"What's the last thing you remember?"

"It's all a little fuzzy," he admitted. He looked at her bemusedly, having trouble coming to grips with where he was. Well, technically he wasn't anywhere, he was everywhere. This place was an illusion and at the same time very, very real. It didn't help that she was the epitome of the perfect waitress complete with order book poking out of the pocket of her apron and coffee pot in hand.

"Here." She poured the coffee and slid the cup closer to him. "Nothing like a good cup of java to get the mind flowing."

His eyes were drawn to the dark liquid that seemed to swirl in a mini whirlpool in the cup. The movement was hypnotic, causing memories to prod his mind. Dinner...They were all together at a dinner party...

Soft jazz played in the background. Loud enough to add a relaxed ambiance to the room, not so loud so they had to raise their voices. The main meal had been eaten and while they waited for their stomachs to make room for dessert they had broken into groups to chat. The room was divided, men on one side, women on the other. Not that that was intentional. The women's conversation had turned to the topics of paint and curtain swatches, baking and cooking, something the men had no interest in aside from functionality. Although the five men had paused in their more 'manly' talk, trying to reconcile the domestic chatter with the women they knew.

At one point Daniel had raised an eyebrow at Jack, whispering, "I didn't know Sam even knew what a pie funnel or baking beans were."

"Me either," the colonel admitted.

"It's nice to see, isn't it?" Ferretti was surreptitiously studying the women. All of them had a glass of wine in hand, except for Cassie who had a can of soda. They were relaxed, simply chatting. Janet, from the slight frustration on her face, was seeking Annika's advice about something that had apparently gone wrong with the cake she'd baked last night. The major hadn't noticed anything amiss. It had tasted damned fine to him and Dodger who had been her guinea pigs taste testers.

The men of SG-1 and 2 nodded, knowing instantly what Ferretti was referring to. A normal everyday conversation, that didn't involve scientific theory, speculation of the latest Goa'uld plot or military tactics. Tonight they had left the problems of the SGC buried in the mountain complex and had accepted Teal'c's invitation to dine in his new accommodation now that he and Keelah were settled in. Brooklyn's girlfriend had organized a double date for Nyan with one of her friends and they'd had left early, but the others were in no rush to leave.

"Keelah, did you make this?" Sam fingered the delicate embroidery of the runner on the coffee table. It was a new addition and definitely was not something Teal'c would have thought to buy.

The ex-slave gave a shy nod. "The variety of colors on this world is amazing. I've never seen so many hues available in one place."

"No, what you've done with those threads is amazing," Sam sighed a bit enviously. Domestically challenged at the best of times, sewing a button on was an achievement to her, let alone the intricate pattern Keelah had done in less than two weeks. "You could make a fortune making these."

"That's what I've been trying to tell her," Annika piped up. "The craftsmanship is exquisite."

Keelah blushed at the compliment. "It's just something I do in my spare time." No one in the room realized that the skill had been something she'd had to learn quickly and efficiently otherwise face punishment from her Master's wife. "People would really want me to make these?"

Without hesitation the others nodded their heads.

"And I'll be your first customer," Janet declared. "I'm needing a new throw rug and cushions since my latest spring clean." The 'spring clean' had been more of a 'get rid of anything Ba'al had touched' clean, than anything to do with the changing season, but the results were the same.

The women's heads swiveled towards them.

"Are we keeping you entertained?" Annika quipped.

"Immeasurably," Daniel replied with a grin.

"You're welcome to join us," Sam gestured to the space next to her on the couch. "Next on our agenda is the shoe sale at Macy's."

Abruptly the men found they had other things to discuss.

Dessert had been eaten and the kitchen tided, a very crowded affair with everyone pitching in. They had moved back to the living room.

Annika was chatting with Keelah, organizing another day, work disasters permitting, that they could go shopping together. She felt a wonderfully familiar arm drape around her shoulders. She leant into Daniel's embrace, who was talking with Teal'c. Taking a sip of her wine, the redhead noticed that Teal'c's fingers, seemingly of their own accord, entwined with Keelah's. Saw the pair's aura flicker with that odd hue that appeared whenever they touched. She couldn't figure out what it meant, but it was steadily growing dimmer as the days went by. She enjoyed watching the spiritual lights of her friends turn into an almost shy happiness.

All around her the bright lights that only she could see danced around the room. The warm glow of all kinds of love embraced her. Friendship, familial, romantic. The romance she found particularly satisfying. There was the confident and passionate love of an established relationship like between Daniel and herself (although she couldn’t see her own aura), and Jack and Sam who were sitting in the easy chair together. Then there was the curious hesitance of new love blooming, like with Teal'c and Keelah, and Dodger and Cassie who were shooting sparks in the far corner, which was colliding with the steady pulse surrounding Whistler and Janet. It was just a warm fuzzy feeling of love filling the entire room. It took a second for Annika's brain to compute what her third eye had just informed her of. Her gaze darted back to the doctor and major chatting casually on the couch. The sip of wine she'd just taken came spurting back out.

Fortunately Teal'c was there to stop most of the red liquid from staining the cream carpet. Unfortunately his linen shirt caught the full spray. "Is this a Tau'ri custom I am unaware of?" Teal'c asked in confused amusement, looking down at the red splatter decorating his chest.

Half choking, Annika spluttered, "Uh...yeah. May your life be blessed with the sweetness of wine with a slight kick to keep things interesting."

Daniel thumped her on the back. "What was that?"

"I'm sorry," she apologized to Teal'c, taking another drink of wine to clear her throat. "I was just looking around enjoying the sight of the beautiful aura bubbles of love here tonight."

"Why was that so shocking?" Keelah had plucked a napkin from the table and was carefully spotting what she could from Teal'c's shirt. Too interested in the psychic's response, neither Teal'c nor Keelah realized how intimate the gesture was.

Annika leant in close, lowering her voice. "There's a new bubble forming."

Daniel was already covertly studying the room. Jack and Sam were no surprise, neither were Dodger and Cassie. Cassie had broken up with Dominic a week ago, an amicable split according to Janet, and ever since, the captain and young off-worlder had pretty much been inseparable. There was no one else... In hindsight, considering Annika's reaction, it was unwise to use downing the last of his wine as a cover. He barely managed not to mimic his wife's new 'custom'. Swallowing that foolhardy sip he gasped, "Janet and Ferretti?"

The psychic nodded excitedly.

Three heads rubbernecked to the doctor and major sitting cozily on the couch.

"Don't stare!" she hissed. "I don't think they know it yet."

"Are you sure, Annika Jackson?" Teal'c asked.

