Suggested
Rating: for teen and older readers
Category: Daniel/Janet
Setting: Very soon after the episode Window of Opportunity
Synopsis: Their first date. What more needs to be said?
Author’s
Comments: Part 23 in The Journey series. I
confess, this one was a lot of fun to write. Hope my readers enjoy it as much. Many, many thanks to my
wonderful editor, Sonia.
DISCLAIMER: All publicly
recognizable characters and places (the Stargate SG-1 stuff) are the
property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret Productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for
entertainment only and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was
intended. Previously unrecognized characters
and places, and this story, are creations of the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
Just
for the record I have never been to Manitou Springs or the Briarhurst
Manor Estate. But I did find them on the
web and shamelessly adopted them for purposes of this story. If you’re curious, you can give both places a
gander too: http://www.briarhurst.com and http://www.manitousprings.org
DINNER
AND A SWING
- by Michelle Lunsford
(October 2007)
“So, what time is it again?”
“Oh, good grief!” Cassandra groaned
and Janet caught sight of her daughter’s eye-rolling in the mirror’s
reflection.
“Only a few minutes since the last time you
asked,” Sam answered, her tone as amused as Cassandra’s had been exasperated.
“Right.” Janet, gaze still focused on the mirror,
noticed she was biting her lower lip and forced herself to stop. “Sorry.
I guess I’m a little nervous.”
“I never would have known.” Sam’s teasing smile compressed into a thin,
determined line as she tackled a particularly stubborn section of Janet’s hair.
“I don’t know what you’re so wound up about,”
Cassandra interjected, tossing her magazine aside on the bedcovers before
propping up on one elbow. “I mean, this
is Daniel we’re talking about. You two
have been friends for years. So even if
this is a,” her free hand gestured half of a pair of quotation marks in the
air, “date, it’s not as if you have
no clue what to expect.”
Janet felt, more than heard, Sam’s stifled
chuckle but she met Cassandra’s expression in the mirror with a look of
motherly admonition that was only partly for show. “I’ll remember such advice when you’re
getting ready for your first date, young lady.”
“Cassie, I think you should cut your mom some
slack.” Sam paused in her work to glance
over her shoulder at the teen. “This
sort of thing really isn’t any easier for adults than it is for your generation.”
“If you say so,” Cassandra gave in with a
shrug. Rising from the bed she stepped
over to inspect Sam’s progress. “All I
know is that if Daniel is half as wired as you are, Mom, then this is going to
be one, long, tense evening for both of you.
In this state you’ll be too uptight to even talk, much less try
something really nerve-wracking like kiss.”
Pinching the bridge of her nose and shaking
her head in disbelief – nearly pulling a section of hair from Sam’s grasp in
the process – Janet muttered, “Please tell me you did not just say that.”
“Sorry, Mom,” Cassandra replied. Moving so she could see Janet face-to-face
she added, “I may not understand what all the fuss is about, but I do understand that this is something
important to you. I guess I’m just
trying to help you calm down a bit ‘cause I want you to have a good time
tonight.”
Janet smiled and reached for her daughter’s
hand. “Thanks, Sweetheart.”
Cassandra squeezed her hand in reply, then
moved away and plopped back on the bed, returning to her magazine.
“So,” Sam began before the silence could
build, “were you able to find out where he’s taking you for dinner?”
Narrowing her eyes, Janet replied, “No,
though not for lack of trying. Daniel
was determined to keep it a surprise and, apparently, when it comes to
something like this, the man is pure steel.”
“Surprises can be good,” Sam commented, as
she moved in front of Janet to work one final section of hair.
“I know,” Janet agreed. “I just wish he hadn’t picked our first date
for it. I mean, these things can be
intimidating enough without me wondering if I’m even dressed
appropriately.” She ran her hands
self-consciously over the front of her burgundy dinner dress, smoothing
non-existent wrinkles. It was one of her
simpler outfits, but she hadn’t wanted to be overdressed.
“He did give you enough clues that you knew
to dress nice,” Cassie joined the
conversation again. “And don’t try to
tell me that even if you knew exactly where Daniel was taking you that you
still wouldn’t have tried on every dress in your closet several times.”
“Remind me never to ask you to speak on my
behalf if I end up on trial,” Janet quipped, although she knew the girl was
right.
“Well, you look fine,” Sam acknowledged.
“I don’t know… do you think going sleeveless
is a bit much?”
