"Hey, Kin!" Liam greeted as the off-worlder and his sister came to greet the Air Force officers.
"Liam! Alan!" He said, joyfully.
"How're you?"
"Good. Alan, this is sister, Rihana."
Rihana bowed to the man and he reciprocated the gesture. "Nice to meet you."
"You too." She said, allowing her eyes to meet his.
Liam and Kinsah watched the two with interest.
Meanwhile, Nick dragged Tony over. "Hey, guys, Rihana...this is Tony Dovolani. Tony, this is Liam, Alan, Kin and Rihana."
"Hello." Tony said with a smile. "It's nice to meet you."
"And you." Alan said with a grin.
He bowed to Rihana, taking her hand and kissing it. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
"You too." She smiled.
Just then, Grace ran up to Tony. "You said you'd dance with me!"
"That I did." He said with a smile. He turned back to the group. "If you'll excuse me."
"Of course." Liam chuckled.
Alan turned to Rihana. "Pretty girl like you shouldn't be sitting out of a dance. May I have the pleasure?"
She turned to Kinsah, as if asking for permission. He nudged her toward Alan.
"Yes, you may." She responded, trying desperately to correct her somewhat broken English.
Alan smiled at her, trying to put her at ease and held his hand out to her.
She took his hand, somewhat shyly as he led her to the "dance floor."
Looking around, Alan copied Tony's "social ballroom" hold and won a look of approval from Kinsah.
"I think your brother is making sure I don't try anything." Alan whispered with a chuckle as he led her in a simple two step.
"I think you worry too much."
He raised an eyebrow is response. "Yes, but I would NOT want to have him kick my butt in front of everyone here and humiliate me for life!"
She grinned. "He scare off all suitor at home."
"I'd believe it!"
"You scared?"
"Not scared...just possessing a VERY healthy respect!" Alan shot back.
"For life or brother opinion?" She chuckled.
"For still being in one piece!"
She laughed. "You not bad dancer."
"I try." Alan replied wryly. Motioning over to Tony with his head, he continued, "Now HE can dance!"
"I know...Cassie show tapes of how Tony can dance!"
Alan chuckled. "Just don't tell Liam that!"
"He there."
Alan's eyebrows went up to his hairline. "Interesting..."
"He not want make mad."
"Smart man..."
"She sometimes..." Her face contorted as she tried to remember the Earth phrase. "...steamroll over him."
Alan threw back his head and laughed. "Sounds like Cassie to me!"
"So...what your family like?'
"I have a mother, father, twin brother and one sister."
"Twin brother?"
"Yep! We look exactly the same. His name is Adam." Alan answered.
"That get confusing!"
Alan grinned. "Yeah, it did...Mom never knew who she was lecturing!"
She chuckled. "How make wife know who is who?"
"I have a scar on my left hand." He answered, lifting up the said hand to show her the pink line that ran across the back of his hand.
"Oh. Wife must be thankful."
Alan's brow furrowed, then he laughed. "Adam's married, not me..."
"Oh." She said with a slight, embarrassed chuckle.
"His wife Sarah says that if it wasn't for the scar, she wouldn't be able to tell us apart!"
She smiled. "I sorry...most men where I come from marry by your age..."
Alan shrugged. "Nothing to apologize for." He said kindly. "It's not that I'm against marriage...I guess I just haven't found the right girl yet."
"Oh." There was an awkward silence as she took a deep breath. "I sorry. I make you sad."
"Hey, don't worry about it!" Alan told her firmly, giving her a gentle smile.
"Okay." She said, bowing almost in submission.
Alan studied her for a long moment before escorting her back to her brother. "Thank you for allowing me the privilege of dancing with the lovely angel that is your sister."
She smiled, shyly as she hid behind her brother again, somewhat childlike in her motions.
Looking back toward the "dance floor", Alan could see Ria Sangford coming up the driveway. "Ria!" He called happily.
"Alan? What are you doing here?" She asked as she gave him a hug. He was one of the few airmen on the base that made every effort to make her feel comfortable.
"Just hanging out with the smug marrieds/datings." He teased gently.
Meanwhile, Rihana felt tears sting her eyes. She pulled away from her brother and walked toward the porch swing.
Despite the fact that he saw her leave, Alan turned to Ria, "If I were you, I'd be careful...Nick is NOTORIOUS for his matchmaking..."