"What are you conspiring about?" Jack had just gotten fresh beers for himself and Sam when he saw his kids huddled together, looking mischievous and shell shocked at the same time.

Sam, who'd also witnessed the bizarre episode, came over to find out what the fuss was about. She reached for the beer Jack automatically handed to her, only to have Annika pluck both hers and Jack's out of their hands.

Annika, looking like all her Christmases had come at once, grinned. "Trust me, you don't want anything in your mouths." By her calculation, there had been three cases of whiplash and two chokes because of her little tidbit. She was trying to spare Teal'c's carpet from any more spills. Quickly she repeated what the auras had revealed.

"What?" Jack's exclamation came out louder than he anticipated. "You're joking."

"Nope. Auras don't lie."

"But they're chalk and cheese." Jack reclaimed his drink and took a hearty gulp, needing the fortification. "Oil and water."

"And you and I are so alike," Sam replied dryly.

"But," Jack hastily lowered his voice, "But...but Lou and the Doc?"

"Yep!" Annika wanted to do a little happy dance on the spot. "Isn't it cool?"

"What's up, Doc?" Ferretti caught her sideways glance.

"Just thinking you must be looking forward to Friday."

He quirked an eyebrow. "Friday?"

She nodded. "That'll be a full week of Ba'al free nightmares. You can go home and sleep in a real bed and not be contorted on my sofa."

The major shrugged. "Yeah, going back to an apartment where the walls are so thin you can hear the neighbors sneeze, among other things, is something to look forward to." If truth be known he hadn't even thought about it. It shocked and confused him when a little voice in his head whispered hopefully, 'Maybe the Doc would have another nightmare before then, resetting their seven night timeframe to the beginning'. He didn't want the Doc to have nightmares, that was the point of him camping out in her lounge, so that she'd feel safe under her own roof. "Itching to get rid of me, huh?"

"Well, I won't miss having to keep putting the toilet seat down," she grinned. "What is it with men and their total incapacity to do that one little thing?"

"Ah, if we started to do that, then you women would have nothing to complain about." Across the room Ferretti couldn't help but notice that Annika had done a classic 'slurp and spurt'. Since her 'target' had been Teal'c, he assumed their host had let loose with one of those sly wisecracks, catching her unawares. That Jaffa had the wickedest sense of humor known to man and when he let it show he came out with some real corkers.

"But seriously, Lou," Janet took a sip off her wine. "You can take yourself off 'Doc Watch'."

"Bit of creative counting there, Doc. Three nights don't add up to the week we agreed upon." Ferretti swigged back some of his beer. "You got a hot date you want me out of the house for?" He frowned at the bottle in his hand because of the unpleasant bitter taste in his mouth. Shrugged it off as being the dregs in the bottom.

Janet gave an unladylike snort. "Yeah, and when precisely would I find the time to find this hot date?"

Happy that his beer was once again tasting as it should, he gestured around the room with the bottle. "They've managed it."

"So they have." Janet studied the paired off couples who were her closest friends. Even her daughter was working on romance. She didn't begrudge them, Lord knew each and every one of them deserved the happiness and love they were experiencing. She was overjoyed that Daniel had put aside his grief over Sha're and found that magical connection with Annika. Loved that Jack and Sam no longer had to bury their feelings for each other. Was delighted that Teal'c had smiled more often in the last fourteen days than in the combined years of working at the SGC, and that Keelah seemed to be blossoming in the relationship. And Cassie was happy with Dodger, at least so far, letting her guard down in a way that she'd never been able to with Dominic for fear of letting something slip of her true origins. Yet for the first time she felt like the odd one out. Thank God for Ferretti. He was in the same boat as she was! She took another sip, hoping to wash away her sudden self pity. "But I don't need a man in my life and don't want one. Whenever I get a tad melancholy, I just remember the crap I went through with my ex-husband."

"We better not let Annika hear us," Janet playfully warned. "With her recent mission accomplished she'll be looking for a new victim."

"Sound advice, Doc." He gave a chuckle. "She's two for two. The odds would not be in our favor if she sets her sights on finding us a significant other."

His laugh was contagious. "And she's got a whole galaxy in which to find them. We'd be doomed."

"Could be worse," Ferretti downed the last of his beer. "She could try to set us up with each other."

"Now, there's a disaster waiting to happen."

The two friends laughed at the ludicrous idea, but it tapered off as they found themselves wondering why that didn't sound as funny as it should have. They were saved from any further speculation by a spluttered cry from Jack. Looked up to see SG-1 and Keelah having an animated conversation.

Ferretti latched on to the distraction, his eyes narrowing at the furtive yet amused glances from the base's resident geniuses. "What are they up to?"

Janet had missed Daniel’s and Sam's looks, her focus was on Annika. "I think our suspicions are confirmed. I've seen that gleam in Annika's eyes. It was just before she got the idea to set Teal'c up with Keelah."

"Don't worry, Doc." His arm looped playfully around her tiny shoulders. "I'll protect you. We steadfast singles gotta stick together."

There was an immediate silence from the group of six and then that chatter started up even more excited than before, though neither doctor nor major could work out the words. They exchanged wary looks, but before they could say anything more, Cassie and Dodger blocked their view of the scheming team.

"Mom, we're going to catch up with Brooklyn and Nyan at that new club that's opened up."

"And we've got an early briefing," Ferretti reminded his teammate, also trying to casually crane his neck between the young couple to maintain his surveillance. He was only half aware that his cheek was just centimeters away from Janet's, although his brain did register that the Doc had switched shampoos from something flowery to a more spicy scent.

Cassie and Dodger rolled their eyes.

"Yes, Ma and Pa," the captain grinned, "we'll be home at a respectable hour."

Holding hands, the young pair turned to say their goodbyes to the others. Their departure caused SG-1's huddle to break and they scattered around the room. The knowing little smiles plastered to their faces left Janet and Ferretti uneasy.

"Alright, what's up?" the major demanded warily.

Six wide eyed innocent variations of "Nothing" echoed off the walls.

Janet fixed them with 'the look'.

Teal'c took the safest route. "I must change my shirt." He was down the hallway like a shot.

Sam rescued the most inexperienced of their group before either of them could cave under the gaze that cowered generals. "Keelah, do you have some of that chocolate pie left?" She hooked her arm around the ex-slave's elbow. Her other arm practically dragged Jack with her, not trusting him to stop his inborn urge to fire off a litany of teasing quips.

Annika avoided eye contact and in doing so caught sight of a small splatter of red on the carpet. "Gosh, look at that, better clean that up before it stains." She disappeared into the kitchen.

