Chekov returned to the table, and found that their foursome had grown exponentially. Four had become nine, SG1 with Cassie, then compounded with the addition of four healthy members of SG4, the Major who had been injured in the orgy… oh…the Native Welcoming Ceremony, Lt. Alekseyeva and Volkov's wife, Nadezhda.

And the incorporeal Daniel Jackson, who was apparently bored and had nothing better to do in the Golden land of Ascensiona, made it 16. Fortunately Jackson required not a chair as it was getting rather crowded.

There was really only one thing a tried and true Russian male should do to escape the din and clang. Since walking out wasn't an option, he took the second choice.

Endure.

He kept himself focused and he ignored O'Neill's witticisms with a fake, confused demeanor. It was a trick he had learned from O'Neill, how to 'play stupid'. It would cause O'Neill's blood pressure to spike and he'd enjoy the show.

Janet was kind enough to drive him back to the base, though he noticed that they were taking a roundabout way. He said not a word, as he was content to just be with Janet. ALONE. Though he did find himself checking the various car mirrors to see if they had a tagalong sprite by the name of Daniel Jackson.

"I wasn't sure if you have ever been here," she finally said when they pulled into the parking lot of the Garden of the Gods.

"Never had time," he admitted.

"Next time you're here, make time," she suggested. "It's too late to actually walk and enjoy the sites."

They sat in companionable silence for a bit when Janet spoke once more, "Mishka, any idea when you'll be back?"

"No," he admitted. With a wry grin, he added, "They may not let me come back after Kharitonov. However, that would mean you'd have to come to Russia and visit. You could bring Cassandra, if they'd let her out of Colorado, what with her unique background."

"Russia?" Janet murmured.

"Come see my homeland," he offered. "After all, I travel thousands of miles to see you. One would think that as an assertive American woman you could feel no qualms about visiting me."

Quirk of a smile which meant he was feeling playful, though they both knew that it wasn't that easy. Not with the visas required, the fact that she was AMERICAN MILITARY and he was Russian Air Force. However, it was still fun to pretend.

"And your job has nothing to do with it," offered a very droll Janet.

"You make the flight here bearable," he admitted. "Sometimes, the flight is… very long."

They started kissing. Slowly at first and then with increasing passion. Chekov pulled away first and exhaled.

"We need to stop, as I am one-handed. If my elbow wasn't casted, if I wasn't leaving tomorrow, I would like to take you to a nice hotel," he confessed. "Without fear of interruption."

Did he just make a barely heard comment about covering any mirrors? His quip seemingly amused him as he quirked his lopsided grin. Then he grew serious.

"I don't want to take this step and then leave immediately for home, as though our… new understanding… was something of which to be ashamed."

"You're such a gentleman," Janet teased.

"I am," he stated with such seriousness that it took a moment for her to realize that he was being very droll.

"You are."

They sat in silence for a while and Chekov exhaled. "I need to get back to the base. Tomorrow is almost today and I have an early flight out."

Janet returned to work the next day and found that, once again, Chekov had broken into her office. This time instead of a stash of chocolate, he had left a brief note thanking her for her excellent care.

Zhanna,

I've enjoyed our time together. Perhaps we could do it again, however without the multiple concussions, no?

Mishka

She laughed.

Naturally, when they had decided to take the next step in their relationship, the very universe conspired to keep them apart. Not a single interstellar incident occurred, O'Neill didn't piss off an alien, the Goa'ulds stayed on their side of the universe. There was the occasional email from him. All very proper and respectful, inquiring after Cassie and her studies combined with mentions of his dog and his continuing struggles with mastering Japanese.

Which he was doing for fun.

FUN.

So she tried to be patient and an adult, though she had to admit that she did perhaps spend a bit too much on a certain matching bra and panty outfit (because really, it was perfectly respectful with some strategically placed lace.) For the first time, she figured a little conservative might be best which meant no whips, no chains, no restraints.

