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Daniel held her chair as she sat down at the table in Curly’s. Hope was a small town, and while the details of the mission he had just been on remained classified, everyone knew that something had happened. They were greeted with sighs of relief that he was home safely, and that Casey was smiling happily again.

There were candles on the table, casting her in soft, warm light, and as soon as the waiter had poured their wine, a Merlot, her favorite, he reached over and took her hand. "You are so beautiful," he said softly.

She blushed and lowered her eyes. She was wearing her little black dress, the one that he loved to see her in. She looked up at him, sitting there in his black suit and lavender shirt, wearing the tie she had picked out for his birthday. "You look pretty good yourself," she smiled.

"I love you, Casey." His eyes had taken on the haunted look that filled them whenever the mission crossed his mind.

"I love you, too, Daniel." She turned her hand in his, laced her fingers with his. "Daniel, let it go. It’s over, sweetheart. It was a rough mission for everybody. But it’s over. We’re fine. Emily is fine. Everybody is fine. The food here is fine."

He chuckled. "I’m trying, babe. As long as you love me, that’s all that matters."

"I do, Daniel. With all my heart. Please, Sweetheart, don’t tear yourself up over this. Let it go."

He lifted her hand to his lips. "You're everything to me, Case. Everything."

She put her other hand against his cheek, watched as he closed his eyes, moved his face against her palm. "As you are to me, My Heart. Two parts of the whole, Daniel. Only together are we whole. We complete each other."

"Ahem…are we interrupting?" a deep voice asked from just above them.

Casey looked up to see Duncan and Tessa smiling down at them. "As a matter of fact, you are." She watched the surprised look fill Duncan’s eyes.

"Oh, well…we’ll…" he stammered.

She giggled, her eyes twinkling. "If you could see your face right now!"

Duncan grinned. "You are such a brat."

"You’re a big grump."

Daniel grinned and shook his head, stood to his feet and kissed Tessa’s cheek. "Join us?"

Tessa shook her head, smiled knowingly. "Thank you, but not this time. Welcome home, Daniel. We all missed you."

"Thanks, Tessa."

"So, you two are doing the town tonight as well?" Casey asked.

Duncan grimaced. "I’m still in hot water for what happened. You would have done me a favor to have shot me again." He jerked, then grinned when Tessa elbowed him.

"I can’t believe that they knew about this, and let you go through what you did," Tessa said, her eyes flashing. Her own heart had broken as she held Casey in her arms, listening to the sobs, feeling helpless against such agony.

"Tessa, it’s over. Let it go," Casey said softly. She looked at Daniel. "My Husband made great sacrifices to protect all of us, to give us an edge in the battle against the Goa’uld. That’s all that any of us need to remember. He’s my hero."

Daniel looked down into her shining green eyes, the love there sending his soul soaring to the greatest heights. He fought back the tears that he felt forming. He sat back down, his knees too weak from the weight of her precious love to support him any longer. He lifted her fingers to his lips, closed his eyes as he tasted her sweet skin.

"Well, I see that everything is all right here. We’ll talk to you later," Duncan said quietly.

"Later, Duncan. Bye, Tessa," Casey said, barely sparing them a glance. She lost herself in those incredible blue eyes, now open and looking at her, and the love that was shining so brightly there.

"Bye, Duncan, Tessa," Daniel said, his eyes never leaving hers.

The MacLeods exchanged a smiling glance, then left the two alone, lost in one another. Everything was well and good in paradise.

A  A  A  A  A  A

Esteban’s was the only dance club in Hope, and played a variety of dance music. As soon as the DJ saw them come in…and recognized them…he began to play love songs. They held one another and danced, singing to one another, rarely leaving the dance floor. Daniel made a request, and Lonestar’s ‘Amazed’ began to play. He held her tightly as he sang softly to her, every word echoing his own feelings.

"Daniel, can we take a drive?" Casey asked when they finally left the club. She had packed a blanket, bottle of wine, glasses and candles into a basket and then slipped it into the back of the jeep before they had left for the evening.

"Babe, whatever you want, you can have it," he replied, lifting her fingers to his lips.

"Careful, you might regret that," she giggled.

He looked over at her and grinned. He followed the dirt road out of town, going slowly, neither of them in a hurry. There was a small lake about ten miles from Hope, and they drove there.

She took her shoes off, peeled off her pantyhose and left them in the jeep. He helped her out, and they walked arm in arm at the water’s edge, the light of the small moon reflecting off of the placid lake.

"It’s beautiful out here," she said softly.

He looked down at her, and smiled. "Yeah, it is. Are you having a good time?"

"Oh, Daniel, tonight has been…is perfect. Thank you."

He pulled her tighter against him.

"Do something for me?"

"Anything, babe."

"There’s a basket in the back of the jeep. Get it for me?"

He smiled, hugged her, and made his way back to the vehicle. He grinned when he saw what she had packed. He took off his shoes and socks, left his tie and jacket on the back seat. He grabbed the blanket and the basket and hurried back to her. His breath caught in his throat when he saw her. She was wearing nothing but her heart locket, the moonlight reflecting off her creamy skin.

He spread out the blanket while she took the candles, set them carefully in the sand and lit them. She put her folded dress in the basket, then grabbed the bottle of wine and glasses and joined him.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered when she joined him on the blanket.

"You are the most handsome man I have ever known," she whispered in reply. She poured the wine, offered him a glass. They sat quietly for a few minutes, sipping the wine, watching the moonlight dance across the water.

He looked over at her and smiled. "I think I’m a bit overdressed."

She giggled. "I think you are, too."

He stripped, tossed his clothes onto the basket, then stretched out beside her.

She took a mouthful of wine and leaned over to kiss him, share it with him. He shared with her, licked wine off her soft skin, she licked it off him. They continued to share the wine and kisses until both glasses were empty.

He made love to her breasts until she was breathing hard, one hand caressing the moist flesh between her thighs, her soft fingers wrapped around his erection, stroking him gently. "In you, babe," he whispered hoarsely, aroused to the point of discomfort.

She wrapped her legs around him as he moved over her. He was careful to stay low against her. She put her hands on his face, kissed him deeply, then gently pushed against his chest until he was supporting himself on his outstretched arms. Her fingers traced patterns on his chest as he moved in and out of her.

"Love you, Angel," he said softly, struggling to keep his thrusts slow and gentle.

"Love you, Sweetheart." She closed her eyes, her back beginning to arch off of the blanket. "Oh…oh…Daniel!"

"That’s it babe, give it to me, Angel," he whispered. He moved faster, harder, deeper.

She cried out, her fingers digging into his chest as her orgasm rocked her. "Fill me, Daniel, give me your love," she begged.

Within seconds he was crying out his own release, her name on his lips. "Love you, Angel," he said again, rolling over to his back, holding her tightly against his body.

"Love you, Daniel."

They didn’t move until the early morning air grew too chilly to remain. They pulled their clothes on, gathered the candles, glasses, empty bottle, and the blanket, and went home. Once she was cuddled against him, her head on his shoulder, his arm around her possessively, they fell into blissful sleep.

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