“Not at all,” Sam assured as she fastened a
jeweled comb in the folds of Janet’s hair.
“Trust me, Janet, you look great.
In fact,” she stepped aside so Janet could see herself in the mirror,
“you look fantastic.”
Janet blinked at the woman reflected back at
her. If she’d argued with herself
countless times about her wardrobe, she’d been even more indecisive about how
to wear her hair. She’d wanted to look
stylish for this special occasion, but pulling her hair up seemed too akin to
how she wore it at work. Every variation
she’d attempted still communicated functionality
to her mind, but Sam had worked a miracle.
“I love it,” she gushed, turning her head
from side to side to admire the style her friend had achieved. It was pulled off her neck, giving an elegant
look, but Sam had somehow managed to make it appear flowing and natural too,
with several wispy tendrils falling to dance about her face and neck. The result was sophistication with a romantic
flair, and she had to admit it was very becoming. “I absolutely love it.”
Sam leaned against the dresser, crossing her
arms and smiling wistfully as she caught Janet’s eye. “You’re welcome.”
The sound of the doorbell echoing through the
house stalled further conversation and Janet, her stomach plummeting, blinked
up at her friend.
“Shall I go and—?” Sam began, pushing off
from the dresser.
But Cassandra had already bounded from the
bed and was half-way into the hall.
“I’ll get it.”
A few heartbeats passed in silence before Sam
commented, “Well, she seems to be pretty comfortable with this whole thing.”
“And I won’t deny that I’m relieved,” Janet
admitted, staring at the door where her daughter had just exited. “I mean, I know Cassie adores Daniel – she
adores all of you. But I wasn’t certain
how she’d respond to the idea of me dating.”
Glancing back, she pointed to a pair of earrings on the dressing tray
behind Sam. “Would you mind handing me
those?”
“Cassie adores you too,” Sam affirmed. “And as I think she demonstrated tonight,
albeit in her own adolescent way, your happiness is important to her.”
“I know,” Janet replied as she slipped on her
jewelry. “Still… Sam, if she should
mention anything to you, anything that you think indicates she has some
concerns or—”
Sam cut her off with a ready, “I’ll let you
know, of course.”
Janet smiled and held her friend’s gaze. “Thanks, Sam… for everything. It means a lot to me that you’re here, being
so supportive. Especially when I know… I
know that this whole deal is somewhat bittersweet for you.”
Sam’s eyes shifted toward the floor. “We’ve both made our own choices, remember?”
“I know, but—”
“Listen,” Sam interrupted, slipping around
behind her. Resting her hands
reassuringly on Janet’s shoulders she said, “I won’t deny that part of me is a
little jealous. After all, you’re going
to be heading into uncharted territory tonight.
And while that may be a little scary, it’s also exciting. You’re going to be learning new things about
one another, discovering new feelings.
And you’re going to be sharing all that together.” She leaned down near Janet’s shoulder, so
their cheeks were almost touching. “But
as much as I might envy you, those feelings are far outweighed by my happiness
for you – for both of you.” She
smiled. “So, no worries about me, okay? I want you to go out tonight and have fun.”
Janet reached up to clasp one of the hands
still resting on her shoulder. “Thanks,
Sam.”
“You’re welcome. And now,” Sam declared, straightening, “I
better go check on Daniel. I’m guessing
you’re not the only one who’s nervous tonight, and it’s probably not a good
idea to leave him too long to Cassie’s attempts to help him relax.”
No
kidding,
Janet thought, even as she amused herself with the notion of what her daughter
might be saying to him right now. But as
soon as she was alone, a wave of fresh anxiety washed over her. For
crying out loud, it’s just a date! Just
go out tonight and have fun. Right. I think I can
manage that. She stared at the woman
in the mirror. Maybe.
Shaking her head at the ludicrousness of it
all, she murmured aloud, “Well, sitting here talking to myself isn’t apt to
make me feel any more confident.” Rising
from her dresser stool, Janet retrieved her purse and headed for the living
room.
Half-way down the hall she began to hear
snippets of conversation and slowed her pace.
It sounded like Sam was explaining her appearance at the Frasier abode.
“…so Cassie invited me to hang out here with
her, for sort of a girls’ night in.”
“Yeah, movies, chocolate, and lots of girl
talk,” Cassie added.
“I see.”
Daniel’s tone seemed somewhere between mild amusement and trepidation.