"Oh, he's already struck...I'm currently on a blind date..."
"And I think I know who it is..." Alan smirked.
"Who?"
Alan pointed over to Tony, who was dancing with Sam at the moment.
"Wow..." She gasped. "Nick's got good taste."
"Go say hi." He urged.
"I will..." She said with a grin. "But let's let Nick think that he's going to introduce me, okay?"
"Gotcha." Alan replied winking. He casually walked over to where Kinsah was sitting and took a seat of his own, his eyes fixed on Rihana.
"Something wrong?"
"Nope." He replied quietly.
"Rihana think you and Ria together...that why she walk off..."
"We're not together...Ria's just a good friend." Alan answered.
"I know that...but she not know that. Now, you going tell her?"
"Yes, my Liege." The lieutenant replied, a small laugh in his voice.
"Go on with you."
Alan rose to his feet and took off rapidly in the direction that Rihana had gone.
"Rihana?" He asked as he caught her.
She looked at him, first in surprise, than with a hint of wariness. "Kinsah want something?"
"Nope. Just wanted to know if something was wrong..."
"Nothing wrong." She answered quickly, turning away from him. He reached out a hand and gently pulled her back around to face him.
"I don't believe you." He said gently.
"I fine." She said, sitting up a little straighter as she looked at the "dance floor." "Girlfriend seem be talking Nick."
"Ria's not my girlfriend...we're trying to set her up with Tony." Alan explained nonchalantly.
"Oh." She said, shaking her head. "Need stop thinking. Not good at it."
"I think you're just fine at it." Alan said with a smile. A breeze ruffled her hair and before he could stop himself, he reached out and tucked a piece of stray hair back behind her ear.
She looked at him, a feeling of warmth spreading through her whole body at his touch.
Looking over, Alan could see Kinsah smirking and a reddish hue spread over his face. "I think your brother is amused."
"He always amused when I with anyone alone." She sighed.
Putting an arm around her shoulder, Alan pulled her into an easy walking pace. "Let's go for a stroll, shall we?" He asked, his blue eyes twinkling.
She smiled. "Okay."
Meanwhile, Kinsah nudged Liam and said, "I think sister like."
"Leave her alone! She looks terrified!" Liam said, as Cassie strolled over to them.
"Sister like Alan." Kinsah told her smugly.
"Of course...but really, Liam's got a point...she looks petrified!"
"She fine." Kinsah said, keeping a close eye on his sister. He was prepared to intervene at the first sign of trouble.
"Kinsah, Alan is a very responsible gentleman. I think she's been noticing that you're watching her every move. Maybe you're making her nervous..." Cassie said, looking at her boyfriend with a chuckle.
"Hmmm...maybe." Kinsah said, reluctantly dropping his eyes from his line of vision.
Cassie looked at Liam. She'd wanted to dance with her boyfriend, but it looked like Kinsah needed to be distracted. They wordlessly communicated before she reached for Kinsah's hand. "Shall we dance?"
Kinsah smiled and bowed to her, like Nick had taught him. "Dancing good." He said happily.
Liam grinned. "Well, enjoy!"
"I not enjoy TOO much." Kinsah responded, teasing both of his friends.
Cassie chuckled as she shook her head. "I'll be back to dance with my prince."
Kinsah rolled his eyes and playfully gagged as he dragged her to the "dance floor" and led her in a perfect Bronze level Fox Trot.
She smiled. "I kind of miss dancing...and I'd forgotten how well you'd grasped the Earth dances..."
"I good." He replied smugly.
"Yes, you are...now, if I could get Liam to dance..."
"I teach." Kinsah offered.
She sighed. "I already offered...he doesn't seem that interested."
There was a glint in Kinsah's eye. "Maybe you not offer to teach right dance..."
"Kinsah!"
The off worlder chuckled and spun her around several times before grabbing her and dipping her.
She was somewhat breathless, their faces only inches apart. "You know...THAT'S what I wouldn't mind getting on a regular basis."
Kinsah merely grinned before hauling her to a vertical position and leading her back to Liam.
"That looked like TOO much fun!" Liam reproached, teasingly.
"You try." Kinsah challenged.
"Oh, I couldn't..."