Janet and Ferretti silently surveyed the now vacated room, then turned to each other. Both were bewildered by the actions of their friends. Their gaze swung back to the kitchen when they heard a scuffling sound and Jack's whispered plea drifted out. "Oh, come on, just one! Please?" More scuffling and then the colonel's head poked halfway out the door, "Anyone ever mention you act like an old mar-" Whatever else he said was muffled by Sam's hand closing over his mouth, and he was yanked from sight by unseen hands.

Slowly they leant back into the couch.

Ferretti sighed, giving his friend a commiserating squeeze. "Doc, I think you're right."

Teal'c stripped off his shirt. Putting it aside on the vanity he reached for a face cloth to wipe the sticky wine from his chest.

"Here's a clean shirt for you."

He looked up at the quiet words surprised he hadn't heard her approach. Clearly Keelah's years as a silent servant had made her as stealthy as a trained Jaffa. He accepted the clothing with a smile. "Thank you." Noticed that it was one of the shirts he'd put in the hamper earlier in the week, and that it was now freshly washed and pressed. "Though I appreciate it, you do not need to launder my clothes. That was not part of our arrangement."

Keelah shrugged. "I had washing of my own. It was no bother to add a few more items to the machine." She hadn't expected Teal'c to have stripped off so quickly, and she tried to avert her eyes from his smooth muscled chest. Not that she was embarrassed, for she had seen many men with far less clothing than what Teal'c wore at the moment. It was just that odd fluttering in her stomach, which started whenever she was near him, seemed to speed up. Treacherously her eyes refused to budge. "The technology of this planet makes domestic duties easy." She had to swallow as his biceps flexed in the act of slipping on the shirt. "And I wanted an excuse to speak privately with you."

Teal'c's hands stilled at the first button. "You need no excuse. Private moments are expected by others from the romantically involved."

"Oh."

He gave another smile, this one of encouragement. "What is it you wish to discuss?"

She darted a glance out into the hall to make sure no one was near, then stepped closer, keeping her voice down just in case. "Do you think Annika suspects our ruse?"

"I do not believe so. We have played our roles convincingly as far as I can tell." Teal'c also moved closer, his baritone almost a whisper. "Why, do you have doubts?"

"Sometimes Annika looks at us with a quizzical expression when we are toget-" Keelah cut off when suddenly Teal'c's arms wrapped around her, hauling her against him. Her heart pounded, not from fear of the manhandling, for while his hold was firm, it was gentle, but from the unexpected contacted of his bare skin pressed to her body. The material of her bodice was an all too thin barrier to block the heat of his skin. A low gasp hissed from her lips, which was masked by his lips closing over hers. The kiss was soft and gentle, coaxing her to respond, which she did. She'd had quite a bit of practice since that first kiss in the SGC two weeks ago, and each time she found she enjoyed the experience more and more, even if it did start a strange hot ache beneath her belly that she couldn't explain. But never in those two weeks had Teal'c acted so impulsively before.

She surrendered to the kiss, enjoying the taste of the man kissing her. Figured she must be really getting the hang of the act, for Teal'c's heartbeat was beating just as erratically as hers, which he had assured her was the sign of a good kiss. After a few very pleasurable moments, her ears picked up on soft footfalls in the hall and she realized the reason for this unexpected kiss.

"Whoops, sorry."

At hearing the slightly embarrassed yet amused voice, Keelah expected Teal'c to break off the kiss, but he took a few seconds to wind it down, ending it with a two small pecks, as though he was reluctant to stop. He drew back slightly, but kept her nestled in his embrace. His dark eyes made eye contact with her, seemed to be drinking her in. With his gaze not leaving her face, he spoke over her shoulder, "Do you require assistance, Annika Jackson?"

"Um...didn't mean to interrupt," the redhead said brightly. "But do you by any chance have any baking soda? Some of the wine made it to the carpet and I want to remove it before it sets in."

"I do not believe so."

"Oh well, Plan B, I'll see if I can convince Janet to part with some of her white wine, it apparently works just as well. I just hate to see good wine wasted like that." She grimaced which morphed into a cheeky grin, "As you were." The redhead disappeared from the doorway.

Insisting to himself that he kept his arms around Keelah on the chance that the psychic or one of the others, could come back with another query, he said, "I apologize for my abrupt actions, there was no time to forewarn you of Annika Jackson's approach."

"It's alright, Teal'c, I didn't mind." Keelah adjusted her arms so they rested comfortably around his waist. "It was a nice surprise." A faint blush tinted her cheeks.

"You are enjoying our kisses?" Teal'c asked, feeling something akin to happiness at the idea.

She nodded shyly. "Very much. You are an astute teacher."

He tucked a stray curl of hair behind her ear. "A teacher is only as good as his pupil."

"Are...are you enjoying them?" Her face burned. She couldn't believe she'd just asked that.

"Indeed I am." He paused then admitted, "More so than I originally intended or anticipated." His brow creased in a frown. "That did not come out correctly. It is not that I believed I would not enjoy kissing you...I only did not anticipate deriving so much pleasure from them."

Keelah found it quite endearing that Teal'c was becoming so flustered. "I also did not expect our arrangement to be so...physically pleasurable." The question that had been running through her mind since that first kiss almost erupted from her lips, but she managed to catch herself.

Teal'c saw her hesitation and concerned that she was having second thoughts about their agreement, asked, "Something is troubling you?"

"No, no...I just was curious about something." Her head dipped, willing herself not to blush anymore. "It doesn't matter...it's silly."

He doubted it was any such thing. His arms tightened around her encouragingly. "You can discuss anything with me."

She took a deep breath, realizing she could not ask it of anyone else without revealing to them the charade of her and Teal'c's relationship. "I was just curious to know if sex could possibly be as pleasurable."

Teal'c took that question as a good sign. Two weeks ago it would never have occurred to Keelah that sex could be anything except brutal and harsh. He was buoyed by the knowledge that his careful 'tutelage' was helping her to overcome her fear of intimacy, so that she could one day enjoy a normal relationship once their arrangement was concluded. He pushed aside a confusing, unexpected burst of jealousy at the faceless future man Keelah would hold dear to her heart. "Sex is simply a means to procreate, not necessarily a pleasant experience. However making love is an entirely different affair." He paused, thinking of a way to describe it without it sounding clinical. "Making love is like a kiss that encompasses the entire body and soul."

Keelah felt a tingle shoot through her and her mind forgot to think before speaking. "Would you teach me that too?"