Surely
he’s clever enough to figure out that our date is going to be a prime topic for
discussion. Maybe I better get in there
before he’s given even more reason to be paranoid.
She paused in the doorway only a moment, to
gather her courage, and then stepped into the room.
The first thing she noticed was that Daniel
was standing with his back to her, but his charcoal suit confirmed that her
choice of attire was appropriate after all.
Her brain was unable to register anything beyond that, because in the
next instant Sam announced her arrival.
Daniel turned and Janet saw that he was also
wearing a midnight blue shirt – which perfectly accentuated his eyes, she noted
– and a very smart tie. It wasn’t the
first time she’d seen him dressed like this, but never before could she recall
him looking quite so… polished. And decidedly handsome, she thought with
a slight blush.
“Hi,” Daniel greeted, one hand darting up to
needlessly reposition his spectacles.
Was he a little breathless or had she
imagined that?
“Hi,” she managed in reply.
Well,
that definitely was breathless, she silently berated and the blush in her
cheeks grew warmer as she realized both Sam and Cassie were grinning like a
pair of loons.
“I’m ready,” she said, relying on her
‘doctor’ tone in an effort to gain some semblance of control. “Shall we go?”
“Oh. Right.” Daniel turned
toward his welcoming hostesses who, Janet observed, were both attempting to
inconspicuously hide their amusement – Cassandra by feigning interest in a
stack of DVD movies on the coffee table and Sam by casually covering her grin
with her hand. “Good night Sam, Cassie,”
he said.
“Good night,” Sam answered. Meeting Janet’s gaze with a wink she added,
“You two enjoy your evening.”
“Yeah, have fun,” Cassie chimed in.
Janet turned, took a steadying breath, and
headed down the hall. She half expected
to hear girlish giggles before reaching the front door but, thankfully, they
were able to exit the house in dignified silence. She made her way down the walk on autopilot
and wasn’t all that surprised when Daniel stepped past her to open the car
door. They were pulling out of her
subdivision before he finally broke the silence.
“I think… um, that is, what I mean to
say…” In her peripheral vision Janet
caught sight of another fidgety readjustment of his glasses. “Okay.
I’m just going to say this because I can’t think of any way to say this
without being blunt and just saying it.”
“Okay,” Janet drew the word out slowly,
unsure what to make of his rambling.
He inhaled deeply and then blurted, “I’m
nervous. Really, really nervous. I mean, I expected to be nervous, but not
this nervous. In fact, I don’t think
I’ve been this nervous since I
defended my first doctoral dissertation.”
Janet could help it. She laughed out loud. “What a relief! And I thought it was just me.”
She saw him risk a glance at her before
turning his attention back to the road. “Really? You too?”
“Yes. Quite nervous.”
“Ah.”
Silence enveloped the car once again, but this time it wasn’t nearly as
uncomfortable. “So, we’re both
excessively nervous. Is that… a good
thing?”
Something in his tone communicated that he
wanted her honest opinion and not just some face-saving polite response. Her insides were still rolling with anxiety
but then she recalled Sam’s reassuring words.
A little scary,
but also exciting.
“I’ve decided I’m going to try and let it be
a good thing,” she eventually answered.
“After all, it’s not every day I get treated to a nice dinner out with
such wonderful company.”
“Okay.”
In the dim interior of the car Janet couldn’t make out his expression,
but she could practically hear his smile.
“And on that topic,” Janet began, “any chance
you’ll finally clue me in on where you’re taking me?”
“Ever been to Manitou Springs?” he asked.
“A few times,” she answered, her mind
scurrying to recall restaurants she may have seen during her visits. “It’s a lovely historic area. I’ve taken Cassie there for some
shopping. And I recall hearing that the
Mineral Springs Foundation has plans for a spa development featuring the
mineral pools there.”
“That’s where we’re going.”
He fell silent again, cutting off any chance
for additional clues. The town was home
to several nicer restaurants, but Daniel could be taking her to any of
them. Resigning to the idea that she was
going to have to allow him to surprise her, Janet turned to look out her side
window. The quiet that lingered was
companionable now, but as they entered the town she couldn’t help growing even
more curious about their final destination.
“I’ve heard of this place,” Janet remarked as
they pulled into a drive with a simple white sign declaring Briarhurst Manor Estate. “Did you know
it was the former home of a medical doctor from London?”
