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Casey pulled the list from her purse as Daniel settled the infant carrier into the seat of the shopping cart. She giggled as she listened to him talk to Emily. The baby was cooing back, her little body wiggling with excitement. She shook her head. He'd have her in his arms before they made it all the way into the store. She looked over at them, saw him staring at Emily, tears in his eyes, a grin on his face. One glance at the baby told her why. She was smiling. Her first real smile. And it was for her father. Casey put her arm around his waist.

"She’s smiling, babe," he said softly. "She’s smiling right at me." Daniel felt as if his chest was about to explode. His daughter, his precious baby girl, was smiling at him.

"Yes, she is, my love. That’s because she knows who her Daddy is, and she loves you. Isn’t that right, Baby?" Casey said, touching the soft cheek. Emily’s eyes moved to her mother’s face, and she smiled again. Casey felt her heart jump against her ribs. Before she could fully take in the fact that her daughter had smiled at her as well, Emily’s blue eyes had returned to Daniel’s face, and she began to coo.

Daniel unbuckled the strap the held Emily in the carrier and held her close. "Love you, Emily Rose," he said softly, nuzzling her downy cheek.

"If this mutual love-fest is over, we have some shopping to do," Casey said with a smile.

"Hear that, Emmie? I think Mommy is jealous that you smiled at me first," Daniel said. He grinned at his wife.

"Oh, please. I know just how charming you can be, Doctor. Jackson. You charmed her into smiling at you first." Her eyes danced with mirth when she looked up at him. "Now, let’s go. We have to get this done before we can go over to Mom and Dad’s."

Everyone in the store knew who they were, and everyone wanted to talk to them and make over the baby. What should have been a thirty-minute shopping trip took nearly an hour.

A  A  A  A  A  A

"I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that," Casey said as she put groceries away.

"Used to what, babe?" Daniel was feeding Emily her bottle.

"Being treated like…like…like somebody special," she replied.

He reached out, caught her hand as she moved past him, and pulled her close. "Babe, you are somebody special."

She blushed, and shook her head. "Not really," she murmured.

"Yes, you are. You’re the woman who holds my heart in her hands, the woman who gives me her fire, the woman who completes me. You’re the mother of my child. You’re beautiful, and charming, and funny, and sexy, and the most amazing woman I’ve ever known," he said softy.

Casey’s eyes filled with tears, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Sweet talker. But you’re just a wee bit prejudiced."

"Nope. Everyone around here can see the fire in you, they can see what an amazing woman you are."

"Personally, I think they’re more interested in talking to you," she said with a smile.

"Now that’s just ridiculous. Why would anyone want to talk to me when you’re standing there?"

The look in his eyes took her breath away. "Love you," she whispered.

He leaned up and kissed her. "Love you too." Emily chose that moment to begin fussing, ready to be burped. "Sorry, Princess. Mommy needed some attention. She has this silly notion that she’s not special. But we know better, don’t we?" He put the baby against his shoulder and gently patted her back. "She’s better than coffee, isn’t she?"

Smiling…tears still standing in her eyes at the love he showed her, gave her…Casey finished putting away the groceries.

A  A  A  A  A  A

Erin and Aaron were thrilled to have their granddaughter for the night. Daniel had told Casey that they needed time alone every week, and it was becoming their habit to take Emily to the Desala’s on Saturday night, then have brunch with them on Sunday. Unless they had been gone for several days during the week, Saturday night was their night alone. If they had been gone on missions, then they chose to keep Emily with them. It promised to be a comfortable routine for everyone involved.

Tonight they were meeting Sam and Jack at Curly’s for dinner. The cafe had expanded to become a full fledged restaurant, complete with a bar that was reminiscent of the best nightclubs of the 50's, and a new menu.  Tonight was the grand 're-opening'.  Then they were going to a play put on by the local theater group.  

Daniel and Jack followed their wives, watching the two women as they walked to the café from the parking lot, their blonde heads close together, giggling over something. Daniel was taking in his Wife’s fine posterior in the tight little red skirt she was wearing, made all the sexier by the red high heeled shoes that were clicking against the pavement. Walking in the heels accentuated the sway of her hips. He had plans for that sweet ass, later tonight.

"Uh, you want a drool bib?" Jack asked, snickering beside him.

"Huh?"

"Daniel, the way you’re looking at Casey, I’m surprised your tongue isn’t dragging the ground."

"It’s the Fire," Daniel said with a grin and a shrug. He was surprised that he wasn’t sporting a raging hard-on, considering what he had been thinking.

Jack grimaced. "Man, I know about that! Sometimes, I really wish I’d never let Sam talk me into that ceremony."

"Yeah, when’s that?"

"When I’m trying to work and can’t get my cock to leave me alone," Jack admitted with a grin.

Daniel chuckled. "Yep, one little stray thought, and it’s over. Your brain is no longer in control."

"Yep. Fire starts raging. Nothing to do but go home and take care of the situation."

"Yep."

"Daniel, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"That morning that I…uh…we came over, after that weird call you made," Jack started, looking over at the younger man. "Well, I saw this white thing on the floor, and a freaking chain! It’s been nagging at me all this time. What the hell was going on?"

Daniel grinned. He remembered Casey telling him to ‘throw the poor man a bone, before he has an aneurysm trying to figure it out’. He was surprised that it had taken Jack so long to ask. "Casey offered herself to me as a slave that night," he said softly.

Jack sucked in a breath. "No shit?"

"No shit. She came out, wearing that little white thing…what did she call it…a corset. Covered her waist and not a damn thing else. Garters and white stockings, shoes with five-inch heels, and a lace choker with a ring in the center. She connected the chain to that choker, put the other end in my hand, and told me that anything I wanted, she would do. And she meant anything. Any fantasy I had, she would…fulfill."

"Holy shit!"

"Yeah."

"So…uh…fulfill any fantasies?"

"Oh, yeah!" Daniel grinned.

"Guess that makes for some damn interesting stray thoughts," Jack grinned.

"You have no idea," Daniel replied. He shivered as the image of his Wife masturbating for him flashed through his mind. He struggled to remain in control of his body. They had reached the restaurant, and joined their wives at the table that had been reserved for them.

Casey looked up and flashed her smile at him. It was a good thing he was going to sit down, his legs were about to give out on him. Between images of her soft hands bringing her beautiful body to orgasm, that red skirt, and that smile, it was all he could do to maintain some semblance of control. He took a sip of water from the glass sitting on the table, trying to cool the fire, managed not to spill it, although his hand was shaking.

"Daniel?" she asked, looking at him. She wrapped her fingers around his hand.

He squeezed her fingers, the touch sending flames up his arm. The look in her eyes helped him calm down. The love was there. Concern was there. But the fire was under control in those green depths. He took a deep breath, squeezed her fingers again, then picked up his menu.

Sam and Jack exchanged a grin. They knew about the Fire. But they also knew that for Casey and Daniel, the Fire burned much brighter, much hotter…and much easier.

Daniel managed to regain control of his body as they ordered their dinner, and talked about Sam’s pregnancy and Emily. The O’Neill’s were excited that their next scheduled ultrasound would reveal the sex of their baby. Images of Emily’s birth began to fill his mind, and the love, the excitement, the awe, over-rode the feelings of desire. By the time dinner was over, he was relaxed again, his hand wrapped around Casey’s.

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