I wake up about an hour later to a large crack of thunder. I hear the church door squeak as it opens, moonlight illuminating the gap in the curtain briefly. Daniel doesn't even stir from where he is right behind me. However, another part of him is stirring. I blush realizing what that is pressing against my lower back and move a little to look behind me. His eyes are closed but he shifts a little when I move, pulling me closer if that's even possible. He buries his face in my hair and rubs his hips against mine, making me blush again when I realize just how hard he is. I shake his arm that's around my waist, whispering to him to wake up. His eyes open and he blinks a few times before he seems wide awake.
"What? What is it?" he asks.
"Nothing, I just woke up because of the thunder, and found that even though I knew you missed me, it appears… other parts of you also missed me," I say, smirking a little.
I can't see very well in this light- or rather lack of- but I can imagine the slight blush creeping over his face and ears. "Sorry."
"Don't be," I say, leaning back further to kiss him lips in a chaste kiss, before grinding my hips back against him.
He inhales sharply and grabs my hip so tightly I'll probably have bruises there tomorrow. "Don't be starting something you're not going to finish darlin'."
"Who said I wasn't going to finish it?" I ask.
His lips are then on mine and he snakes a hand to the back on my neck. He presses his hips forward, rubbing his hard on against me. His tongue runs against my bottom lip and as soon as I open my mouth just a little wider, he's pushing his tongue inside. I can feel his urgency, and almost desperation, and turn all the way around so I'm facing him. He glides his hand down my body from my neck to my upper hip. As he grinds his hips forward, he pulls mine to meet him halfway. His breathing is heavy already and I trail my hand that was in his hair down his neck, then chest until I reach his lower abdomen. I push against him slightly, needing him to back away a little so I can get to his shirt. He does so reluctantly, making me smile into our kiss, and moves his hand upward, pushing my shirt up so my undershirt is revealed, before un-tucking that shirt as well to get to my skin underneath. I unbutton his jacket and pull his undershirt from his pants hurriedly, before undoing the button there. I wait a beat and smile as he kisses me impatiently, moving his hips forward. I push my hand into his pants and into his underwear, lightly grasping his member. He tenses, sucking in a breath through his nose before relaxing and moaning quietly. He moves his lips down to kiss and nip at my neck. He thrusts his hips forward into my hand and at his almost frantic behavior I know he isn't going to last long. I run my fingers through the hair at the base of his member and pull it out of his pants. I rub my thumb over the slit, getting his pre-cum on my fingers, before moving my hand back down. He's panting and I squeeze his member tightly at the bottom of the head, knowing he loves that, and he lets out a moan that's probably louder than it should be considering where we are.
"Shh, shh, shh," I say softly, using my other hand to cup his cheek. He moves his head back up, kissing along my jaw before capturing my lips in a searing kiss as I stroke his member quickly.
"Lilly," he says, his voice strained.
"It's okay love," I whisper. He tenses and his breathing hitches and a few seconds later he surprises me as his seed spills over my fingers and our stomachs- he usually lasts longer than that. He shudders and his hand squeezes my side as he rides out his climax. A few seconds later he stills, except for his heavy breathing, and his warm bursts of seed stop as well. A moment later I kiss his lips and whisper, "I'll be right back."
I slip out from underneath the blanket and look for something to clean up with and see a piece of ripped tapestry. I pick it up, cleaning my hand and stomach before going back to Daniel. I can see his eyes in the darkness, watching me and I crawl back under the blanket and wipe him clean as well. His breathing is almost back under control and he puts his arm around me, pulling me flush against him to kiss him passionately, making my hand lose the grip of the fabric and it drops onto the floor beside us.
I put my hand on his cheek and whisper, "You surprised me a little; it usually takes longer for you to…"
I can feel the heat rush to his face under my hand and I shake just slightly with laughter. He then surprises me by pushing me onto my back and rolling on top of me.
"What can I say darlin', you make me crazy," he whispers in my ear, and his tone makes me shudder. He waits a beat before saying in that same voice that I love, "Your turn."