“Really?” He was all feigned innocence. “How interesting.”
Janet pursed her lips. Of course he knew. This was Daniel – he’d likely researched the
place at length in preparation for bringing her here. What he probably didn’t know, however, was
that she’d wanted to visit Briarhurst Manor since
hearing of it a couple of years ago. An
appropriate opportunity had just never presented itself.
“It’s beautiful,” she breathed as they neared
the Victorian manor and parked.
“Then you approve?” Daniel asked,
a hint of misgiving coloring his tone.
“Definitely,” she assured, turning to smile
at him.
Janet waited while he came around to open her
door. As they followed the walk toward
the entrance Daniel placed his hand lightly at the small of her back and she
felt an unexpected tingle run up her spine.
The sensation intensified a moment later when he spoke from just over
her shoulder, his breath brushing warm against her neck.
“I’m sorry I didn’t mention it earlier, what
with my nervousness getting the better of me, but you look fabulous tonight.”
“Thanks,” she squeaked, grateful he couldn’t
see how intensely her cheeks were burning.
Good grief, she thought, at this rate I’m going to be in a constant
state of blushing all night.
Upon entering they were met by a hospitable
greeter and soon ushered to their table in the manor’s library. Janet was captivated by the room’s charm the
instant they stepped into it. Shelves of
books covered one wall and a warm glow crackled from the fireplace
opposite. Fresh flowers and flickering
candles adorned the mantelpiece. The
pleasant atmosphere was highlighted by the perfect placement of mirrors and
decorative pieces.
A couple of other tables were seated with
guests, and the host led them to a spot in the corner of the large bay
window. Janet almost sighed aloud as she
sank into the plump cushions. Their waiter
proved friendly and informative, providing them with tidbits of history about
the house in addition to recommendations from the menu.
Conversation opened with remarks about the
surroundings, but Janet wasn’t all that surprised when, by the time their first
course arrived, it had detoured to work related comments. Not only was it a comfortable topic, but
recent events were still fresh on their minds.
“I suppose in a way we should be grateful
Jack and Teal’c managed to get caught in the same
part of the field as Malakai,” Daniel said. “Not only were they able to help me complete
the translation, but if it hadn’t been for them, we wouldn’t
have been aware of the loop at all.”
Good
point,
Janet reflected as she took a sip of her wine.
Trapped in the same several-hour time span was not exactly how she
wished to spend her existence. But
Daniel mentioning the alien archaeologist on P4X-639 reminded her of something
else about SG-1’s latest mission, something she wasn’t entirely certain she
wanted to bring up. In the end, he saved
her the trouble by doing so himself.
“And it was Jack who managed to convince Malakai to shut down the device.” His attention shifted slightly, gaze directed
toward the fire although it seemed his eyes were focused on things elsewhere. “I have to admit, standing there across that
altar from him, I couldn’t fault the man his reasons for wanting to go back.”
Janet stared at the table as she absently
fingered the stem of her glass. Do I dare mention this? Goodness knows that if we have any hope of
establishing a real relationship then this sort of thing is going to come up
from time to time. Maybe it’s for the
best if we – if I – start facing it now.
“When I read the colonel’s report, and the
parts about Malakai, I couldn’t help but wonder if
perhaps the entire situation had reminded you of Sha’re…”
she trailed off, irritated with herself for not being able to look him in the
eye.
“It was nearly impossible not to think of
her,” Daniel admitted, voice tight.
“But… Jack was right. I’d never
want to relive those moments of loss all over again.”
Janet’s head jerked up then, her thought
spilling out before she bothered to reflect on it. “But it wasn’t quite the same situation for
you. Malakai couldn’t
stop his wife from dying a second time.
But you – didn’t you question, even for a split second, if you had the
chance to go back and prevent Sha’re from dying, from
being taken by Apophis…” she trailed off as it dawned
on her just how brutal her words must have sounded to him.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t consider
it,” Daniel confessed. He was looking at
her now, but his gaze still seemed focused miles away. “Truth is, I’ve had that thought, or something
like it, dozens of times before this time loop
encounter even happened.” He was quiet
for several seconds and Janet silently questioned whether discussing this had
been such a good idea. When he spoke
again, his voice was little more than a strained whisper, “But I always come
back to the same answer. You can’t go back. And wishful thinking only makes it more
painful.”
