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Forever And Ever, Amen

Chapter 8

Casey lay on her bed, tears streaming down her cheeks. She knew that Daniel would be waiting for her, but she was sure that as soon as he saw her, he would know what had just transpired between her and Duncan. She was in love with Daniel, but something, someone, was pushing her toward Duncan. Not that there was no feeling for him. There was, loathe as she was to admit it. But it wasn't as strong as her love for Daniel, and she intended to keep it that way. Spending two hours or more a morning with the Highlander would not make her love him more. It would not!

She grabbed a tissue, blotted her eyes, then blew her nose. She was going to take a shower, and then go have breakfast with Daniel. The man she loved. Jaw set with determination, she set out for the locker room. She came to a halt when she heard Methos and Duncan talking in their room, the door partially open. She stood alone in the corridor, listening to a conversation her ears were never meant to hear.

"…I love her. But as long as she loves Jackson…" Duncan was saying.

"I don’t know that she has a choice, that either of you has a choice," Methos said.

"Old man, as long as I have any kind of control, I’m going to honor her wishes. We are Immortal, Methos. I can wait fifty or sixty years."

"But will you still feel the same in fifty or sixty years?"

"Aye, that’s the worst of it. I will, without a doubt. She’s too much a woman that I could spend my life with, no matter how long that might be. She’s my soul–mate. I feel that to the very core of my being. I feel a connection with her. Perhaps more so than any other woman I have ever loved."

"Even more than Tessa?" Methos asked quietly.

"Aye. Even more than Tessa."

Casey put a hand to her mouth and fled down the corridor. She stood in the shower, tears falling down her face. As much as she loved Daniel, Duncan loved her. And God help her, she did love Duncan. She was suddenly afraid that her love for Daniel wouldn't withstand the feelings she had for Duncan. She cried all the harder with that thought.

Finally, her tears at last spent, she finished her shower. She brushed out her hair, pulled on the BDU that she had been issued, and hurried back to her room long enough to toss her shower bag onto the bed. The door to Duncan’s room was closed now, and she heaved a sigh as she passed it.

Daniel wasn’t in his office when she arrived. She had a brief bout of panic as she worried that somehow he had found out what had happened in the warehouse. Her heart in her throat, she headed for his quarters. He opened the door just as she raised her fist to knock.

"Casey! You’re back early, aren’t you?" Daniel said, a smile on his face.

"Am I?" she asked.

Daniel nodded. "You’re usually there for at least a couple of hours."

She tried to come up with an excuse, could find none. "Guess we just finished early today."

Daniel caught her chin in his hand and lifted her face, forcing her to look in his eyes. "Is it because of the voice?"

Casey lowered her eyes. "Yes," she whispered. "It was worse today."

"If this keeps up, I don’t know how he’s going to be able to continue teaching you. And if it happens with Methos, too, it would do no good to train with him."

"Maybe it won’t be so bad tomorrow," she said.

"Well, if it is, we’ll talk to Jack. There has to be something we can do about this."

Casey put her arms around his waist and rested her head against his shoulder. "Can we not talk about this now? Can we just go have breakfast?"

Daniel hugged her. "Sure babe, sure."

"Daniel?"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

Daniel smiled, and pulled her closer. "I love you too, Casey. You’re forever My Star."

Standing in the doorway, his arms around her, Casey felt safe from whatever demons were haunting her. "I always feel so safe in your arms," she murmured.

"I’m glad," he whispered. He thought fleetingly of how his love had been unable to save Sha’re, and he felt a moment of trepidation. He felt an even briefer moment of guilt as he thought about his late wife. She was gone, dead. He would never get her back. Casey was here, and he was going to love her, and do the best he could to protect her. He could do no less.

By the time they walked into the commissary, hand in hand, Casey was feeling much better about her life with Daniel. As long as he wanted her around, she would be there. She wasn’t leaving until he told her to. She was sure in her heart, in her mind, and in her soul. Since being with Duncan, that damnable voice was silent. Perhaps all in the world it had been was a bad case of lust, she thought briefly. She tightened her fingers in Daniel’s hand, reassured at the returned pressure.

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