Taking his reaction as a refusal, Keelah, extremely embarrassed, also put distance between them. "I'm sorry, that wasn't part of our agreement. Please forget I asked." She kept backing out of the bathroom, her face turning into a scowl of self-rebuke. "I can't believe I asked that."

He was torn from his inner speculation of his body's unexpected reaction by the self-loathing in her tone. Cursed himself for causing her confidence to take a nosedive when she had been making such progress. "Keelah," he grabbed her hand, stopping her escape. "Wait."

"No...I overstepped my bounds, I'm sorry, Mas-" Her throat choked on the automatic 'title' that had been engrained into her for years. Had to force her knees to remain locked so that she wouldn't kneel, though she couldn't stop her head from bowing.

Teal'c's chest constricted. He felt like someone had dealt him a deathblow. He drew in a steadying breath, and gently tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his eyes. "Keelah, I am not and never will be anyone's Master, and you are not anyone's slave. We are equal partners in our arrangement."

She gave a self-conscious shrug, spouting an Earth term she had recently learned. "Old habits die hard."

"Your...request..." Still mortified, Keelah tried to look away again, but he cupped her face in his hands, making sure she could see the sincerity in his eyes. "...I was not prepared for it. When your...'curiosity' demands...answers, I would consider it an honor to teach you the art of making love."

Having little experience with sincerity from the opposite sex, Keelah couldn't interpret his expression. "You say that out of pity."

Teal'c couldn't stop the low chuckle that rumbled through his chest. "Pity does not cause this kind of reaction to my libido."

She cocked her head quizzically, not understanding.

The Jaffa simply took a step back and dropped his eyes to his crotch. Though the serious turn of their conversation had somewhat waned his arousal, enough remained for it to still be strained against his trousers.

Keelah's eyes widened as she followed his gaze. "Did...did I cause that?"

He nodded.

"You did not try to...alleviate...it." It was said in a slightly wondrous tone.

This time it was Teal'c who was puzzled. Alleviate?

Her hand gestured to herself. "Using me."

Recognition dawned. "I am not like the 'men'," and he used that term loosely, "you have known before. Not even under pain of death would I force myself upon you no matter how aroused I may be."

"And now that you have my consent?" she asked softly.

Teal'c looked into her eyes. He saw a swirl of emotions displayed before him. Saw the yearning of desire and curiosity of the unknown. He also saw the slightly worried tinge though she was trying to hide it, and that she hated that she couldn't banish the memories of her past to completely trust. "Do you believe you are ready?"

As much as Keelah wanted to say yes, she knew she wasn't. She gave a slight shake of her head.

"Then we shall wait until you are."

"As simple as that?"

"As simple as that."

They shared a smile, one that was a mix of promises, wishes, confidence and uncertainty, then hand in hand they returned to the revelry of their guests.

It had just passed midnight when they said goodnight to Teal'c and Keelah and waved farewell to Jack and Sam as they pulled out in Jack's pickup. Ferretti tooted his horn as he backed out of Teal'c's drive, much to the chagrin of Janet in his passenger seat, for making such a loud exit so late in the night. With a chuckle they gave a final wave to their hosts and walked around to their home.

"Those two will certainly be an interesting mix," Daniel commented, thinking that Jack had been right. Janet and Lou really did act like an old married couple.

"Do you think they suspect something's up?" Annika asked, unlocking the front door.

"Well, we weren't exactly subtle," he replied dryly. After SG-1 had returned from their mass exodus from the living room, there had been a melee of quips and hints, mostly from Jack, directed at the oblivious future couple.

"I have the feeling that it'll take more than a few hints, even of Jack's caliber, for them to realize they are more than just friends." She practically bounced into the house. "It's going to be such fun!"

"I've never seen you so...buoyant," he observed, taking delight in his wife's romantic enthusiasm. Over the last few weeks she had been a little subdued, which Daniel had put down to adjusting to her altered abilities. The previous couple of days she had seemed to be back to her usual self, however since seeing the new aura around Janet and Ferretti, Annika had been excessively more bubbly and exuberant.

"Everyone's falling in love." She picked up Thor, who had drowsily lifted his head from the couch when they had entered, and danced around the room with him. "It's exciting and wonderful and magical...and everyone should be love!"

Thor gave a disgruntled snuffle at being bounced around.

Daniel chuckled, plucking the dog from Annika's hands, and replaced him on his chosen bed. "Run, Thor, run! Your mistress will play matchmaker with you next!"

"I will not," she gave an indignant huff. "He's still a puppy. It'll be at least a year before he'll need a mate."

His chuckle turned into a full blown belly laugh. He'd been joking, clearly his wife was not. That's what he got for falling in love with an incurable romantic. She wanted everyone she knew, person or animal, to be happily paired off.

"What's so funny?" she asked suspiciously.

"You are." He pulled her into his arms. "And I love you for it." His mouth descended on hers and she melted into his embrace. A familiar and welcome heat began to stir within him.

"Why don't we take this upstairs?" she whispered, her hips swiveling a little to press against the bulge that was starting to grow inside his pants.

"Good idea." Daniel stole another kiss, just to tide him over until they made it to the bedroom. Then he stepped away, giving a playful bow indicating that she should precede him.

She arched an eyebrow at him in question.

He gave a shrug, his hand reaching out to her shoulder, traveled slowly down her back, to come to rest on her behind. Gave a tender squeeze. "I like the view."

Willing to indulge him, even though she found the same view of her husband just as enticing, she started walking up the stairs, adding an extra sway to her hips. Halfway up she paused, looking back over her shoulder and gave her backside a little wiggle. "Enjoying yourself?"

Daniel's response was to reach out to cup the denim-covered mounds. "Immensely." His fingers hooked into her back pockets and he tugged back. She gave a cute little squeak of surprise as she fell back into his embrace. He swung her up into his arms to carry her the rest of the way.

Quick to adapt to her new cozy position, Annika trailed kisses along his jaw, before capturing his mouth with hers, her tongue delving inside to dance with his.

When he reached their bedroom, Daniel's hand groped for the corded switch he'd draped earlier over the dresser. The gentle flickering light that resulted distracted Annika. Pausing in their kiss though she didn't remove her lips from his, her eyes darted around the room.

Entwined around the wrought iron headboard was a string of fairy lights.

He felt her delight through their bond.

"When did you do this?" Her words were muffled against his lips.

"When we were escaping 'the look'." Daniel had been waiting for the right opportunity to do this for a couple of days now. He’d learned to be sneaky when trying to surprise his wife. Their temporary evasion of Janet and Ferretti's questions had provided the perfect distraction to her psychic radar. He gently set her down on the bed. "I figured it was as romantic as candles without the fire hazard."

