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Emily and Nicholas were asleep. Daniel was in his den, writing down everything he could remember from the room where they had spent the better part of two hours. Casey was relaxing in a tub full of bubbles. A soft lilac scent filled the room, and the dozen candles that flickered around the tub provided the only light she needed, or wanted. She folded a cool damp cloth, leaned back and put it over her eyes. Oh, yes, yes, yes! This was exactly what she needed! She could feel the tension flowing out of her body.

She heard the soft click of the door opening and then closing again, felt the slight draft that the action had created. She smiled when strong, familiar hands began to gently move over her body.

"You look lonely," Daniel whispered.

She wasn't. Not really. She had actually been enjoying the time to herself. It seemed that since her return from PY2 498 she had constantly been with someone. Mostly Daniel. She hadn't had a moment alone since she opened her eyes in the infirmary…except for the thirty minutes she had been laying in this warm water.

"Or maybe not," he said softly when she failed to respond. He tried to push down the disappointment, the twinge of hurt at that lack of response.

"I'm not lonely," she admitted. "But it would be nice to have someone to wash my back."

"Lean forward, then," he said, a bit more sharply than he intended. He chided himself. She deserved to have time to herself if she wanted it…needed it. It wasn't her fault he was so damned needy! Not her fault that he couldn't bear to be without her, even for a few minutes!

She pulled the cloth from her eyes. His were guarded, watching her, the need burning in them. "Might be easier if you took off all of those very unnecessary clothes and got in here with me," she said, smiling up at him. The smile that lit his face in return made her glad that she hadn't insisted that she wanted to be alone.

Daniel shed his clothes, stepped in behind her.

"You realize you're going to smell like lilacs," she teased.

"Hey, whatever gets me close to you," he teased back.

"Did you get down all that you remembered?"

"Yep. It doesn't seem like much, but it's more than what we had before we went there." His hands were moving over her body, the feel of her soft, slick skin beneath his fingertips sending messages to his brain that had his own body responding ardently.

She shifted, turned around so she could face him. She let her eyes move over his handsome face, take in every detail, examine every feature that she knew so well. Her fingers moved lightly over his whisker-stubbled jaw. "So beautiful," she whispered.

His fingers moved over her face, as if committing it to memory. "So beautiful," he whispered in return. He slid his free hand to the nape of her neck, gently pulled her toward him. Watched as her eyes fluttered closed and the tip of her tongue touched her lips, wetting them quickly just before they pressed against his. His tongue slowly worked the combination, and he sighed when she opened to him. He moved into her mouth, tasted her, touched her, felt her shiver against him. Her hands were moving over his chest, shoulders, arms…sending the flames that were already burning in him shooting higher, fanning the heat until he could hardly stand it.

Minutes ago, she had been content to be alone in the bathtub, had thought she wanted to remain alone; now she knew that this was what she had really wanted all along. For him to come in…touch her, hold her, love her. His gentle caresses brought a shiver of delight, the feel of his skin beneath her fingers sending flames up her arms and down her spine. There had been moments during the mission when she had been terrified that he was going to be taken from her, when she had been desperate to keep him safe. He was here, he was with her. Safe. She surrendered to the demands that his mouth was making, giving to him what he needed, what he wanted, taking what he offered in return. His kisses were like oxygen for her lungs. His kisses were the very thing that kept her heart beating, her blood pumping.

He pulled away slowly, trailed kisses over her jaw. "Case?"

"Hmm?"

"Would you rather finish your bath alone?"

She felt his grin against the skin of her neck. She pushed him away, looked into blue eyes that danced in the candlelight. "Now is a hell of a time to ask me that!"

He grinned. "Well, would you?"

For a moment she contemplated telling him that yes, she did want to finish her bath alone. In the peace and quiet she had been relaxing in before he had come in and disturbed her. His reaction to her silence when he had commented on her looking lonely flashed across her brain. He was still dealing with the pain of her death, six weeks without her. She sighed. "I have to admit, I was enjoying the solitude," she said. Once again that guarded look flooded into his eyes. "Until you came in and I realized that I missed you."

"Are you sure?" His voice was quiet. Strained.

