A/N - a special thank you to the Guest reviewer(s) following this story. I love hearing your thoughts. And I agree - Danny has no intention of going back to his apartment. :)

x

Chapter 19 - The Path of True Love

x

"I see that Commander Green was able to join us after all," Admiral Santiago said, glancing over Kara's shoulder.

Only years of training prevented Kara from turning her head to do the same. Danny was here?

Ten days ago when the Nathan James left Mayport for the rescheduled ceremony at the Faulkner Islands, Danny was in Columbia on a recon mission with Wolf, Tex, and Azima. The one week assignment had stretched to two, with no end in sight, doing what Danny elegantly called mop-up work. He had actually complained about how he was going to be tramping around a damn jungle while she was being wined and dined during the one telephone call that they managed while he was gone. Kara only managed to shut him up by pointing out that he wasn't the one who was going to have to lie through his teeth about what happened in Brazil over and over again. And now, out of the blue, he was here?

Kara smiled at the Admiral, hoping that her face didn't betray her. "The Commander must have been able to reschedule his prior commitment."

Not that there was actually another commitment. Well, not before the surprise trip to Columbia anyway. Kara had simply told her assistant to reply "no" after the news of her and Danny's relationship broke and the Argentinian government reached out to see if she would be bringing a guest to the transition ceremony after all. Nikki was probably having a heart attack at the moment, already speaking to her counterpart about shuffling table arrangements. Kara's irritation at Danny grew as she considered the work she was going to have to do to smooth things over, not just with the various VIPs, but with her own assistant.

He better have a damn good explanation for just showing up.

Apparently Kara was not successful in her efforts to hide her shock, because the Argentinian chuckled. "Ah, he surprised you then. Young love." His eyes crossed the room to where his own wife stood speaking with the British Ambassador. "I myself have been married for almost forty years. But I still feel that same pain when we are parted."

Danny chose that moment to appear at her side, thankfully sparing Kara from having to reply. He greeted Santiago first. "Admiral Santiago, it's a pleasure to see you again."

"You as well, Commander Green. It has been some time. Since Venezuela, I believe." A look passed between the two men and Kara knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that Venezuela had not been an official mission. Strange to think that, despite having a security clearance high enough to brief the President, there were still things that Kara didn't know about Danny's missions. The feeling was strangely unsettling.

Danny glanced sideways, his mouth quirking into a smile. "Commander Foster. I'm glad that the Nathan James arrived here safely."

She nodded back, fighting her own smile, her irritation at his sudden appearance momentary overridden by seeing him in person - and in one piece. "Commander Green. Always good to see you in one piece."

Admiral Santiago glanced back and forth between them. "Americans. You puzzle me."

After a few minutes of chit-chat, the Admiral politely excused himself, and Danny wasted no time asking for a private word and then, without waiting for an answer, shepherding Kara to the small conference room assigned to the American delegation. As soon as the door closed behind them, Kara spun around, arms crossing over her chest as she glared at Danny. "What was that?"

Danny blinked, apparently caught by surprise. "What was what?"

"You!" Kara pushed a finger into his chest. "Showing up out of the blue at an official event. Tracking me down and dragging me in here. You know that they're all out there thinking that we're doing..." she waved her arms "...things in here right now."

"Things?" He raised an eyebrow at her, wiggling his eyebrows in obvious amusement. "What are we, twelve? Besides, nobody cares."

Kara saw red. "I care, Danny. I didn't spend the last fifteen years building a career to have you waltz in and turn me into a frog hog."

He stared at her, incredulously. "You think that anyone out there would ever call you a frog hog? Just because we're at the same event. What the hell, Kara? If that's what you think, why the hell did you even agree to start seeing each other."

Taking a deep breath, Kara began to pace back and forth across the small room. "You don't just show up at a diplomatic event, Danny! These take months of careful planning to make sure that no one country is over-represented, to create a balance of military and civilian. Even the seating arrangements for dinner are strategic to allow for informal negotiations. You don't just walk in and yell surprise and expect everyone - expect me - to accommodate you. I'm working."