"Yes, could. Have muscles for it." Kinsah declared, grasping Liam's bicep to determine how muscular the man was.
Cassie looked down at the floor, sadly, and Liam noticed this. How he had missed just how much she'd wanted him to learn how to dance, he wasn't sure. "Okay." He said, taking a deep breath.
Kinsah grinned happily and motioned for Liam to come and stand in front of Cassie.
She looked at him, unshed tears still shining in her eyes. "Why now?"
"Maybe it took me a while to see how much this really means to you." He answered softly.
Her lips quivered as she realized just how much she'd begun to care for him. "I love you." She whispered.
"Love you too...mia bella." He whispered.
"Ahem." Kinsah said, his hands still on their arms. "Ready for lesson?"
They both blushed. "Sorry Kin." Liam replied.
Kinsah snickered. "Likely story."
Liam rolled his eyes as Kinsah showed them how to do a proper frame. "Must have 5 points of contact." He explained.
They both nodded. "Next, Liam, make sure hand is on shoulder blade, not lower back...can cause injury if hand not in right place." Kinsah continued. Nick nodded his agreement from their right.
"Woman must grasp muscle in man's arm for balance. Man must make sure weight is evenly distributed on both feet...if weight all on one foot, there will be fall."
"And that would NOT be good!" Nick commented.
"Nope." Liam said, with a chuckle. "I like standing upright..."
"So do I!" Cassie shot back.
Kinsah chuckled before saying, "Woman goes back over man's hand that is on shoulder blade. Do now slowly so I can see if good or bad."
They proceeded to showcase the five points of contact, and they won looks of approval from both Nick and Kinsah...and all of the other people at the party.
"Looks like our lesson isn't a private one anymore..." Liam chuckled.
"Not private when peanut gallery around..." Kinsah muttered.
"Oh just shut up and teach the dance!" Tony said, enjoying the group atmosphere. He had yet to meet his date, but while this had him a little worried, he was perfectly happy to sit back and watch everyone else have a fun time…as long as he got to dance an occasional dance with a pretty lady.
Kinsah gave him a mock glare, but ended up laughing. "Cassie, go back and turn head to left." Kinsah said, guiding the couple through the dip slowly.
"Okay, okay, I think we got it." Liam said. "Maestro, start the music!"
Sam shook her head as she turned on a CD.
Liam wasn't doing too badly until he didn't get his foot out of Cassie's way when she went to lean back and they collapsed to a heap on the ground.
"If you wanted me horizontal, all you had to do was ask..." He said with a wicked grin.
She blushed. "LIAM!"
He smirked.
"Oh, that's nothing..." Lena said, as Nick and Kinsah hurried to untangle the couple from one another. "You should hear what happened the first time Nick and I danced..."
Nick's eyes widened. "Don't even go there..." He warned.
She grinned. "He did a little chest groping of his own..."
" Lena!" Her husband cried, his cheeks scarlet.
"Nick?" Cassie asked as she stood up.
"Don't ask." He muttered, looking down at the ground.
"Oh, she won't have to..." Liam said, noticing the gleam in Lena's eye.
Rolling his eyes, Nick grasped his cane and rose to his feet. "I think I'm going to go entertain the children." He said loftily.
Lena pulled him by the arm. "I don't think so..." She chuckled. "We made up quite nicely after I told this story, last time..."
He raised an eyebrow and haughtily plucked his arm from her grasp. "You are going to have to grovel mightily this time, madam." He said, hobbling off with his nose stuck in the air.
She sighed. "We were practicing a lift. His hand slipped and suddenly, his hands were VERY full."
Liam started laughing. "Oh wow..."
"Anyway...when he helped me down, he began stuttering apologies, and I slugged him..."
"Aw, Lena!" Cassie teased. "Poor Nick!"
"Well, we had just met! I'd had quite a few guys 'accidentally' feel me up...and I wasn't about to let this Aussie do it...of course, when his nose started to bleed, I felt bad..."
"No kidding..." Liam snorted. Kinsah merely shook his head.
"And so, I went to get him some ice...we talked...and I realized he wasn't ANYTHING like any of the other guys that I'd danced with before..."
"And that was the beginning of it all..." Tony said sentimentally.
She looked at Tony with a rueful grin. "Oh, you would know..."
Tony smirked and said, "Yes I would..."
