.

They flew apart as if they'd been struck by live electricity. Sam struggled to straighten her clothes as the three of them stared at each other.

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