"Kara..." Danny stopped, mouth pressed together in a thin line, jaw clenching. "Sasha is on bedrest and Tom didn't want to leave her. Slattery asked if I could take Tom's place so I routed here instead of back to Florida. I assumed, apparently incorrectly, that Mike would tell you about the change in plans."

Kara felt herself deflate. She knew that Tom was supposed to arrive today, of course, and it should have occurred to her that Danny was here in an official capacity. Slattery hated these events and would have jumped at the chance to send pretty much anyone else if he could avoid going. Danny would have been the perfect substitution given the circumstance. Despite her guilt, Kara lifted her chin. "Well, he didn't tell me. Is Sasha okay?"

"Yeah, it's apparently a normal part of the IVF process. Just shitty timing." His voice was flat and Kara knew that he was pissed. No, not pissed, she realized. Hurt. Danny didn't like these events any more than Slattery. He had agreed to fill in for Tom, rather than punt, because of her.

And the first thing she did once he got here was yell at him.

Fuck.

"I'm sorry," she blurted. Wishing more than anything that she could re-do the last ten minutes. To stop herself from immediately starting a fight rather than asking Danny why he was here.

"I should have called you myself." Danny shrugged, but he didn't meet her eyes. "I know you hate surprises. And Mike seemed pretty frazzled."

Kara could imagine. Although Tom was technically on retired status, his version of retired was exhausting. If he was actually taking time off, Slattery would be buried.

"Hard to call from an Osprey," Kara said, attempting to lighten the mood. She reached out, touching Danny's arm. "I am sorry. I didn't think things through and I ... overreacted."

Danny nodded, and they stood awkwardly for a few minutes, as though neither knew what to say. "I would never do anything to undermine your career, Kara. You should know that."

If it was possible, Kara felt even worse. Because she did know that. It was one of the things that first drew her to him, the fact that unlike so many other guys who Kara knew, Danny never seemed threatened by her rank or ambitions. She moved forward, sliding her palm to his chest. "Any chance of a do-over?"

Danny smiled, although Kara could still see the shadow in his eyes. His arm wrapped around Kara's waist until they were flush. "I actually didn't bring you in here to fight, you know."

"Oh really?" Kara teased, before leaning up to kiss him. A gentle caress, an apology, not that it stayed that way long as Danny's hand moved to the back of her neck to draw her closer. "My hair..." Kara managed before he deepened the kiss. She found herself stretching up on her tiptoes. Wrapping her arms around his neck. Pressing as close as their uniforms allowed. The last three weeks having lasted an eternity.

Damn she had missed him. Missed this.

The door to the conference room opened abruptly. "I spoke with the coordinator about Commander Green taking over for..."

Both Danny and Kara stepped back quickly, but there was little way to hide what they had been doing. Nikki's cheeks flared. "Um, would you like me to come back?"

"No," Danny answered, amusement back in his voice. He stepped forward to take the folder that she was holding, acting as though Nikki hadn't just walked in on them kissing in the conference room. "I assume that is my itinerary?"

"Yes, sir," Nikki replied, although her eyes were huge as they continued to move between Kara and Danny. Kara bit back a sigh. Nikki was a fantastic assistant, but she was also very young. "Admiral Chandler was scheduled for several private meetings with various parties. I have informed them of the change and provided our apologies. Several invited you or Commander Foster to attend in his place and there have been a few last minute requests, as well."

Danny began skimming over the page as Nikki talked. A moment later he looked up, gesturing towards the table. "Let's coordinate then."

Twenty minutes later, schedules coordinated, they all stood. Skirting around Danny, Nikki grabbed Kara's sleeve, delaying her as Danny moved to the door. He looked back, brow furrowing, eyes glancing between the two women. "I assume that you are aware that anything you see or hear in this room is not to be discussed outside of present company, Ensign Altro."