"After all, how long did it take you to clear out of the wedding chapel?" She asked, seriously.
"About 3.5 seconds, if memory serves me correctly..."
"How about for everyone else?" Jack asked, realizing that Tony had probably had the advantage of knowing the scarring that would occur.
"There wasn't anybody else." Tony said, smirking. "They ran off to Vegas. Caught me who was at a competition, and asked me to be Nick's best man."
The adults laughed. "That's priceless!"
"That's what we all thought…"
He looked at Lena with an evil grin as the Chelo song "Cha Cha" came on. "Care to dance, madame?"
"Unfortunately, it seems that I have some fences to mend..." She said, giving a slight head nod to her husband.
"Come on..." Tony begged. Nick gave her a half-smile that told her he wasn't REALLY put out with her.
"All right..." She said, as she hesitantly took Tony's hand.
"He's smirking." Tony informed her as he led her out to the floor.
Lena raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Time for a little show then..." Tony smirked in response before pulling her against him for a couple of botafogos.
She grinned evilly as she heard Nick's gasp.
Returning her grin, they executed several fast and furious voltas before going into the basic step. "Ready to shake?"
"I was born ready!"
Spinning her out, both of them started to shake what their mothers had given them like there was no tomorrow.
Lena smirked as she saw that Nick's eyes were WIDE with surprise.
Tony raised an eyebrow, his face asking a question that she knew the answer to. As he turned and shook his shoulder at her, she did the basic forward step and peeled his shirt off.
"ACK!" Came Nick's reply.
Using the shirt as a prop, Tony spun her around a few more times before pulling her into the closed hold and dipping her over his knee as the song ended.
There was much whooping and hollering as they finished from the adults, but Nick firmly turned his head back to the children on and around his knee.
"If his leg wasn't so stiff, I'd say you could do an angry tango..." Tony stage whispered.
"Oh, I think I know some tricks that will loosen that old knee up."
Tony snickered, and clapped Nick on the shoulder. His hand almost felt like it had been electrocuted or something. "Geez, Nick! I think your clothes have some serious static!"
"Either that or you've had quite the electric slide..."
"Go dance with your woman already!"
Nick smirked as he stretched his leg. Funnily enough, it really wasn't feeling too bad. Standing up at his full height, he strode forward confidently. "Shall we?" He asked, his voice low and his eyes on fire.
"We might as well..." She replied, darkly.
Tony took over the CD player and popped in the traditional song "Hernando's Hideaway". Nick circled her a few times before drawing her into his embrace. With a "snap!" of their heads, they were off.
Their movements were clipped and staccato, possessing a passion and aggression that was rarely on display from them. Every time Lena would pull away from him, he would pull her back.
She stroked his face with a lust and a passion that even the adults wished that they could close their eyes...but they were too intrigued by the transformation of the couple.
Spinning her, Nick grasped her and dipped her low, a possessive gleam in his eye.
She looked into his eyes, melting as she did so.
Rising slowly and breathing hard, his eyes burned into hers. "Mine." He whispered.
She nodded wordlessly. "All yours." She managed, breathlessly.
He smiled a smile that could only be called devilish before he covered her lips with his.
"Okay...I'm good..." Jack said, turning and walking over to where the kids sat, mesmerized.
Breaking apart from her, he gave her a sexy grin. "Don't you forget it." He said, sauntering over to his chair.
She took a deep breath, as her cheeks flushed and her fists clenched. Suddenly, everyone could hear the Russian rant coming from her.
"Something wrong, Lena?" Nick asked, pulling out his Australian accent.
She growled. "You will be death to me." She finally managed to say, her own accent thicker than usual.
His own eyes widened. "Let's split the difference and call it halfsies..." He said, before turning to Tony, who was sitting on the sidelines again.
Tony stood in the corner of the yard, dressed in faded jeans, a brown turtleneck, a tan jacket and brown shoes. His ensemble would have made the likes of Clinton Kelly proud. However, while he looked poised and sophisticated on the outside, he was a mess of nerves on the inside. He still hadn't met his date, and he hardly knew anyone except Nick and Lena and their little family at this party. He'd gotten to know the O'Neills a little better- after all, he was borrowing their couch during his stay with them. No matter how long he had protested that he could have gotten a hotel room, Sam and Jack had both insisted that he stay with them. Even if the kids were turned to the basement with sleeping bags, he would stay with them.