"Very practical," she chuckled. She was about to partake in another kiss when she felt something light knock into her side. Looked down to see a mauve box with a gold ribbon had slid down on the duvet due to her body weight dipping the mattress. "What's that?"

"It looks like a present," Daniel teased.

"For me?" She fingered the delicate bow.

A mischievous smile tweaked his lips. "Actually it's more a gift for me."

Annika pulled the ribbon free and opened the box. Creamy tissue paper encased a smoky violet piece of silk. She picked it up with a cheeky grin. "My Love, I don't think it's your size."

"Let's call it a visual treat."

Her finger traced a decoration of diamantés sewn into the silk, saw there was a second set on the other side of the bodice. "Interesting little addition."

"I thought so."

"I suppose," she mused playfully, "that you want a little fashion parade?"

"That's the idea," he confirmed. "It'd be a shame to leave it in the box."

She placed a lingering kiss to Daniel's more than eager lips. "I'll be back soon." Casually she flipped the silk over her shoulder and skipped towards the bathroom.

Daniel watched her exit, enjoying not only the delectable sight of her backside bouncing, but the carefree happiness that tickled beneath his heart. Stripping down to his boxers he began to conjure up images of how Annika would look in the little number he had picked out. He'd found it in a new boutique that had opened up locally. What had attracted him to browse the store was that the merchandise was designed and sewn on site by the boutique's enterprising young owner, offering exclusivity to her elegant but inventive creations. He liked the idea of providing his wife with an original, something that wasn't mass-produced. And the price hadn't been unreasonable given the quality of the materials and workmanship. When the bathroom door opened a few minutes later and he caught his first sight of Annika, his voice hitched in his throat. Yep, I’m all for supporting small business!

She paused demurely in the doorway, a light blush touching her cheeks as Daniel's gaze leisurely perused her body. The teddy was luxuriously soft against her skin. Thin ribbons of material over her shoulders supported the bodice, which wasn't as low cut as the others in her drawer. But then, she thought, the ones in her drawer didn't have the same feature as this particular outfit. The straps were adjustable to accommodate the size of her bosom, tying off in little bows at the front. It was designed to fit snugly until just below the hips, where it blossomed out into a gentle frill at the sides to sway around the tops of her thighs. She watched his eyes darken with desire as he looked down then moved back up, coming to rest on the diamantés, his tongue unconsciously wetted his lips in anticipation. The tiny jewels were shaped into rings outlining two small holes, acting as a glittering frame for her exposed nipples, which were peeking through. "It's beautiful." She took a few steps closer to him, her finger tracing over the ribbon holding the teddy up. "Thank you."

"No, thank you." He slowly approached her, taking his time to enjoy the view, circled her so that he could implant the vision of her from every angle into his mind. "And you make it beautiful."

Annika would swear on a stack of bibles, that if she closed her eyes she would be able to tell precisely where her husband's gaze was. The desire in his eyes made her body tingle wherever they roamed.

Daniel was on his second lap and stopped behind her, brushing her hair aside to clear the creamy expanse of her shoulder and neck. "You know why I chose this one?" he asked, breathing in deeply the subtle vanilla scent lingering on her skin.

She shook her head, feeling a shiver of delight as his breath caressed her.

"I had three reasons." His lips brushed against her pulse.

"By all means, please share."

"The color is an exact match for your eyes when you're aroused." He reached around her, his index finger traced the outline of the diamantés surrounding her right nipple, taking care not to touch the rosy skin. Loved the way her breath caught in anticipation. "And these reminded me of the way your eyes sparkle."

"And the third?" she asked huskily.

"Because it was uniquely sexy," he murmured. "Just like you." Each word was punctuated by a kiss moving from the top of her neck to her shoulder. His hand dropped down from the diamantés, splaying over her belly to caress her through the silk, holding her closer to him.

A fission of heat spread through her to feel his arousal pressed into the small of her back, knowing that his core need was for her, regardless of what she was wearing. She shimmied against him and took satisfaction in feeling his member pulse and swell. One of his hands skimmed down to brush the tops of her thighs, playing with the teddy's delicate frill, tickled her skin beneath. "Easy access," she gasped, as his fingers slowly crept beneath the material over her pubic bone.

"Hmmm," he agreed, traveling closer to the curls between her legs. "When the time is right."

A hiss of frustration escaped from her lips when he moved his hand away. The teasing lilt to his voice told of the kind of mood Daniel was in. He wanted to play, a night of teasing and driving her out of her mind, a challenge she was more than willing to take up to return the 'favor'. The question would be who would beg for release first.

Her breathless words sent a quiver of lust through him. Realized that this was the first in all their time together that he was going to 'mark' her with his kiss. He had the presence of mind, barely, to stop before the brand of his love became too dark. Grinned at her mew of protest at the pause. "I have other delights to sample." Keeping his hands where they were, unwilling to stop caressing his wife for even a moment, he nudged forward, walking them across to the bed. Sat on the mattress, turning her so she nestled between his knees, giving him a perfect view of those jewel encrusted mounds. Unable to resist any more, his tongue darted out to swirl around an exposed nipple.

"Oh, more," she gasped, speaking of both his tongue and of the caress of his hand, which having relinquished its prime position on her breast, was dancing over the softness of her inner thigh. Annika parted her legs a little, yearning for him to keep his steady path upward. Lightly he slid a single finger over the silk covering her womanhood, and she unconsciously jerked her hips forward, craving a deeper touch. "Take it off," she moaned. The minimal contact the diamantés allowed wasn't enough for her. The solid little ring let his tongue tease and swirl only around the tip, but stopped him from taking her nipple fully into his mouth, which was what her body was pining for. The silk enhanced the heat of his breath but denied her from feeling it directly. And don't even get her started on the hot ache pooling at the apex of her thighs, caused by his finger with that silk barrier between them.

"Nuh uh." Daniel was enjoying himself way too much to rush ahead. He'd only just begun his delectable exploration of his wife's body.

"I need skin," she groaned. Or at least more than that maddening whisper of a touch. Bucked towards him, but he anticipated the move and shifted back with her.