Nikki started, but didn't drop Kara's sleeve. "Yes, sir. Of course not, Commander."

"Then apparently I'm off to see," Danny checked the cheat sheet he had stuffed up his left sleeve, "two members of British Parliament. Sure you don't want to join me?"

Kara laughed at the face he was making. "Pretty sure that the Bolivian President would not appreciate being stood up."

Danny actually laughed. "I'll see you at sixteen hundred."

As he disappeared, Kara turned to Nikki with a raised eyebrow. "You needed something?"

The young woman flushed. "Um, you might want to fix your hair, ma'am."

Feeling the flush rise in her cheeks, Kara suppressed a groan. She was going to kill Danny.

xxxxx

"Checking my room for bugs, Commander?" Kara asked as she walked into her assigned suite to find Danny sitting at the small desk, jacket slung casually over the couch.

"Among other things." Danny pushed the chair back on two legs, stretching. "I hate the Brits. I had to listen to a twenty minute diatribe about how each of them was related to the Queen followed by a retelling of the history of, and I quote, the Colonial rebellion."

Kara grinned as she kicked off her heels and began to unbutton her jacket. Today had been exhausting and they still had a formal dinner to attend. Yet just having Danny here made the whole thing feel so much less oppressive. Kara quickly banished the thought. "As I recall, you volunteered for that meeting. And I quote, anything to avoid having to retell the Rio story."

His arms slid around her waist, pulling her back against him, lips dropping to her shoulder. "I was wrong. The Brits were worse."

She jumped, forgetting how quietly Danny could move when he wanted. She bent her head to give him better access to her neck, only to remember that they really didn't have time for this. "Pre-dinner drinks start in an hour and dress is formal."

"Plenty of time." His hand was now sliding under her jacket and Kara was again reminded of just how long the last three weeks had been. She had been surprised by how much she missed Danny, actually. How quickly she had adjusted to seeing him daily. Of being able to pick up the phone and call if she wanted to hear the sound of his voice. In just a few short months, Danny had invaded her life and, surprisingly, the thought didn't scare her as much as she thought it would.

"We're meeting Nikki first to get briefed," she retorted, voice breathless. She checked the clock. "In forty minutes."

"Nikki can wait." He found the zipper on her skirt, letting it drop on the floor.

Kara turned her head, scowling. "If you wrinkle my uniform, you're ironing it."

"Worth it," Danny teased, although he let her go, stepping back. Kara took advantage of the space to pick up her skirt, opening the small closet to hang it up, only to stop. Hanging there, next to her gown and spare jacket, were a tuxedo and dress uniform that definitely did not belong to her.

She glanced at Danny before hanging up her jacket, trying to decide how she felt about his unilateral decision to move into her room. Despite his almost constant presence at her house in Florida, Danny had kept his own apartment and there had been no discussion of making a permanent shift. So while she had assumed that he wouldn't be sleeping in his own bed tonight, there was still something very ... intimate about seeing their clothes hanging side by side. Kara wondered whether he bothered picking up the key to his own room. "My closet appears to have been invaded."

Danny leaned back against the headboard, arms folded behind his head. "If you're worried about appearances, I was assigned a room down the hall. I got the key to this one from Nikki. Gave her the usual spiel about checking for listening devices and possible incendiaries. It's much more plausible after Brazil."

Kara snorted, deciding that there was really no reason to hide the fact that they were sleeping together given that it had already been blasted across the front page of every newspaper on the planet. "You think she believed that? After what happened in the conference room?"

She hung up her skirt, then sat on the edge of the bed to roll down her pantyhose. She detested the things, especially in the heat, but it was part of the uniform. She wondered how hard it would be to convince Slattery to revise the dress code. She would have to give the task to Val, Kara decided. Val knew exactly how to get under Slattery's skin without actually pissing him off. Mike had once made an offhanded remark about how Val reminded him of his oldest daughter, likely explaining the major soft spot that he had for the woman.