“I’m sorry, Daniel.” Feeling like she’d made matters worse, Janet
reached across the table to gently touch his arm, “I didn’t mean to upset y—”
“You haven’t upset me,” Daniel hurriedly
assured. Shaking his head and huffing in
frustration, he closed his eyes for a moment.
When he opened them, he fixed them on her, and this time Janet had no
doubt his attention was fully engaged in the here and now.
“One of the things you told me that night, in
your kitchen,” he began slowly, “was that you feared
living in Sha’re’s shadow. I wish it could be otherwise, but I think we
both understand…” He leaned forward,
placing his hand on hers. “It’s part of
who I am, Janet. Part of who I’ll always
be.”
She nodded but didn’t trust herself to say
anything in reply.
“I will always regret losing her.” His eyes misted but his voice was
surprisingly steady. “Sometimes I am
still tempted to wonder how my life would be different if she had lived. But… there’s just no way to know, and
speculating about it gains nothing. If
anything it just keeps the grief fresh, like a wound that never heals. And I decided some time ago that I had
another choice – I could accept the grief, let it become part of me, and yet
strive to live in the present.” Daniel’s
eyes bored into hers as he squeezed her hand.
“That includes making the best of what life has to offer, right here in
this moment.”
Janet froze.
Such a bold statement deserved some kind of response, but she couldn’t
form coherent thoughts around the deafening pounding of her own heart. She was saved by the arrival of their second
course. Daniel released her hand and,
thankfully, didn’t appear the least offended by her lack of reply.
They began to discuss other news associated
with the SGC then, and Janet calmed further.
Once those topics were exhausted she felt comfortable enough to tread
more personal waters. Daniel asked about
her medical school experience, and shared in turn some about his own university
days. She engaged him in an exchange
about favorite movies, and from there they moved on to books. Throughout these discourses Janet noticed she
was laughing more, and the tension in her shoulders melted away. Occasionally Daniel would make some
complimentary comment in passing, or stare at her just a little more intently
than seemed necessary, and she’d endure yet another flush of crimsoning cheeks
and internal butterflies. Yet she
couldn’t deny that she was also enjoying it all immensely.
“Do you think we could go for a walk out on
the lawn?” Janet asked as they were finishing dessert. When Daniel’s eyebrows peaked behind his
spectacles she said, “I know it’s not exactly the time of year for garden strolls,
but it is a nice evening, and I’ve so
enjoyed hearing about the history of this house. And I—” she hesitated, suddenly feeling
rather foolish. “I thought it might be
nice to wander along the same grounds where Doctor Bell and his wife may have
once walked.”
Daniel smiled between sips of coffee. “I hadn’t pegged you as that much of the
sentimental type. Although,” his smile
broadened just noticeably, “I shouldn’t be that surprised, this coming from the
same woman who has read all of Jane Austen’s works multiple times.”
“I take it that’s a ‘yes’, then?” Janet
quipped, refusing to be riled by his teasing.
“To a walk with you?” His amused expression softened into something
distinctly more affectionate, prompting Janet’s heart to skip a beat. “I’d love to.”
They headed out as soon as the bill was
settled and Janet found the air had grown cooler since their arrival. But she figured even a casual walk would be
enough to keep her warm. They investigated
the pathways closest to the manor first, speculating on which areas might be
the exact spot their server had mentioned during his entertaining history
lesson. When Daniel asked if she wished
to continue she grinned and nodded, so they wandered toward the conservatory
lawn.
The shadows were deeper this far from the
house, despite the nearly full moon.
Daniel encouraged her to watch her step as they moved farther down the
lawn and situated his hand at the small of her back with more pressure than
before. As they walked in comfortable
silence, Janet began to feel goose-pimples prickling across her skin. The night air was getting to her after all
and she rubbed her bare arms in an effort to generate some warmth.
“Getting cold?” Daniel asked.
“A little, but I’ll be fine,” she assured. Despite the chill she had no desire to end
this pleasant stroll just yet.
When Daniel suddenly stepped away from her
Janet opened her mouth to tell him just that, but then she saw he was slipping
out of his suit jacket. She considered
protesting, determined it would be silly and possibly a little insulting to
refuse such a gallant offer, and smiled her thanks to him instead. It nearly swallowed her, with the sleeves
ending just beyond her fingertips. But
she didn’t mind. The warmth from his
body that lingered in the fabric now wrapped her in a delicious cocoon and as
she pulled the collar tighter about her neck she caught a scent that was part
spice and something she conjectured must be uniquely Daniel Jackson.