The little hitch in her voice prompted him to concede a little to her first 'request'. Languidly he applied a bit more pressure, stroking her a little deeper, relishing the hot juices of her desire that soaked through the silk to coat his finger. His mouth watered to drink his fill of that sweet nectar but he was determined not to rush, no matter how much his body was demanding to be inside his wife; to feel her muscles contract around him, to hear that soft little sigh of bliss as she accepted all of him, wrapping her legs around him urging him to bury himself deeper...and if he didn't curb that train of thought, he'd blow the whole thing, literally, before he finished making His Angel soar. He sucked a smidgen harder on his 'limited' access to her nipple. Loved her guttural moan as his teeth grazed over the hardened nub. It never failed to amaze him at how quickly Annika was aroused by his touch. With the concerns of Ba'al firmly dealt with, Annika had embraced the fire that engulfed her body at her husband's touch with renewed vigor. She had been insatiable, as though making up for the lost time of those few days when she had been denying her instinct. He eased up, returning to his 'almost' caress of her body, though he extended his exploration to the outskirts of the teddy.

"Do you need an instruction manual?" she demanded as he maddeningly continued to play around the silken edges, his fingers only just slipping beneath the material, tantalizing her nerve endings but never pushing it fully aside for his hand to cup her entire breast.

"I'm a guy, I don't need instructions." His hand traveled to her back, caressing the exposed part of her shoulder blades. When he dipped lower, running fingertips over her spine and edged slowly to the side to her waist, he felt her squirm, urging him to keep going. When his hand slid beneath the soft folds her stomach muscles twitched at the contact. He paused at her belly button, pretending to consider which direction to take; down to her honey pot that was yearning for his touch, or upwards to the glorious mounds equally as needy?

"Could have fooled me," she grumped, well aware that he was taking great pleasure in toying with her. Held her breath while he made his decision. His fingers drifted up, tracing the sensitive underside of her breast, slid between the valley before moving on to its twin. Through their bond she felt his devilish delight, and knew that he wasn't yet ready to give her what she was craving. She didn't know how much more of the teasing she could take; had to bite her tongue to stop the plea from escaping. An idea began to form. It seemed only fair to her that her loving husband should experience this exquisite torment as well. Annika nudged his chin upwards, lowering her mouth to capture his. Kissed long and hard to make up for the feather touches he was taking such joy in administering. "You, Doctor Jackson, need a lesson," she growled into his mouth, pushing slightly on his shoulders.

"In what?" Daniel willingly fell back on the mattress. He ardently kissed her back, needing the direct contact as much as her. Teasing his wife was wreaking as much havoc with his libido as it was on hers. Stifled a chuckle at the fired up determination that tickled beneath his heart. It seemed he apparently had a tad more self-control than Annika.

"On the etiquette of lovemaking," she gasped, as his hands moved to massage her derrière as she hovered on her hands and knees over him.

"I thought I'd mastered that," he replied innocently, his finger gliding to the V of her legs, shifting the material aside to dip into her hot well.

"Too little, too late," she quipped, though her hips tilted, allowing a deeper penetration. If she weren't careful he would divert her from her 'mission'. After a few blissful moments she shifted to kneel to the side of him, removing the 'distraction', no matter how much her body demanded more. "Erotic little brushes," she lectured, "should be followed up with a more fuller contact. So if you do this..." Annika danced her fingers over his chest, barely touching his skin. "Then the next step should be this..." Fingertips stroked over his smooth chest, rubbing first one and then the other nipple between her thumb and index, causing them to tighten into little peaks. "Are you paying attention?"

"Uh huh." Daniel wouldn't admit that it wasn't his brain that was taking detailed notes. Another piece of his anatomy was controlling him at the moment, especially when she furthered her demonstration to glide down his abdomen, skimming over the satin of his boxers to the top of his thighs, then swept back up. Her return trip down had her applying a little more pressure, dragging her nails lightly over his skin and the hard bulge strained against the satin. He sucked in a rapid breath. "I'm a bit of a slow learner. Can you repeat that please?"

"You changed your demo technique," he grumbled.

Her eyes were impishly innocent. "You didn't seem to understand my first method, so I altered it." Her index finger traced the elastic of his boxers, teasingly sliding just beneath the edge.

"I learn through repetition." It came out hoarsely for she'd just brushed the top of his pining member.

"Oh, okay." Her feather light touch on the outside of his boxers became a more substantial caress and his hips jerked to enhance the contact.

"Oh yeah, repetition is the key," he groaned.

She languidly continued to trace up and down his satin covered rod while her other hand toyed directly with the tip, smearing the drops of pre-cum that seeped out. She placed a string of kisses across his jaw to his ear. "Lesson two," she whispered. "While assessing the 'fit' of a new piece of lingerie is encouraged, it should not be prolonged, for the point of said lingerie is to remove it to indulge in what is hidden beneath."

"It is?" Blue eyes widened in mock surprise. "And I thought it was to keep the silk worm industry going." Her husky chuckle against his neck sent another fission of desire ripping through him.

Annika battled to keep on track, which was difficult because Daniel's hand closest to her had once again begun to tantalize her body with those maddeningly light strokes that she was trying to 'discourage'. Oh that would never do, she was meant to be driving him to the point of incoherence, not the other way around. Came up with a solution. "As I was saying, underwear should be removed..." She kissed her way down his neck, taking a moment to nibble at the hardened little nubs on his chest, making him heave a ragged sigh. Continuing down the ripples of his stomach, she shifted her body off the bed. Hooked her fingers around his boxers and drew them down his legs before kneeling between them. "...For the delights of skin to skin contact, or skin to mouth contact..." She trailed her tongue from the base of his shaft that was now standing freely erect, upward. "...shouldn't be denied."

A moan of pleasure blew from Daniel's throat as her lips closed over him, sucking just on the very tip. "I see your point." Was pretty sure his heart skipped a beat when she slowly drew him deeper into her mouth.

Her hand closed around what her mouth couldn't take and began pumping in tune with her lips. He knew he wouldn't last long, especially if she did that little trick with her tongue... Yep, there it was! Her tongue swirled in a zigzag pattern over the ridge of the underside of his shaft. Didn't know how she was able to maintain the steady rhythm of the bobbing up and down of her head and hand while doing the opposing action of a zigzagging tongue, but at that point he didn't care. His body inadvertently tensed in readiness for the inevitable explosion. And yet the impish little voice in his head that had sprung forth this evening demanded one last quip. "And if I don't want to follow that rule?"

Annika never broke her pace. She lifted her head to reply, her hand extending up to take over where her mouth had been. "I'll be forced to exact retribution."

"I'm not seeing the downside." His words were said with indrawn breath, he could feel himself about to blow. Was pretty sure that even if she stopped her erotic ministrations she wouldn't be able to stop him from ejaculating.

She grinned deviously. "Actually in your case it will very much be an upside...for a very, very long time..." Her free hand encased the twin orbs between his legs and gently but firmly pulled down.

Daniel didn't try to stifle his groan of disbelief as he felt the climax he was so very near to, edge away. Where in the world had she learned that? "That's just mean."