"Very sure." His eyes were still guarded, she could see the hurt that was lurking just below the surface. "If you hadn't come in, I would have gone looking for you," she whispered, just before she closed the gap between them and kissed him, pouring her love into every caress of her tongue. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressed her body against his, held him tightly.

Daniel let the love he felt from her wrap around him. Surely this need - this insatiable, driving need to touch her, love her, feel her near - would fade. He could only hope that her patience didn't run out before he could finally get a grip on the fear that still held him in its grasp; the fear that she would slip away from him, to be lost to him forever. He closed his eyes, laid his head back against the tile wall when her mouth moved over his jaw, down to his throat. His body shivered, his aching cock twitched when she began to suckle on the muscle just behind his ear. His hands made their way to her breasts…the soft weight of them, the hard nipples against his palms, exciting him even more. Every sensation sent messages to his brain that she was alive and well and in his arms.

He tasted good. He smelled good. God knew he felt good beneath her fingers as they moved over his chest, down his arms, back up to his shoulders. When she finally wrapped her hand around his throbbing manhood, he gasped out loud, the shiver that went through his body enough to disturb the water around them.

Sacrifices must be made.

She jerked slightly, opened her eyes, pulled away from him.

"Case?"

Sacrifices must be made.

She knew that voice…recognized it…she had felt it more than heard it. Where? Where had she heard that voice? Her heart was racing. When they had been…inside…that weapon. Sacrifices…oh god! That machine …it was meant to completely drain the life force of The Chosen! It had been a weapon of last resort! A weapon of ultimate destruction. Of ultimate sacrifice. Was this just a bittersweet dream…was he already lost to her? "Hold me, please hold me," she whispered, her body shaking as remembered terror washed over her. She tightened her arms around his neck, buried her face against his shoulder.

"I have you, babe, it's okay," he whispered, one hand moving up and down her back, the other on the back of her head. What was she suddenly afraid of? The tremors in her body were shaking her so hard that she was moving him. "Everything is okay, Angel. We're okay. We're safe."

"Tighter, hold me tighter!"

He tightened his arms around her, held her until he worried that he was hurting her. Her arms were like a vise around his neck. "Angel, talk to me," he said softly.

"We…you…there's no way out. Because you aren't supposed to live…we aren't supposed to live!" Even her voice was shaking. "No way out!"

"What? What are you talking about?"

"That weapon! The reason it was so powerful is because it literally drains the life force from The Chosen One. We already know that The Chosen is…powerful. You weren't supposed to walk away from it!"

"Then how did we manage to do just that?"

"I don't know," she whispered. "I don't know! It…I don't know. I won't let it have you! Never! I'll find a way to destroy it! I won't let it have you!" she hissed, her eyes wide, the green depths focused on something other than him. She continued to tremble in his arms.

"Casey, it's over. We're home and we're safe, Angel. It's over. We made it out alive. Calm down, honey," he begged, as her body continued to shake in his arms. He cupped her chin in his hand. "Look at me, Case."

Her eyes were wild with fear. She clutched at him, struggled to remain close to him when he pulled away slightly, enough to see her face.

"Casey, look at me," he demanded firmly. He tilted her chin. "Look at me!"

Slowly her eyes locked on his.

"Show me, Angel," he said softly. He moved closer. Could feel the fear that radiated from her, off her.

Daniel opened his eyes. "Case?"

She opened hers, ran trembling fingers over his face. "You're okay?"

"I'm fine, Angel. Are you okay?"

She nodded. "Water's cold."

He smiled. "Let's take a shower to rinse off." He flipped the lever to let the water drain out of the tub, stood to his feet, helped her out and led her to the shower. The water was hot within seconds and they stood beneath it, holding tightly to one another.

"What was all of that about?" She asked, still confused, her heart still hammering with feelings of fear.

"I think it's what happened just before we left," he replied softly.

She shivered, moved closer to him, tightened her arms around him. "Hold me," she whispered.

His arms locked around her, pulled her tight against his body. "I'm right here, Angel," he whispered in reply.

"I can't lose you," she whispered.

"I know. I can't lose you either."

"I know."