Using one arm to prop himself up above me, he uses the other to push my shirt back up. He sneaks a hand under my bra as he places his lips on mine again in an intense kiss. It feels like an electric shock goes through my body and I fumble slightly as I move my arms to put my hands on the back on his neck, trying to draw him in closer.
I feel my bra suddenly loosen and when his hand finds by breast I jolt as a flash of heat rushes through me. My breathing gets shaky and he releases my lips. I can feel his nose trailing down my jaw before he reaches the side of my neck and starts placing soft kisses there. He rubs my nipple between his fingers and massages my breast gently before moving to the other one. His lips reach my collarbone and he bites there harder than before. I arch my back, pressing my front against his and he runs his tongue over the bite, making it sting a little, but the small pain just adds to my arousal. I feel like I'm on fire and he starts moving his hand that's on my breast down my stomach. He grasps my left hip, rubbing circles on my stomach with his thumb. I try to lift my hips again, to get some sort of relief, but he pushes me down.
"Daniel," I say breathily, somewhat pleading.
I feel him smile into my neck and he moves his hand to my pants, undoing the button and sitting up slightly to use both hands to push my pants and underwear down to my knees. This surprises me a bit considering he doesn't really need to, but all thoughts are obliterated from my mind when his fingers find my core. I can't help the whimper that escapes and he's suddenly kissing me again, deeply as if trying to pull the sound from my throat.
"Shh, quiet now love," he says.
He uses his thumb to rub my pearl as he pushes one finger into me, slowly, almost torturously. I have to stifle another whimper and with how he kisses me again I must not have been so successful. He bites my lip and sucks on it as he pumps his finger in and out before adding a second one. My head feels hazy and he suddenly stops.
"Breathe," he whispers and I realize that I hadn't been which is probably why my head feels so thick. I suck in a breath and after a few more my head starts to clear and his fingers start moving again, as do his lips on my neck.
He presses down on my pearl and curls his fingers inside me. He rubs at that spot that makes me see stars and adds a third finger, stretching me a little since his fingers are rather thick. My hips are moving in time with his fingers and I know that if it was anyone else I would be so embarrassed with everything that we've been doing. But I trust him, completely, and know that with him I don't have to be embarrassed, or afraid. He's the only person I've ever been with and the first time we were together he was so gentle and caring I wasn't even an ounce self-conscious or scared, just like now.
His fingers start to move faster and he tweaks my pearl. I feel the heat rising and I start to shake. He shifts his other arm under me, his hand grasping the back of my neck. My hands clutch at his back, the fabric of his jacket getting balled in my hands.
"Daniel," I whimper.
"Come on Lilly," he whispers, "Come for me."
And I do, hard. My back arches and my toes curl. My knuckles are probably white with how tightly I'm grasping his jacket and when he kisses me it's bruising and full of heat. I wish I could return it, but the pleasure is overwhelming, and I can't do much of anything but hold onto him, trembling, while he strokes the inside of my core as I ride out my orgasm. It's almost too much, it brings tears to my eyes it's so much.
As I start to come down, my muscles slowly relax, and I release my death grip on him. I'm still breathing heavily and shaking slightly when he slowly removes his fingers. He kisses the tip of my nose and then my lips chastely before his weight is suddenly gone from over top of me. My head is still fuzzy, but I vaguely hear the rustling of fabric and then he's back. His fingers part my folds and something thicker replaces them. It takes a second for me to realize what it is.
"Lilly," he says, his voice tight, and I know that while he's having trouble controlling himself, he won't go forward with this unless I give him permission.
"Please," I plead, full out begging now. What he did before was mind-blowing, but I want- no I need- to be as close to him as possible, to feel him inside me. It's been so long, he's been gone so long, and I just need… him.
He goes slowly, which I'm grateful for since I'm still extremely sensitive, and he's always been a little thick for me to take. Of course this is probably why he goes so slow; he knows my body just as well as I do, at least in regard to sex.
