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Silence. No, there were sounds. Soft sounds. Need to breathe. Must breathe. Breathe now! She filled her lungs, her back arching off of the bed. She opened her eyes. There was pain in her back, but it was fading quickly. She looked around.

Daniel was standing next to the bed. He had showered, she noticed, and was wearing a clean BDU. "Hey, gorgeous," he said, a smile on his face.

"Hey, handsome," she replied. "Please tell me this wasn’t a dream. Please tell me that you really did kill that bastard."

"It’s no dream, babe. We did it together. That son-of-a-bitch will never hurt you again," he said softly. He lifted her fingers to his lips, held them there. His other hand smoothed her hair from her face.

"So, can we go home now?"

"Not until Doctor Williams says you’re okay."

She rolled her eyes. "Please. It’s a waste of his time. Waste of mine too."

"That’s for me to decide, young lady," a friendly voice boomed from the doorway. "You’ll get your post mission exam just like the rest of the team."

"Oh, joy," she complained, although she smiled. She held out an arm. "Go ahead. Drain me dry."

Dr. Williams laughed. "I only need one vial," he said.

She widened her eyes in mock surprise. "Only one? Why, Doctor Williams, I do believe you’re going soft!"

"Keep it up and I can order a full physical work-up."

She smiled. "One vial, cool," she said, winking at Daniel. He shook his head, his grin nearly splitting his face.

Casey endured her physical, then took a quick shower. Daniel had briefed Jack on what had happened while he waited for her. The three saw Duncan safely returned to Gamma, Daniel shaking the Highlander's hand, thanking him for his part in getting rid of Framone. 

An hour after Casey woke up, she and Daniel were on their way home.

A  A  A  A  A  A

Casey turned on the lamp in the living room, and headed straight for the stereo. Daniel watched her. Queen’s ‘Another One Bites the Dust’ began to thump from the speakers. Casey was dancing, her eyes bright, a smile on her face, as she sang along with the CD.

He couldn’t help but smile as he watched her. The look of terror that had been in her eyes when he'd seen her in that throne room had cut him to the quick. He had understood that his life was in her hands; her tears told him that the weight of that knowledge was heavy upon her slender shoulders.

While they'd waited in his office for the results of her blood test, a requirement as they'd been held captive, she'd told him what had transpired while he was hanging in the dungeon. She'd clung to him, her body trembling as she told him about the feast, and Framone’s unwelcome advances. She amazed him. She had done what had been required of her, endured much to afford them the opportunity to kill him. He was surprised that she hadn’t killed the bastard herself. When he had mentioned that, she had smiled and told him that she kept her promises, and that she'd promised Framone that her Husband would kill him. His smile widened. There were very few times that he had taken pleasure in killing. This was certainly one of them. He took her hand and spun her around, pulled her against his chest.

The song had ended, and silence filled the room again. She pressed herself closer to him, her arms locked behind his neck. "Love you, Daniel Jackson," she whispered.

"Love you too, Casey Jackson," he replied. With a grin he smacked her backside. "What’s for dinner, woman? I’m starving."

She giggled. "I’m sure I can find something," she said. She kissed him, a gentle, tender kiss, then pulled away and went into the kitchen. She opened the freezer. It had been Emma’s suggestion to prepare casseroles in advance, and freeze them for later. It was a godsend, given their schedule most of the time. She found the lasagna, and put it in the microwave to thaw. Daniel loved her lasagna. She didn’t have any French bread, but regular bread, toasted and covered with garlic butter would work just as well. Nothing for a salad, either. But she didn’t think he’d mind. She found a couple of cans of peaches. She could make a quick peach crumble.

He was sitting at the counter, his chin in his hand, watching her. He smiled at her when she glanced his way. "You’re an incredible woman, you know that?"

She blushed, and shook her head. "Just do what I have to do," she replied softly.

"You do it well. I’m proud of you, babe. And thanks."

Her head came up, her hands stopped what they were doing. "For what?"

"For keeping me alive." He saw the flash of emotion in her eyes.

"I’d sell my soul to the devil it that’s what it took," she said, her eyes haunted for just a few seconds.

"Well, it didn’t come to that."

She shuddered. "Damned close, though. If Aidia hadn’t been there, the drugs he had put in my food would have affected me. And I never would have realized, I would have…" She wiped her hands on a towel, and walked to where he sat. "Please, Daniel, hold me," she whispered.