Annika released her hold, absently playing with the curls of hair around his scrotum, waiting for the right time to resume her antics. If she started again too soon, the delaying action would be for naught. She could feel beyond his sexual frustration a curiosity to how she'd gained that little snippet of knowledge, but decided to keep it to herself. Always on the look out for new experiences, she'd come across an article about tantric sex, which was supposed to last hours. She'd giggled to herself that Daniel and she didn't need any tips on that, if their lovemaking lasted any longer they'd wind up with no sleep whatsoever. However there had been a few tips on how to control a man's orgasm. "I prefer the term hard..." the word rolled huskily from her lips, her finger stroking up the length of him once more, "...taskmaster."

Whatever comeback he was planning to retaliate with fizzled from his mind for her lips had again closed over him and her very talented tongue was working him back towards the brink. The build up of his body's response, the anticipation of climax was mixed with the inkling of the unknown, for she had halted him in his tracks once already. Wouldn't put it passed her at all to do so again. He felt the familiar tingle start to converge and tried to hide the tell tale signs of his impending explosion, fought down the natural stiffening of his body, attempted to keep his breathing as steady as possible, in the hope to lull Annika into driving him beyond the point of no return. Just a few more tantalizing seconds...

The burst of mischievousness through their bond told him his efforts had been a fool's errand. Lifting her mouth with a final lip smacking swirl, the hand that had been doing such a fantastic job of coaxing him to orgasm, unwrapped except for her thumb and forefinger, traveled upwards to his glans and squeezed around his frenulum. "Oh god." It was said through clenched teeth as Daniel again felt his longed for climax ebb away.

"Repetition is the key, isn't it?" she threw his words back at him conversationally.

"Promise to remove the teddy?" She spiraled a nail around his weeping shaft.

"I'll rip the damned thing off if you want!" he gasped. "Just please let me cum!"

She gave a crow of triumph that was drowned out by Daniel's guttural groan as she once again lowered her head. But this time there was no teasing. She sucked him long and hard, relaxing her throat muscles to take him even deeper. His fingers entwined through her hair urging her to keep going.

The roar that tore from deep inside him shortly after, had the semblance of her name as that blessed release ripped through him. Normally Annika like to swallow down every last drop of his creamy essence but this time he couldn't wait for his libido to stop twitching to feel her in his arms. Sucking in haggard breaths he hauled Annika up to hold her tightly on top of him. When his mind was somewhat lucid, he felt a smug little tug under his rapidly beating heart. A chuckle rumbled through him. "You're quite proud of yourself, aren't you?"

"Yep!" Her eyes twinkled. It had become a game with them, seeing who could make whom beg first. Sometimes Annika won, more often than not it was Daniel who was crowned the champ, although technically neither one of them could be considered a loser, for the runner up always reciprocated in kind.

"Time to put my lessons into practice." He rolled them over so she was lying on her back beneath him. Just as she had done, he kissed her passionately.

"So far you'll be graded an A," she murmured feeling his hands roam across her back in a delightfully firm caress before he propped himself up on one elbow to free up his other hand.

Now that he had been temporarily sated, that wicked gleam returned to his eyes. Annika had 'interrupted' his original task, not that he was complaining, he was still feeling tiny aftershocks ripple through his groin; knew without a doubt that one climax would not be enough, not after the erotic torment she'd put him through. Time to pick up where he'd left off. He tugged on the ribbon undoing the bow that held the left side of the bodice up, thoroughly enjoying the way her chest heaved in anticipation. Teasingly he danced the tip of the ribbon over her collarbone, deliberately not moving the silk covering her breast.

"F minus!" She couldn't take the teasing anymore. Her hand shot up to finish the 'unveiling' herself, but she chose to use the wrong hand. His supporting arm was close enough to snag hers to stop her.

"Tsk, tsk, that's my job," he scolded. He continued to swirl the ribbon over her skin, letting it dip into the valley of her cleavage.

"You promised!" Annika squirmed on the bed.

"Get there quicker," she pleaded.

With a grin Daniel dipped his head and grasped the edge of the material between his teeth. Ever so slowly he peeled the silk off.

Feeling his breath directly puff against her without any barriers had her thrusting her breast up, hoping for more intimate contact. When he had fully exposed the generous mound he released the silk from his mouth. With a devilish smile, his tongue darted out, sliding just over the tip of her nipple.

"Oh, no way, nuh uh!" Annika threaded her free hand through his hair, pushing his face downwards, while she thrust her chest up, forcing him to take the whole rosy bud into his mouth. She could feel his laugh ripple through her, but she didn't care. "Please, Daniel!"

He gave her what she wanted. His tongue swirled around her areola, suckled happily on the puckered nub. His teeth lightly grazed over the top and her moan of pleasure echoed off the walls. Not forgetting he had a second bow to undo, he sought the ribbon by touch, gently massaging her breast through the silk before locating the ribbon. He'd barely slid the material aside when Annika's hand closed over his, holding his palm in place. "How's my grade now?"

"C." It was quickly followed by a sharp indrawn breath when his teeth nipped on her nipple. "C plus."

"Only a C plus?" He paused in his ministrations and Annika wiggled under him, causing the heat in his groin to reignite.

"Teddy's still on," she pointed out.

"Hmmm, so it is." Daniel's hand glided between the silk and the skin of her stomach, the tip of his finger dipping between the hot folds of her womanhood, slowly drawing over her clitoris. The involuntary jerk of her hips made his rapidly re-hardening shaft jump in response.

"Oh gods, yes!" Annika bucked into his hand. Just a few more strokes like that would be all it would take... A hiss escaped when suddenly his touch was gone, leaving her hanging on the precipice. "What the...?"

His blue eyes were deceptively innocent as he partly sat up, completely withdrawing his hand. "Putting both your lessons into practice."

"To remove the lingerie as per my promise." His tongue languidly licked his finger, 'cleaning' it of her slick juices that coated it. "And applying my own retribution."

She gave a whimper of frustration. Dammit, he wasn't supposed to 'learn' that part! Her hand twitched by her side. It would be so easy to slide her own hand between her legs and gain that wonderful release for herself. But he guessed her train of thought and entwined his fingers with hers, halting her. His eyes locked on hers as he seductively continued to lick his finger, daring her to try again with her remaining free hand. Annika read the challenge in his eyes, knew that he would stop her attempt at any self-fulfillment and they would effectively be at a standstill. If he was pinning her down, then he couldn't be relieving the pent up desire within her. "You learn too damned quickly," she muttered, stretching out her free hand across the bed away from herself, conceding 'defeat'.