"Something on your mind?" Nick asked as he walked over to where Tony stood, solitarily.
"Nope." The Albanian said, forcing a smile.
"Lying, Tony? I didn't think you were capable…" Nick teased gently.
"Oh, like you're the innocent little lamb you try to make yourself out to be…" Tony returned, playfully.
Nick laughed. "Fine, I concede. Now, what's up?"
"I'm fine, Nick…"
"Nervous?"
"Are you kidding?"
"All right…just checking to make sure you're still human…" Nick chuckled.
"I mean, this gal…"
"Is on her way over, and you'll enjoy getting to know her." Nick reassured as Ria walked over, smiling demurely as she approached.
"Hi, Nick…how's your leg?"
"It's just fine, Ria, thank you for asking." He said with a smile.
Tony just stared at her. She was beautiful with shoulder length dark brown hair that fell in natural curls down around her shoulders. She was wearing a gray skirt that had a diagonal cut across it that began at her left knee and ended a few inches below her right knee, changing the cut of the skirt from a straight cut to more of an A-line. She wore black heels , and her pink cardigan sweater set enhanced her fair complexion and contrasted her dark hair and hazel eyes. A black stone, set against a silver chain and matching dangling earrings completed the ensemble. He was suitably impressed with her chic, yet understated look.
"Ria, this is my friend, Tony Dovolani. Tony, this is Ria Sangford."
"Nice to meet you, Ria." Tony said, recovering quickly.
"Nice to meet you too, Tony." She said, with a hint of a nervous smile.
"Hey, Nick! You gonna waltz with Grace or not?" Jack asked, holding his little girl who looked very put out.
"I'll be right there!" He responded. He turned back to Tony and Ria. "I'm sorry…duty calls."
"Duty, my foot." Tony said, chuckling.
Ria turned back to watch the dances unfold, but turned again to Tony when he cleared his throat. "So…I hear you're a nurse."
"Yes, I am." She nodded, professionally.
"Nick says you're a very good one, and pretty at that, but…his words weren't even able to capture the essence of your beauty."
She stiffened a little. "Thank you."
Tony mentally kicked himself. THAT was a compliment that could have had double-meaning.
"So…what do you do?" She asked, trying to strike up conversation again.
"I'm a dancer."
"Ah. What do you dance?"
"American rhythm."
"Oh." She said, clearly unsure of what that meant.
"The dance that Lena and I performed would be a fairly good example of what I dance."
"Oh." She said with a smile.
"Would you like to dance?" He asked, offering his hand to her.
"Oh…I can't…I…I have two left feet."
"Have you ever tried?"
"Well…a little ballet in elementary school, but other than that…no."
"Then, let me teach you a basic waltz, okay?"
She took a deep breath. "Okay…"
Guiding her out onto the floor, he placed a hand on her shoulder blade. "Put your right hand up on my arm," he invited gently.
She placed it on his shoulder, and he lowered it a few inches, gently. "On the bicep...it makes us men feel a little manly to have a pretty girl feel our muscles." He joked.
She chuckled appreciatively as he continued. "All you have to do is take one step back on your right foot, then step to the side and bring your feet together."
She followed his lead almost perfectly.
"Excellent!" He said, giving her one of his infamous megawatt smiles.
She blushed and Tony found himself thinking that he could look at her forever. Shaking himself mentally, he guided her slowly through the back box step, whisk, and quarter turns. "You learn quickly."
"Thank you." She blushed.
"Not a problem." He said. He led her through the moves a few more times so she could get used to his leading.
"So...what made you want to start dancing?" She asked, as they continued to waltz.
"Well, I started doing folk dancing in Kosovo when I was three."
"Kosovo?" She asked, surprised.
He gave her another smile. "I'm originally from Kosovo."
"Ah."
"Anyway, I did that until we moved to the States when I was 14. I couldn't speak a lick of English, so my parent put me in dance classes at the local Fred Astaire dance studio, since you didn't have to be able to speak English to dance!"
"So...you didn't go to college?"
He was quiet for a long moment. "No...unfortunately, by the time I picked the language up, I'd already fallen so far behind in my academic subjects, there was no way for me to catch up..."
"Well, I wouldn't be able to tell..." She said with a smile as the dance ended.