When he kisses me this time it's slow, and gentle, and so intimate, that it makes my heart ache with how loved he makes me feel. When he's fully seated inside me he stops and shifts before his fingers are underneath my eyes. I realize I'm crying, and he's wiping away my tears.
"Lilly," he says, his voice full of pain. He starts to pull away from me, probably thinking he hurt me, but my arms are around him in a flash, pulling him back on top of me.
"No, don't, please," I say, my sentence coming in broken fragments. "You-you didn't hurt me, promise."
He relaxes slightly, knowing I would tell him if he did. He always reassured me that it was okay to tell him to stop if he did something I was uncomfortable with, or was in pain. He leans his head down, putting his forehead to mine.
"Lilly, talk to me, tell me what's going on," he says patiently, no frustration or anger in his voice, just worry and concern.
"Daniel, I just… you're going to think I'm such a…" I pause, trying to come up with the right word before settling on, "…girl."
"Never," he says gently but firmly and I relax. Of course he wouldn't.
"I just… I missed you so much. You were gone, and now you're here and-" the tears start to come again and my breath hitches, making me stop mid sentence.
His thumbs wipe away my tears again before he lays a soft kiss on my forehead, then my nose and lips. "Shh, shh, shh, I'm here Lilly, I'm here and I'm not going anywhere darlin', I promise. I'm here, I've got you sweetheart."
He keeps saying things like this until my tears stop, and then a moment later he whispers, "I missed you too, you have no idea how much."
I smile, a feeling of pure love overwhelming me, not just from his words but his actions, and I move one hand to the back of his neck, and with the other I thread my fingers into his hair. I pull his head down and he kisses me so gently and slowly, like I'm something sacred.
"You are, to me," he says and I realize that I said that last part aloud after he broke the kiss. I blush and he puts his forehead against mine again.
"I love you Lilly, so much," he whispers and I'm slightly shocked to find he's getting choked up. While he shows more emotion to me than anyone else, it's still rare that he cries.
"Oh god, Daniel, I love you too," I say as he buries his face in my neck and I feel a tear or two land on my skin.
"Daniel?" I question. "Make love to me, please. I-I need you, please Daniel."
My voice is straining with the effort not to cry again, but I know he'll hear it. He lifts his head and moves his arms under me. "Its okay love, let it out. I'm here, its okay. I got you, let it out."
And so I do. Tears slowly but steadily trail down my face and he kisses them away before slowly starting to move. My knees move upward and come to rest against his waist. He drags a hand down my side, slowly, and stops at my hip, helping me establish a rhythm with his thrusts. My right hand grasps at his upper arm and his right arm ghosts over my left one before his hand settles in mine and threads our fingers together. He kisses me constantly, on my lips, my face, my neck, and every time a tear escapes my eyes he's there to kiss it away. His tenderness just makes me cry more with how touched I am by it, knowing that I- and only I- get to see this side of him, and that it's because of me that he's showing it.
He adjusts his angle and by how my hands grasp his jacket and his hand tighter, and how I gasp before letting out a soft moan, he knows he's hit the spot he's been looking for. He speeds up his thrusts, but is just as gentle and tender. He runs the hand not gripping mine through my hair and sucks at my neck, probably leaving a mark, not that I mind others seeing who I belong to.
I lose track of time, of everything except him and I, and start to feel the familiar heat pooling in my stomach.
"Daniel," I say my tone urgent as I try to tell him.
"Me too," he says, his breathing harsh.
He releases my hand and brings it between our bodies, rubbing my pearl and before I really realize what's happening, my climax hits me. His hand disappears until it finds mine again. I grip it so tight I'm afraid I'm going to break it, but he doesn't try to make me let go. I arch against him and his thrusts speed up even more. I tremble, almost violently that's how intense my orgasm in. My muscles tense and my walls clamp down on him as my vision goes black.
"Daniel!" I say, louder than I should, but at this point I really don't care even if we do get teased for it tomorrow.