As they began to trace the boundary of the
grounds, their pace gradually slowing, it seemed the most natural thing in the
world when Daniel slipped his arm around her waist. Reflexively she eased a little closer to him. Her heart was pounding a cadence and her
insides were fluttering, but at the same time Janet marveled at how good it
felt simply to enjoy the nearness of this man’s presence. She was beginning to regret their walk would
soon be ending as they circled back around to the house, when something up
ahead caught her attention.
“Is that what I think—” she broke off,
peering into the distance. “Yes, it
is! I don’t believe it.” Without a second thought she shoved the
excess length of the coat sleeve above her wrist, grabbed Daniel’s hand and
practically hauled him along with her.
“Come on!”
“Janet?”
His tone was all curious amusement.
“Look,” she replied, stepping into the gazebo
and pointing at the object that had caught her attention. “A swing!” She promptly plopped down in it and grinned
up at him. “A real,
honest-to-goodness porch swing.”
“You have a special attachment to porch
swings, I take it,” Daniel speculated as he sat beside her.
“Something like
that,” she answered, running her hand along the wooden planks with fond
familiarity. “Developed
when I was a little girl.”
“Ah,” was all he said in reply.
Janet noticed he had shifted slightly, one
arm extended along the back of the swing as he angled toward her. She could feel his eyes on her. He seemed almost anxious, as if he was eager
for her to share the rest of the story.
But she also sensed that he wouldn’t ask, allowing her to volunteer the
information if and when she chose. And
that awareness endeared him to her all the more.
“When I was young, I’d spend a couple of
weeks every summer visiting my grandparents.
They didn’t live on a farm, exactly, but it was an older home in a rural
area and Pappsie kept a few cows and chickens. Just enough to get milk and
eggs now and again.” She smiled
openly as her mind flooded with pleasant memories. “How I loved those times… I’d get up early,
tagging along after Pappsie , sometimes to help with the chores and other times just to
keep him company. But the afternoons
were always spent in the swing on their long back porch.”
Janet inhaled deeply. Funny how just thinking about it could bring
all those old feelings – the sights, sounds, and even the smells – back to her
again. “I spent many hours on that old
swing, reading Nancy Drew and Sherlock Holmes, drinking Grannie’s
fresh squeezed lemonade, and doing a lot
of daydreaming.”
“Sounds wonderful.”
Daniel’s voice, mellow and a little
reverential, drew her attention back to the present. She turned and saw he was
still watching her with that piercing expression of gratitude and
affection. But there was also a tiny
glimmer of sadness hidden in those blue depths.
Janet imagined that in sharing these memories from her past she’d
probably reminded him of the lack of such experiences from his own childhood. After all, there weren’t many porch swings
available on archaeological digs or in museum basements.
Yet, she didn’t want to believe he had no
fond childhood memories. There had to be
a few lurking in that fantastic brain.
But just as he had generously allowed her the opportunity to share on
her own terms, Janet wouldn’t force him to open up unless he wanted to.
“You know,” she said softly, easing a little
closer to him and tentatively resting her head in the crook of his shoulder, “a
porch swing is a pretty good place for making happy memories.”
He made no vocal reply, but Janet relaxed
when she felt his arm slip more securely around her. It was a gorgeous evening, the sky ablaze
with stars. Her feet, not quite reaching
the ground, were dangling free while Daniel’s longer legs kept the swing moving
in a pleasant, easy rhythm. Janet
decided she was quite happy to sit here in this cozy silence, enjoying the feel
of being cuddled against his side.
“There was one time, when I was almost
ten…” Daniel’s voice was scarcely more
than a whisper. “I had to go to the
house next door every Friday afternoon after school. On Fridays Mrs. Hampton, my foster parent,
did volunteer work and so her neighbor would look after me until she got home. Mrs. Zypcowski was
her name,” he paused momentarily and Janet smiled at the warm sentiment she
heard in his tone. “A
petite, white-haired widow who must have been as old as Methuselah, or so it
seemed to me at the time. And she
had this library in her house, with nearly as many books – and all of them far
more interesting – as the library at school.
She’d allow me to just sit in there for hours on end, reading whatever I
wanted.”
A
veritable candy store for someone like you, Janet thought affectionately.