She kissed his jaw, his chin, then slowly released her hold on him. She grabbed the hose and sprayer head, and began to gently rinse the soapy bubble bath from his body. When she was finished, he silently took the hose from her hand and did the same to her. When he was certain that no soap remained on her skin, he shut the water off, grabbed a towel, and dried her. She dried him, then grabbed her hairbrush, took him by the hand and led him to the bed.

She sat down in the middle of the bed. He made himself comfortable behind her, and began to brush that long, thick blonde silk. "You realize that you're a weapon, as much as an advocate for the Innocent," she said softly.

"Yeah, I guess I am," he admitted.

"I won't let anyone use you like that, ever," she vowed quietly.

He smiled. He had no doubt of that. If anyone tried, they would quickly learn what a Tiger his sweet, sweet Angel could be. "Thanks, babe." They both found comfort in the long strokes of the brush through her hair. It was shining, smooth, soft, and still he brushed it, feeling her body relax, willing to wait until she was ready to move on.

She wasn't sure how long they had sat there, but she needed to hold him, taste him, feel him. Only then could she be certain that he…that they…had survived that damn weapon. With a soft smile she turned around, took the brush from his hand, leaned over and put it on the nightstand beside his glasses. "Now, where were we, before we were so rudely interrupted?" she asked in a whisper, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I'm not sure I can remember," he whispered playfully.

She pulled her arms away, took his hands in hers, placed them on her breasts, then wrapped him once again in her embrace. "I think we were somewhere…about…here…" She lowered her head and began suckling that muscle behind his ear.

Oh, yeah, this was exactly where they had been. His hands massaged and caressed her breasts, his body hard and aching for her. When her hands began to put gentle pressure against his chest he laid back on the bed. He gasped when her hand wrapped around him, began to stroke that throbbing flesh.

She nipped at his collarbones, relishing the way he jumped slightly, the way his body responded in her hand to the attention. His nipples were hard, and she flicked her tongue over them lightly, felt them harden more. She worked her way down his chest to his belly, licking him, kissing him, every caress making him breathe harder, his shaft throb faster. She licked around and around the girth of his swollen erection, teasing him, waiting until his body was begging for her to take him into her mouth.

He wanted…no…he needed to taste her. He ran his hand over her hip, pulled her toward him. She never stopped moving her mouth up and down on him as she settled her hips above his face. Her soft moan when he began to worship her vibrated against him, nearly sending him over the edge. He concentrated on her, not easy considering what that sweet mouth and those soft hands were busy doing. But he was determined to send her flying into the clouds first. Her sweet honey coated his lips, his tongue, filled his mouth, left his body screaming for more. One hand was still caressing her breasts, his fingers tugging at those hard, rosy nipples. The other moved over her hip, her skin setting fire to his own, then two fingers entered her well, began stroking her. He felt her gasp, his cock throbbed in response.

No matter how many times she made love to him this way, it was always the same for her. She loved every sensation that his body gave her in return. The way he tasted, the way he smelled, that incredible velvet and steel feeling of his throbbing manhood. She tried to ignore what he was doing, but lordy did the man have a talented tongue! Her body was in control now, the attention it was receiving sending fingers of fire up and down her spine; made her tremble with pleasure, stretch and reach for that climax that shimmered in front of her. She fought to remain in control, focused on giving him pleasure, making him feel good. He was throbbing hard and fast and the precum that coated her tongue made her want more. If she didn't take him all the way now, he was going to win this little contest of love…of wills. She pulled slightly away from him, situated herself over him, ready to take him deep into her throat.

He grabbed a pillow, shoved it beneath his shoulders, pulled her hips back where he wanted them and went back to what he had been doing. Her hips were moving against his face, she was getting close. Sweet Jesus, what the woman can do with that tongue! It was taking every ounce of concentration to continue pleasuring her as she took him into her throat and began to swallow. He focused his attention on that swollen button, teasing it with his tongue, sucking it gently. He could feel that sweet hot feeling moving from his belly into his balls. He kept those two fingers in her well moving, stroking gently, pushing deep with each thrust. He was almost there…he wanted her to fall first…he added a third finger, pushed deep, hard…simultaneously sucking that hard nub into his mouth as deep as he could. Her thighs began to quiver, and that whimper filled her throat. That's it baby, that's all she wrote! The stimulation was more than he could take, and as sweet nectar began to rain down on him, he was pumping his hot seed down her throat.