His thrusts get faster, more desperate. He suddenly stills before his entire body shudders. I feel his seed fill me, the force and warmth of it as it coats my walls. His face is buried in my neck, his breathing uneven and heavy. It's like I've become hyperaware of every sensation; how his hand keeps clutching mine, how his member jerks inside me every time it releases a ribbon of his seed, and how he is placing gentle kisses on my neck as he trembles with the aftershock of his release. How a few more tears escape my eyes and how a few tears land on my neck from where Daniel has buried his face in it.
I slowly run my hand from his arm to his neck and he shifts to place a light kiss on my lips. We slowly relax as we come down from our high and lethargy starts to settle in. He gives my hand a squeeze before letting it go to grab my waist and sit up slightly, slowly pulling himself out of me. I shudder, feeling suddenly empty and… vulnerable. I shiver and wrap my arms around my chest, becoming smaller. He seems to notice because he places his hands on my arms and rubs them, saying, "It's okay darlin', I'm here now, relax. I'm not going anywhere."
He reaches behind me to get something and I realize it was the piece of cloth I used earlier as he uses it to wipe up his seed from my body. He fixes his clothes and then is pulling my pants up. I lift my hips to help him slide them back on and go to button them but he touches my hands before slowly pulling them away.
"Let me," he says, and there's a sort of… pleading in his voice. I realize that he wants- maybe needs- to do this himself. He's always been a protector; of his mama, his sister, and of me. He's protected us and taken care of me when no one else would, and then he had to leave. He would write to me saying he felt like he abandoned his family and me. With how I was crying he probably feels even guiltier about that. Maybe he just wants to ensure that I know he's here, or that I'm here with him, and that nothing's changed even after we've been separated for a year and are now in the middle of a war zone.
He does the button on my pants before he starts fixing my top half, pulling down my many shirts. He lowers his head to mine and kisses me chastely but with pure love. Feelings of affection and safety overwhelm my already frayed emotions and a few more tears glide down my face.
He wipes them away and whispers, his voice hoarse, "I love you Lilly."
"I love you too," I whisper back.
He surprises me by kneeling next to me and slipping one arm under my back and the other under my knees. He lifts me onto his lap and scoots back so he's sitting against the wall. My head is lying on his shoulder and I move so my arms are wrapped all the way around his waist. He grabs a blanket and spreads it over us as I bend my knees, curling up on his lap. I seem to melt into him as he pulls me as close as possible.
I feel him press a kiss to my forehead and whisper, "Sleep darlin', I'll be here when you wake up."
That was exactly the right thing to say, and I go to sleep not feeling alone, but safe, and protected, and loved by the one person more precious to me than anything or anyone else.
Captain Miller and Sergeant Horvath get everyone up an hour later to move out. Miller goes to the back of the church, where Jackson and his wife are and pulls back the curtain. He stops and just watches them for a moment. They look so peaceful, entangled together. He can't even see Lilly's face from how she has it hidden in Jackson's neck, but he can see how Jackson's arms are wrapped around her protectively, as if shielding her from the world. If he found his wife in the middle of a war zone he'd probably react the same way.
He sighs before going over and shaking Jackson awake first. It only takes a second for him to wake up, and then another one before he's wide awake as if he'd never been asleep at all. Being a soldier conditions you to waking up at a moment's notice.
"Captain?" Jackson says.
"Time to move out," Miller says and turns to move away but stops. "And Private?"
"Yeah Captain?" Jackson asks.
"Next time, find a room with thicker walls, or a real door," Miller says and Jackson blushes- actually blushes. "I won't say anything more on it, just hope no one else heard you two because they probably will."
"Yes sir, thank you sir," Jackson says, his face and ears still red, not meeting his captain's eyes. Miller just shakes his head and gives the others a shake to wake them up before walking out of the church to join Horvath and Wade, who were already awake. Reiben and Mellish start getting their things together, and Jackson untangles himself from Lilly, packing the blanket into his pack before shaking her awake.
"Lilly, darlin', we're moving out," he whispers and her eyes open.
"Alright," she sighs and sits up. He gives her a hand to her feet and she adjusts her clothing, tucking her shirts in since he hadn't been able to before since she was lying down.