“But the best part was sometimes she’d come
into the library, toting a tray that to this day I don’t see how she managed,
loaded with freshly baked cookies and two glasses of milk. She’d always say the same thing to me. ‘Young Mr. Jackson, you’ve an appetite for
reading that’s beyond anything I’ve
ever seen in my many years, save for that of Mr. Zypcowski
– may he rest in peace. But maybe you
can make a little room for these cookies while you’re at it.’ And then she’d sit and talk with me for a few
minutes about whatever I might be reading at the time, while we ate. She’d always be able to share some anecdote
about the book I’d chosen – apparently she and her husband had traveled
extensively in their youth. On those
days, I think I learned twice as much from her stories as I did from anything I
read in her books.”
“Sounds as if she was something of a kindred
spirit,” Janet reflected, still smiling.
It touched her that Daniel had opened up to her but she was equally
delighted to learn he’d had such a positive experience. For a moment she wished she could have known this
Mrs. Zypcowski, and thanked her for loving that
precocious young boy in her own special way.
“I like to think so,” he replied. “She’s one of the few people I tried to keep
up with as I got older. She was actually
able to make my high school graduation, but then she passed away just a couple
of weeks after that.”
Janet reached up to touch his hand where it
rested against her shoulder. “I’m
sorry.” Tilting her head slightly she
could just make out his nod of acceptance.
She said nothing more but continued to gaze
up at him, not wanting to break the stillness between them. After a few seconds it seemed the lines in
his forehead began to ease, and Janet appeased herself with the notion that his
thoughts were drifting away from that remembered grief. His own gaze was directed toward the horizon
and as time continued to slip past she realized he was watching the stars.
“You know, I sometimes forget, with all the
places I’ve been and the things I’ve seen, that the
stars of home can still be a very impressive sight.”
“Yeah,” Janet voiced agreement, but her
thoughts were absorbed elsewhere.
Staring up at him, Janet reflected that she
had considered Daniel to be an attractive man since first meeting him. But she couldn’t recall ever allowing herself
opportunity to study him quite like this.
His head was angled in such a way that she
was presently afforded a rather pleasant glimpse of his neck. Despite the shorter hairstyle he now
maintained, Janet still considered boyish good looks to be a fair assessment of
his appearance. But admiring the strong
line of jaw currently in view she couldn’t deny he also possessed some fine,
classical features. She’d already experienced,
on several occasions this evening, the power of those alluring blue eyes, but
from this vantage point she noticed he had beautiful, long lashes. They were currently brushing against the
lenses of his spectacles as his gaze flicked back and forth between various
constellations.
She didn’t know if he’d merely completed his
star gazing, or if he’d actually sensed her careful scrutiny of his profile,
but Daniel turned to face her then.
Brows furrowing inquisitively, he met her
eyes and softly asked, “What?”
Under other circumstances his speaking might
have broken the spell. In this instance
it only served to divert her attention to his mouth, which was now upturned,
ever so slightly, at the corners in the beginnings of a very amused smile. To her surprise, Janet discovered that she
desperately wanted to kiss him.
She automatically sat up a little straighter
in the swing. Daniel’s eyes never
faltered from hers but his curiosity was clearly more pronounced when he spoke
her name. Janet’s own gaze drifted
toward that inviting mouth once more and in the next instant she was leaning
forward, brushing his lips in a feather-light kiss. She pulled away after only a few seconds and
met his eyes, her breath caught somewhere in her throat in expectation of his
response.
“Well,” he announced, a little too
nonchalantly, “that was definitely unexpected.”
Janet blinked at him. Was
that supposed to be intended as a compliment? Blinking again she finally managed a
tentative, “Excuse me?”
Shaking his head ruefully, Daniel
backpedaled, “Um, maybe I should rephrase that.” Meeting her gaze he said, “Do you remember,
when you first agreed,” he gestured in the open space between them, “to this, to us, you said it was important for you to find a
balance between our working relationship and whatever developed in our other
relationship?”
How could
I forget?
Janet thought as she nodded. It had been
one of the very first subjects she’d broached at breakfast with him that
morning when they’d met to discuss plans for this date.
“We agreed to maintain a professional
atmosphere while at work,” Daniel continued, “and you also expressed it was
important for you that we take things slowly.”
Janet nodded again. And thus far their professional distancing had been working well. Granted, she didn’t know how exactly that
might play out in the days to come, especially after tonight, but she’d
supposed they’d just have to trust to trial and error.