She was trembling from head to toe, every inch of her being tingling with pleasure as she rode the waves of her climax over the clouds. He was right there with her, spinning among the stars, his body throbbing beneath her. She dropped down, her body sideways to his, her cheek resting on his thigh, trying to catch her breath. "That was amazing," she said softly.

"I was just going to say the same thing," he replied. His hand was moving over her hip. "Love you, Angel."

"Love you, Stud Muffin." She sat up, turned around, laid back down and put her head on his shoulder. He shifted, she rose up so he could put his arm around her, hold her close to his side. Her fingers moved up and down his chest and belly. "Do you ever get tired of it?"

"What?" Get tired of it? Of making love? Was she nuts? That was most certainly, absolutely, positively never going to happen!

"Of me freaking out like I did in the bathtub," she explained softly.

Her soft fingers were setting his skin on fire. He could feel that familiar stirring in his groin. She had no idea the power, the control she had over him. Her soft touch was all it took to make him hard and needy, even if she had just drained him dry. God what the woman could do to him! He tried to stay focused on the conversation. Especially since this was one of 'those' conversations. Where the fears that haunted her managed to slip out, reveal themselves. "No, I don’t get tired of it. It doesn't bother me. Case, it's a part of…a result of your gift. A part of who you are," he said gently.

She snuggled closer, his words a balm on her worried heart. "I'd understand if it you did. Get tired of it. I get tired of it! I wish I could just…stop."

"Casey, it's part of your gift. Part of you," he repeated. "You could no more stop being a seer than you could stop the sun from coming up tomorrow . It's just the way it is. I happen to love you exactly the way you are."

"Yeah, well there are times I'd be more than happy to pass this…'gift'…off to someone else," she replied. "Except then I wouldn't have any reason to be a part of SG-1, and I wouldn't be able to work with you, and that would totally crush me."

He frowned. That damned low-self esteem that was so hard for her to move past was rearing its ugly head. "You think that your gift of sight is the only reason you're on SG-1?"

"Well, of course it is! What else do I have to offer? Nothing. Zip. Nada. Zilch." She knew that her 'gift' was all that she had to offer. Without it, SG-1 would have no need for her.

As always, she could see only what she felt she couldn't offer, comparing herself to others around her and finding herself 'lacking', even when everyone around her understood what a talented, incredible woman she was. "That is a load of crap. You're smart, intuitive, even without your 'sight', damned good in a fight, and you can read almost a dozen alien languages, and speak as many too! You're a valuable asset to the team, gift or no gift," he replied.

"I'm glad you think so," she smiled. She reached for his arm, tugged until he rolled over on top of her. She didn't want to talk any more. Not about this. Daniel loved her, he always tended to see her differently than others, viewed her with eyes of love, not objectively. No, right now she didn't want to talk. Her body wanted control, and her mind was willing to cede that control. It was a very…pleasant…way of silencing the dark whispers in the back of her mind.

He looked down at her, brushed the hair from her cheek. Smiled when her hips pressed up against him. "Have a problem, Mrs. Jackson?"

"As a matter of fact I do," she said softly, winding her arms around his shoulders. "I have this horrible itch."

"Horrible itch, huh?" he grinned.

"Very horrible."

"Very horrible?" His cock was beginning to ache again.

"Mmmhmm. Excruciatingly, terribly horrible," she said, her eyes dancing in the soft light from the small lamp on the bedside table.

"Sounds…uncomfortable." He nuzzled her cheek. She smelled so good! Her soft body felt like heaven beneath him. Her arms around him, holding him close…this was the best place in the universe, the only place in the universe he wanted to be.

"Oh, it is," she replied. His whisker-stubbled face rubbed gently against hers…leaving a red mark on her cheek, turning her on even more, sending the flames rushing through her.

"I'm good at scratching itches," he whispered in her ear, just before he began to nibble on her earlobe.

"Then would you please scratch this terrible itch for me?"

"I think I can do that," he said. He pushed his hips against hers. Her legs went around his waist, her back arched, and when he pushed again, he slid home, her body closing around him like a fist. "Oh, god, that feels good," he moaned softly.