He bowed low to her before kissing her hand.
"You're just going to abandon me after one dance?" She teased, gently, though she was deeply touched by his act of chivalry.
"Well...I could always teach you Fox Trot!"
"I don't think I'd mind learning...so long as we don't fall like Liam and Cassandra..."
"Hey, I have NEVER fallen." Tony replied loftily.
"Well, then, you might be the perfect partner for me..."
He grinned at her. "More perfect than Liam, anyway..."
"Definitely." She agreed with a chuckle.
"Hey! I heard that..." Liam grumbled.
"I love you, Liam..." She called as Tony whisked her away into another dance.
"Yeah, yeah...save it for your new boy toy!" Nick called out laughingly.
She threw Nick a pointed a look. "And who's talking?"
"Ah, but I'm not a boy toy...I'm a MAN toy." He said, looking smug while Lena groaned, covering her face with her hands.
"Go dance with your wife!" Tony called. "And leave my date alone!"
"We've already danced, thank you...and since you're going to be teaching this young lady my specialty dance, I'd better make sure you're teaching it to her right."
Lena hurried over to her husband, unable to take it any more. She pulled him off of his seat and into the house, his smirk firmly in place.
"Don't wait up!" Nick called as the door closed. Tony shuddered.
"Now that they're out of our way..." Ria said with a grin.
He threw back his head and laughed. "Not that I really want to think about the repercussions of that..."
"What repercussions?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. "I just wanted to keep dancing with the handsomest man at the party..."
Tony's face turned red, then he smiled. "Well, General O'Neill is over there..."
She gave him a playful smack on the arm. "I meant the handsomest unattached man..."
"Oh, I get it...I'm just the seconds." He teased.
She laughed. "You knew what I meant..."
"Yes, but I have to give you a little grief..."
"Oh, thank you, American Rhythm Man..."
Tony rolled his eyes theatrically before growling, "Okay woman, Fox Trot time."
"So...just wanting me to feel your bicep again, huh?"
"Oh you know it." He replied with a wink.
She laughed. It had been years since she'd been quite so comfortable with a man on the first date.
"So...am I getting it at ALL?" She asked as he stopped for a moment after one of their poses.
"Yeah, you are!" He told her enthusiastically.
"Are you sure?" She asked, somewhat shyly. "Cuz I feel a little awkward..."
"Believe me, you're doing just fine...most pro-am students I teach don't do this well their first time out." He told her honestly.
"Really?" She said, with a slight blush.
He nodded and smiled.
"I must have a good teacher..."
Tony's face reddened again and he shrugged. "I'm just a nice boy from Kosovo who gets paid to shake his hips for a living!"
She laughed. "And shake your hips you do...if I recall correctly...you danced with Stacy Keibler on "Dancing With The Stars" last year?"
"Yeah...I partnered the Keibler-elf." He replied with a sigh.
"What? She seemed nice."
"Oh she was nice, all right...it was kinda like dancing with a chocolate bar...at first, it's really great but after you've had too much of it, you get crabby!"
"Yeah...I had several nurse friends who said that you were hot, but that you could have used an attitude adjustment..." She chuckled. "But...now, I know differently."
Tony spread his hands. "Also, ABC edits the HECK out of those things...even Nick came off arrogant!"
"I have to admit that he did..." She said, with a tense smile. "But...as that seems to be a touchy subject...how 'bout them Yankees?"
"I HATE baseball." Tony confided.
"As do I..." She chuckled. "Just wanted to change the subject. So do you have any favorite sports?"
"I like soccer and rugby...Nick converted me to the latter."
She chuckled. "Well...I'm kind of an anti-sport."
"Even if I was playing?" Tony asked, his lower lip stuck out in a playful pout.
"Maybe I would be able to suffer through it..." She sighed, overdramatically.
"Well I wouldn't want you to put yourself out on my account..."
"Oh, I didn't say that I had any problems with watching a man in uniform...I just meant that I might be able to keep myself from falling asleep if you were playing..." She teased.
"As long as I bend over in front of you on a regular basis, right?"
She gave him a playful swat on the arm. "TONY!"
"What?" He asked, a big grin on his face.
"Okay...you might have a point, but...that's besides the point..."
"Uh huh, that's what I thought!" Tony crowed as Liam and Cassie laughed.