“So, I guess I interpreted from all that—” he
hesitated and Janet thought he was beginning to look a little uncomfortable
now. “I mean I just sort of thought… I didn’t
expect you to be the one making the first move, as it were,” he finished
quickly with a sheepish shrug.
“Oh,” was all Janet could say, blinking at
him again. She supposed his reasoning
did make a certain amount of sense.
“But,” Daniel said, his expression
unmistakably more confident now, “just because it was unexpected doesn’t mean
it was unpleasant,” he reached up to gently stroke her cheek, “or unwelcome.”
“Oh.”
She swallowed, wondered fleetingly if there was something else she
should say, then concluded there was no need and leaned toward him again.
Daniel met her half-way, and she came to
understand just how unexpected that first peck had been for him. She’d considered it enjoyable enough but
catching him off guard like that, she hadn’t really allowed him time to
respond. Now he was definitely kissing
her in return and Janet was swept away in a rush of delicious, heart-pounding
delight. When they finally parted, and
he drew back ever so slowly, she couldn’t fight the shiver that raced across
her skin.
“Getting cold again?” he asked, eyes
flickering with concern.
Her smile was a touch coy as she replied,
“Not exactly.”
His answering smile was somewhat
self-satisfied, Janet decided, but only served to fuel her glee. “Nevertheless, it is getting late,” he stated.
“I should probably get you home.”
They walked arm in arm back to his car. The drive was mostly quiet but Janet didn’t
mind. She was learning that simply being
in his company was enough to make her perfectly content. And she was savoring every nuance of their
final moments of the evening together –
the occasional side-glance he’d cast her direction, the way he took her hand to
help her out of the car, the security of his arm about her waist as they walked
to her door.
“I had a great time tonight,” Janet told him
as they stepped onto the porch.
“I’m glad – so did I,” he admitted, and if he
hovered a little closer than was absolutely necessary she didn’t complain.
“Well, I suppose I should give this
back.” She took off of his coat and
handed it to him. The night air danced
across her bare skin and she had to fight against a shiver. “Thanks for letting me borrow it.”
“Sure.
But don’t stand out here and get cold,” he admonished gently.
She nodded but didn’t move to open the
door. “I guess I’ll see you on
Monday. At the SGC.”
“Right.” He drew on his jacket and Janet felt like a
giddy schoolgirl when she caught herself temporarily captivated by the slow,
easy movement of his upper body. “I’m
going to be tied up with a translation project this weekend but,” he paused,
reaching up to rub some warmth into her arms, “I might try to call you.” His hands stilled. “If that’s okay?”
She smiled up at him. “That would be nice.”
Unfortunately, she truly was beginning to get
chilled, despite Daniel’s affectionate attentions. And she suspected the longer she lingered out
here on the porch, the more she’d be ridiculed by the two females who were, no
doubt, waiting up for her inside. So she
offered a verbal good night and then stretched on tip-toes for one final
kiss. But what she’d intended as a
simple farewell gesture soon developed into something more. Daniel’s arms slipped around her waist and
she willingly leaned into the embrace, her own hands sliding up to caress the
back of his neck. When he finally and,
it seemed, reluctantly broke away Janet noticed she was a little breathless.
“Good night, Janet,” he whispered. Then he opened the door for her and she
fairly floated into the house.
As suspected both Sam and Cassie, clad in
their pajamas, were sitting up in the den when she walked in. The lights were dimmed, with a movie playing
on the TV, but Sam noticed her entrance and smiled a welcome.
“Hey, I wasn’t expecting you back this
early.” Then she turned to glance at the
clock, which indicated it was nearly midnight, and added, “Oh, never mind. I didn’t realize it had gotten this
late. So, how was your evening?”
“It was nice,” Janet replied, reaching up to
remove her earrings. “Really,
really nice.”
Cassie perked up then, jabbing the pause
button on the DVD remote with her thumb.
“Not that the huge grin on your face would give it away or
anything. So, are we gonna
get all the juicy details?”
“Maybe… but not
tonight.” Waving as she turned away she called out,
“Good night ladies. I’m off to bed.”
Janet exited the room to the sound of their
playful, but clearly disappointed, taunting.
She changed into her nightgown quickly and slipped between the
sheets. And the final thoughts drifting
through her head, before she fell into a restful sleep, were of Daniel and the
sweet pleasure of that last kiss.
~ THE END ~