That thought had her laughing at the most importune times one day and had earned her a narrowing of Hammond's eyes in her direction. Which was generally reserved for when he feared O'Neill was about to cause an intergalactic issue. So Janet bit her lip and struggled to remain composed for the rest of the day.

And so the set remained in her drawer, pristine, UNWORN… for the longest time.

Until one day she was running late and she realized that her only clean bra was that one. In her defense, she had gotten home late from work the night before and had crawled into bed as it had BEEN ONE OF THOSE DAYS.

"Well, Mishka, I'll just have to buy something new," she decided.

Janet warmly greeted Samantha in the commissary. Samantha tilted her head and motioned towards a quiet corner.

"What?" Janet asked when they were sitting in their private corner.

"Heard a rumor that a certain Russian Colonel will be arriving on base shortly, so I can invite Cassie to stay with me for the weekend?" Samantha offered.

"I'd like that," Janet admitted. "And no… get that look out of your eyes. I'm not sure if I'm getting lucky. If I do, I certainly won't be sharing the details."

"You're no fun," Sam mock pouted.

"I know."

Janet finished her coffee and returned back to her office. There were patients to see. (Really, one would hope that SG-4 would stop accepting the native cuisine as it always ended up ugly and painful for them) Reports were required to be reviewed, revised and signed.

So it was late afternoon when she heard a knock on her door. She looked up from her desk and smiled once she realized who it was.

"Hi." Really what a stupid thing to say but she felt… nervous… and tingly… in a very good way.

"Hello, may I sit?" Chekov asked. "Please accept my apologies, I wasn't aware I was coming here until I was redirected here. I would have let you know."

"I understand," was her soft answer.

He sat and then he leaned towards her. Softly, hesitantly, he asked, "I'd like to see you tonight. May I?"

"I'd like that," Janet agreed. "How's your right arm?"

"Recovered completely," he assured her.

"I'm glad," she said and then she quirked a brief smile at him. "My house? I'll make dinner and we can watch a movie? Cassie won't be home, so maybe…"

He dimpled.

"So how do we do this now?" he asked. "I'm in your country, you need to tell me how we proceed from here."

"I will," she assured him. "If you promise to tell me when I'm…."

"Being too bold and audacious? I spoke to Svietla as she is familiar with you Americans. She shook her finger at me, and told me, Appetit prikhodit vo vremya yedy. That the appetite comes with eating, and … it's time for me to live again. She reminded me that I have conveniently forgotten how Irishka used to fluster me constantly during our first few years together. She enjoyed teasing me by being bold and audacious. Svietla told me that I have gotten old."

He shook his head in mock hurt.

"One of these days, I hope I can meet Svietla," Janet admitted with a big smile. "She sounds like a real firecracker."

"I rather doubt, the only time she met up with you Americas it was a big watery mess. Svietla was saddened to hear about Doctor Jackson as she thought highly of him," Chekov admitted.

"Wait… Svietla…. Your sister in law is Svetlana Markova?"

Chekov nodded his head. "It is, as you Americas say, a very small universe."

He arrived at her house, and willed his nerves to stop misbehaving. To his surprise, he didn't even have to knock at her door, as she opened it before he could even raise his hand.

"Hi," he said. He felt awkward and uncertain, like a school boy before term exams.

"Hi," she said. They just stood there and then Janet giggled. "Come in, Mishka."

"I'm sorry. I am… uncertain," he explained as he stepped into her house.

"We don't have …" she began.

"Wrong word. Nervous. It has been… some time for me… and…" he waved his hand to voice what he couldn't say.

"I understand, Mishka. Do you want..." she paused.

The look he gave her answered that question. She looked up at him, and then she stood on her toes before they had a long, slow kiss that melted her insides. When she could breathe again, Janet whispered "It's ok, Mishka. My bear, my Russian bear. It's been some time for me, so… we'll figure it out together."

She then held out her hand and he reached for it. They stood there, holding hands for a bit and then Janet gently led him to her bedroom.

-=-=- The End -=-=-