He stood up and wrapped his arms around her, pulled her tight and held her until her body stopped trembling. He raised her face with one finger beneath her chin. "Love you, Angel." He dipped his head, he smiled when he felt her sigh into his mouth as his lips claimed hers. He kissed her until the beeping of the microwave brought them back to earth.

"Love you, my heart," she whispered. She transferred the casserole to the preheated oven, then finished the dessert she'd started.

They were sitting at the counter, finishing off the wine, talking about what had happened. Her fingers were laced with his, she ran her thumb back and forth over his. She laughed now, describing the banquet hall and the people who had been there.

"Well," she sighed, tossing her napkin onto her empty plate. "I never want to talk about that bastard again."

Daniel smiled. Framone was dead. And now he was exorcised from her heart, her mind. Never again would the Immortal Goa’uld torment her. Eventually, she would speak of him with no more emotion than she did of Wepwawet, although she still referred to that particular Goa’uld as ‘Gargantua’. She was quite a woman, his Wife. An amazing woman. Stronger than he had ever suspected. He loved her more than life itself.

He helped her clean up the kitchen, didn’t miss the yawn she tried to hide from him. If he reached for her now, even as tired as she was she wouldn’t turn him away. She never did. "Let’s go to bed, babe. I’m beat."

She smiled, and took his hand. "Me, too."

When they were settled into their customary positions, he turned off the light. He pulled her closer, the need to feel her warmth, to feel her breathing, too strong to ignore. He planted a kiss on the top of her head.

A  A  A  A  A  A

She opened her eyes. Sunlight crept around the edges of the curtains that covered the windows. Daniel’s heartbeat was slow and steady beneath her cheek, his chest rose and fell gently with each breath. She squeezed her eyes closed when she thought about how close to really losing him she had just been. She snuggled closer, smiled when, even in his sleep, his arm tightened around her. She kissed his chest. It wasn’t enough. She turned slightly, ran her tongue lightly over his nipple, until it hardened. Her body screamed for more. She moved slowly, sliding down until she could plant kisses along his belly, let her tongue dance over his navel. Not enough. Not what she really wanted. Not what she needed. Not what she craved to taste. She slid her hand under the waistband of his boxers, moved them gently away from his body. She slid down further, his hand rested on her shoulder now. She took him into her mouth, teased until she had awakened his body to full, raging hardness. She loved the taste of him, the feel of him. Her hand circled what she couldn’t take in, moving slowly with her head as she pleasured him. She heard him gasp, looked up into his blue eyes. Her eyes smiled at him, her mouth never stopped moving over him. She positioned herself, began to take him into her throat.

"Oh, hell no," he whispered, pulling her away from his body. He pushed her onto her back, and began his own assault, his mouth on her breasts. His fingers dipped between her thighs, found her wet and hot and ready for him. He pushed her legs apart with one hand, lowered his head and began to feast on her tender flesh. Her hips rose to meet him with each flick of his tongue.

"In me, please? Need to feel you in me," she whispered.

He moved over her, waited for her to wrap her legs around his waist, then lowered himself until he was deep inside her waiting body. Her arms pulled him closer still. He thrust into her, slow and deep. His body trembled when she began to whisper in his ear. He moved faster, harder, until her whimper became a cry of elation. She was whispering again, burning his mind, fanning the raging flames in his body. He cried out his own completion, her name on his lips. He rolled them over, held her close as she snuggled against his chest. "Morning, Angel," he said softly.

She could hear the smile in the words. "Morning, my heart," she replied.

"Guess you woke up uncomfortable, huh?" He teased.

"Just needed a little taste of you," she said, smiling.

"That was more than a little taste you were taking."

"Okay, so I got greedy," she giggled.

He tightened his arms around her. "Love it when you get greedy for me," he told her.

She sighed. "We have to get up. If we don’t get to the store early enough today, we won’t be able to get what we need for tomorrow."

He groaned. "Just let me hold you another minute," he said. He could feel her smile against his shoulder. Gods, how he loved this woman!

The grocery store wasn’t as crowded this early in the morning as it was later in the day. They took their time, Casey carefully crossed each item off her list as it went into the cart. When the speakers above them began to play Chicago’s ‘You’re the Inspiration’, Daniel took her into his arms, and they danced, right there in front of the potato chips. Several other shoppers stopped to watch, all smiling at the young couple. They never noticed.

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