"Altro can believe what she wants," Danny replied. She glanced up to see that his eyes were focused on her hands as they rolled the hose. It really had been a long three weeks. But Kara was no longer twenty-nine and a fifteen minute quickie - half dressed, no foreplay, expecting to be interrupted at any time, followed by rushing to get redressed - was no longer as appealing as it had been those long-ago days on the Nathan James. "The point is that you have plausible deniability."

Kara heard the words that Danny didn't add.

If you need it.

Setting the hose to the side, Kara shifted until she was sitting next to Danny on the bed, leaning her head against his shoulder. Listening to the solid sound of his heart. Forty minutes might not be enough time for what they both wanted to do, but that didn't mean she couldn't steal a few minutes of quiet. "I missed you."

His arm wrapped around her shoulder, pulling her closer. "I missed you too. How was your visit with the girls? I picked them up some of those dolls with the colorful shawls. Tex said Kat used to enjoy getting stuff like that when she was little."

Kara smiled. There was little doubt that the girls would be thrilled to see Danny - with or without gifts. Delilah, in particular, had taken to him, begging to be carried on his shoulders and flying like a plane through the air. Seeing Danny with them, Kara had known that - no matter what Danny might say - he wanted to be a father.

She just wasn't sure whether that made her decision easier or harder.

"Stella was disappointed that you missed the visit. She thinks you're a fairytale hero. You can do no wrong," Kara joked, before changing the subject. "How was Columbia?"

"Columbia was fine," Danny replied, running a hand up and down her arm. "Nothing unexpected. Cooper is just feeling antsy being out of the field and assigning us field trips."

Kara chuckled. "Pretty sure Sasha would not agree with your assessment."

"Nope," Danny replied, unrepentant. They sat in silence for a moment, Kara enjoying the feel of simply being here, together. Of having a moment alone. "Tex said that I was pinning."

Kara chuckled, before admitting. "Carlton said pretty much the same thing. Told me that he was going to ban your name from the ship again."

"Again?"

Suddenly the light mood was gone. Kara turned her head to look up at Danny. "When I took command, back after Rota, we had an unspoken agreement that we didn't talk about you."

"So I was person non grata," Danny replied, the apparent joke falling flat.

Kara shifted again, lying a hand on his chest. "For a long time now, the Navy was what got me through. The one thing in my life that wasn't a complete disaster." She paused, searching for the words. "That's why I ... freaked earlier. If something happens...if this doesn't work... I need to know that I'll still have my career. Especially if..." Again she stopped, before pressing forward. "Especially if I have other people depending on me."

"I'm not going anywhere, Kara."

Although the words were calm, Kara could sense his frustration. Not just about this conversation, but over Kara's hesitation about everything. Her reluctance to move forward with their relationship. Her indecision about the possible adoption of the girls. Her avoidance of any topic that even touched on the idea of pregnancy.

She searched for the words to explain that this wasn't about him. "Debbie has no education, no formal training in anything. After my dad died, the only job she could get was as a waitress. Even with dad's death benefits, there was never enough money. I swore that I would never depend on anyone else to take care of me. And I'm damned sure that I am not going to put any child in the position that I was in. Because you can't promise me to always be there, Danny. Nobody can. Especially not now."

Danny pulled her closer, encircling her in his arms, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. Silently acknowledging her words - her fears. The reality that either one of them could be killed tomorrow. That, in an instant, the entire future that they were considering could be gone in a puff of smoke.

Kara wasn't sure how long they sat there like that before her phone alarm began to buzz. Reaching over to silence it, Danny sighed. "I suppose you're going to tell me that it's time to get dressed up like a penguin and go make small talk with people that are going to bore me to death?"

Kara stared at him, before bursting out laughing. She moved towards the bathroom, estimating that she had just enough time for a quick shower if she didn't wash her hair. "Just remember that you were the one to volunteer."

Shaking his head, Danny began moving towards the closet. "Next time offer to shoot me. It would be less painful."