He clears his throat and whispers, "Captain Miller heard us."
Lilly immediately knows what he's talking about and her eyes widen before a bright blush appears on her cheeks. "Oh god."
"It's okay, he won't say anything, just hope no one else heard," Jackson assures her.
She nods, still mortified, and starts to get her stuff together.
Jackson puts his over jacket on and he looks at the others in the other room; Mellish is helping Upham with his pack and Reiben is putting his boots back on. The doors to the church are wide open and outside Wade is tending to an injured soldier as Miller and Horvath talk to Hamill and Dunne. He is so grateful he's letting Lilly come with them; he doesn't think he'd be able to leave without her after just finding her again.
A weight settles around his waist and he looks down to see Lilly's arms. Her front presses against his back as she asks, "What are you thinking about?"
"Just how grateful I am to your SO," he answers.
"He's a good man, and he knows how much you mean to me… I sort of talked about you a lot to him," she says, blushing slightly.
He chuckles and turns around in her arms. "I have no doubt; there is a lot to say about me."
She smiles and shakes her head, hitting my arm lightly. "Shut up."
She wraps her arms around my neck as he places her hands on her hips, pulling her in closer for a kiss.
A whistle interrupts them and Lilly leans her forehead into his chest as Jackson looks over his shoulder to glare at Mellish. He, Upham, and Reiben are staring at them with grins on their faces and Horvath interrupts as he comes inside.
"Come on men," he says before looking at Jackson and Lilly, "And lady, as soon as Wade is done with this patient we're moving out of this town."
"I'm, uh," Lilly clears her throat, "I'm going to help Wade."
Lilly starts to pull away and Jackson presses a kiss to her hairline. She walks past the others that are still watching and grinning at them like its Christmas.
She hears Reiben start teasing Jackson as she exits the church. "That was cute bumpkin, really, didn't think our cold sniper had it in him. And she- wow, I mean really, I bet under that uniform-"
"Shut up Reiben," Jackson practically growls and Reiben holds his hands up.
"Woah, hit a nerve there did I?" Reiben says. "Alright, jeez, not my fault you can't take a joke."
"Reiben, maybe you should lay off," Mellish says, seeing Jackson's death glare. He's never seen Jackson like this, ever, and he's sort of afraid what will happen if Reiben pushes him too far. It's obvious that Lilly is the most important thing in his world, and so it would make sense that what he would hate more than anything is something joking about what they have.
Reiben looks at Mellish and sees the true concern there. "Alright, fine, god…"
Jackson picks up his pack and slings it over his shoulder, grabbing his gun with his other hand. He loves Reiben, really, but sometimes…
The wind hits him as soon as he steps out of the church and Miller calls Jackson over, giving him a few orders to help Upham who just walked out of the church too.
After Jackson helps the little Upchuck, he checks his ammo before someone stands next to him. Reiben, who clears his throat and begins speaking, "Jackson, um, I shouldn't have given you a hard time earlier… sorry."
Jackson looks up at him, his eyebrows raised in surprise. He doesn't think he's ever heard Reiben apologize, for anything. He stares at him shocked and confused.
"I should've known better, I sort of… overheard you two last night, you know, when you two were…" Reiben admits, sort of hesitant about bringing it up. Jackson just nods, figuring Miller probably wasn't the only one who heard them. "But I didn't just hear you two… you know. I heard what you were saying too. And… and I hope that one day I'll be lucky enough to find something even remotely close to what you two have."
Jackson just stares at him, blinking, not believing this is coming from Reiben of all people. Of course no one here believed him when he told them he had a wife- no one thought he could be anything but the calm and calculating sniper long enough to get a woman. Maybe he shouldn't be so surprised that there's more to Reiben than sarcastic comments and that arrogant bravado he shows.
"Alright, enough mushy crap. And this doesn't mean I won't still tease you about it," Reiben says.
"I wouldn't expect anything less," Jackson drawls.
"All right company," Miller yells, "Time to go."