She was meeting his slow thrusts, her hips grinding against his. "Oh, yeah," she breathed, her body humming with desire as he tenderly led her through the dance of love. She tightened her legs around him, arching her back more, felt him throb harder as he moved deeper into her body.

He was marking her neck, the sweet taste of her skin making him all the harder, needier. She was wrapped around him like a well-tailored suit, holding onto him, meeting his every thrust with one of her own. He knew that she had fears, and he wanted so much to calm them, make them go away forever. In this moment, this second, nothing else mattered. Their hearts were beating together, that pagan rhythm that was echoed in their bodies. Later he would deal with the darkness that threatened her. For now his body was answering the call of hers, and that's all he knew - passion…Fire…pleasure.

The Fire was burning, the flames were dancing up and down her spine, scorching her skin, setting her soul on fire. Every caress, every kiss, just the feel of his skin against hers added to the concert of sensations that flooded her senses. Her body wanted more, was demanding that sweet release that she could find only with him. Her hips were moving faster, she was trying to speed up the rhythm to match that growing need.

"Easy…make it last," he whispered, the pressure of his hips against hers holding her still for just a moment. When he began to move slowly again, tiny sounds of need filled the back of her throat, making his heart pound, his soul sing, and his cock throb.

Every thrust of his hips moved her higher, took her closer to that glistening climax that twirled just out of her reach. Her body held him, massaged him, every throb he made in response sending fingers of pleasure racing up and down her spine. "Please…" she begged softly, her fingers digging into his shoulder, the other clutching a handful of his hair.

That sweet whisper made his entire body throb. He could feel the need building, soon he wouldn't be able to hold back, and he would pound into her, giving her exactly what she wanted. He licked her throat, kissed her, determined to make this ride last as long as possible. He refused to let her take control, kept up a steady pace…in…out…in…out…She was writhing with need beneath him, and he was loving every minute of it. She was trembling, she'd be out of control in just seconds.

The need was too much, she couldn’t fight it any longer. Her hands moved down his back, grabbed his firm ass, held firmly, her legs locked behind his. Her hips ground up against his, giving her the friction, the heat, that her body demanded. Oh, god, it couldn't feel any better than this, her mind told her as she began to ride him, hard and fast.

He grinned. "Take it, Angel. Take what you need." He slowed his thrusts, content to let her ride him until the stimulation was more than he could take. Sweet Jesus, can the woman move! Her entire body was sliding back and forth beneath him, her well moving up and down on him as well as moving him in and out. That tingling feeling started at the tip of his shaft, the heat was moving up from his belly. He raised up on both arms, and began to pound into her, the whimper that filled her throat, the quivering of those soft, firm thighs spurring him on.

"Daniel!" she cried, her body shaking, her well convulsing around the throbbing flesh that continued to pound into her. Her body flew over the edge of the cliff, sailed above the clouds, sparks of color dancing behind her eyes. "Fill me…let me feel it," she begged, commanded.

He tossed back his head and cried out as he exploded inside her, soaring over the edge of the cliff, hurtling into space, his body trembling as he emptied into her, again and again. Waves of pleasure so intense that he felt them from the top of his head to the tips of his toes washed over him, left him breathless. He dropped onto her, his breath coming in gasps.

She moved her legs back to his waist, her arms around his shoulders, held tightly to him as they both drifted back down from the heavens. "I love you," she whispered.

"Love you too," he replied, kissing her shoulder. With the last of his strength, he rolled them over.

"I have to go put out the candles," she said softly, pulling away from him.

"Don't take too long," he said. A few minutes later she slipped back into bed. He pulled her to lay on top of him, helped her adjust the blankets, then let sleep overtake him.

Casey lay awake, her hands caressing his sides with soft, slow movements, his arms holding her tightly against his chest, even in his sleep. She had nearly lost him to that damned weapon. Had that…warrior… the Guardian?…not helped her, Daniel would have been consumed by it. She shivered. Wished again that he wasn't The Chosen One, that they could go back to the life they had had before. Wished that he could retire, just until Emily and Nicholas were grown. Wished for just a little peace.

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