"Guess that means I get an A," he grinned, releasing his hold on her hand to sweep over her belly. He caught the folds of silk on his way and eased the teddy down over her hips.

"Grades will be posted at the conclusion." She didn't dare help him, in case her assistance was mistaken for a 'covert op' of self-love. Broke out in goose-bumps as he drew the material down her legs then slowly ran his hands back up, tickling the hollow of her knees. He traced a pattern over the tops of her thighs, gradually moving closer to hot dampness that was begging for his caress. When he shuffled his body down, a quiver of anticipation raced through her, and her legs parted wider.

His tongue darted out against the soft inner skin on her thigh. "I'm impatient," he blew softly. "How about an early posting of my final score?"

Annika barely heard the request, her mind was fully focused on his breath caressing her. She forgot to breathe when he gave a feather light kiss at the very top of the juncture of her thighs. So very close and yet so very far away from her molten core.

"I can keep this up all night," he warned, licking a tiny sample of his wife's honey.

"Can't give a grade if you've driven me insane!" Her breathing was labored.

Daniel continued to swirl his tongue fractionally against her, 'patiently' waiting.

"An A!" she gasped. "You get an A!" The top mark she issued turned into a groan as he finally dipped his head, his tongue delving fully into her moist folds. A fission of desire so strong it almost hurt coursed through her.

Daniel reveled in the wanton whimpers that greeted his ears as he sucked on the tiny hood to coax out her tiny pearl, the way her voice hitched when he swirled around it, lapping up the essence which his mouth had been watering for. Her nails dug into his shoulders and her breath began to come in short gasps. For the briefest of moments, he contemplated pulling back a second time then quickly vetoed the idea. He didn't think he'd survive his wife's returned 'retribution' if he denied her now. He increased his pace and few seconds later felt her shudder of release. Her song of rapture was a perfect concerto to his ears and his body demanded to join in the final crescendo.

Lights danced behind Annika's eyelids. The intense bolts of absolute pleasure that coursed through her left her trembling, trembling for more. She needed him deep inside her, to feel his throbbing length fill her and pound into her. She started to pull Daniel upwards but before she could form any comprehensible words to express her need, he was rising over her, blue eyes alight with love's burning desire that would not be denied anymore. Riding the crest of her orgasm he slid into her, an animalistic growl mixing with her own moan as their lips met in a passionate, almost rough kiss. Annika wrapped her legs around his waist, loving the way he filled her to bursting.

Daniel usually liked to savor this moment, of feeling her accept all of him, the gentle ripple of her inner muscles as she welcomed him. However all the teasing and erotic tormenting both of them had inflicted had pushed him over the edge. The 'mind games' were over, all that was left was to answer that primal need that had awakened the first time he'd seen her and had only grown stronger with each passing day. And from the way Annika bucked into him, grinding her pelvis against him so there wasn't a millimeter separating their hot skins, he knew her feelings paralleled his.

He drew back until just the tip of him remained being kissed by her outer lips, then thrust back into her. Her husky cry of "Deeper, My Love, deeper," was his undoing. He pounded into her again and again and Annika met him thrust for thrust. It didn't take long before he felt that wonderful tingle tear through his body to converge in his groin. Could feel through that magical bond his wife had created that she was equally close to the pinnacle. With their lips locked, their ensuing cries of climax were expelled into each other's mouths.

Gasping to catch his breath, Daniel managed to roll them onto their sides before his limbs gave totally out, and the pair took a much needed moment to calm the rapid thumping of their hearts, wrapped in each other’s trembling arms.

"So I got an A, huh?" Daniel nuzzled her neck.

"A plus. You're definitely the teacher's pet." She snuggled deeper into his arms. "This place where you got that fantastically frustrating item of lingerie, were there any other creative pieces?"

"Perhaps," he hedged. "Working on a new lesson plan, Mrs Jackson?"

The smile that tilted her lips was coy. "Mid terms are just around the corner. Who knows when a surprise test will be thrown in."

"I'll be sure to study hard," he promised.

With quiet chuckles they crawled under the quilt and happily sated they drifted off to sleep.

Daniel was woken by a muffled thump. His arm automatically went to tighten around Annika but he found the bed empty. Drowsily he blinked around in the grey light of dawn. "Annika?"

There was a tiny giggle that crazily was coming from within the closet. He flicked on the bedside lamp and quietly padded across the room. The light was a dim shaft in the depths of the walk-in robe. On the outskirts of the shadow he saw a body crouched, half hidden behind the hanging clothes. "My Angel, what are you doing?"

Her face peeked out from beneath a coat. "You found me!"

Concerned not only by the fact that his wife was hiding in the closet in the middle of night, but by the childlike pout to her voice, he knelt down to her level. "Why are you hiding?"

"Playing hide and seek, silly!"

"Of course you are, silly me," he reciprocated. His hand gently tilted her chin to get a proper look at her face. Saw a glazed film over her violet depths and recognized it as her being drawn into a vision. "Is there anyone else I have to find?"

"Nope, just me." Her hand grabbed tightly at his, and there was a touch of warning in her grasp. "I'll be hiding better next time."

"I'm sure you will. Why don't you come out from there?"

"Welcome back." He gently tugged her to her feet.

"That was so bizarre." She let him lead her back to their bed. "I was a kid playing games with Lana. We used to play hide and seek all the time."

"So it was a memory?" he asked.

"Seemed to be." She crawled back under the covers.

Daniel slid in beside her. "Have you had a memory do that to you before?"

"Not for years. It used to happen occasionally when I was a teenager, when my visions first started happening." She sighed, "I guess it's a side effect of Lya resetting my abilities. I have to relearn control of everything. I'm sorry."

"For what?" Daniel shifted a little to take up his preferred position of having his wife wrapped up in his arms.

Annika wiggled into his warm body, loving how well they fit together when they spooned. "As if dealing with my visions aren't bad enough, now you've got to put up with my past making unexpected appearances as well."

He placed a tender kiss to the nape of her neck. "Past, present or future, I'll take what I can get and hope for more."

The sigh she gave this time was happily content. "Love you."

"Love you, too," he yawned, drowsiness closing over him.

The pair once again began to nod off. Just as she was drifting between awake and sleep a question popped into her head that wouldn't let her sleep until she asked it. "Daniel?"

"Hmph?"

"You'll always find me, won't you?"

"Hmm...of course, always."

If either of them had been even halfway alert, rather than on the brink of dreaming, they would have wondered why Annika had felt compelled to ask. But they weren't. Sleep closed over them, and neither of them would remember the groggily asked question and equally groggy reply when the sun rose.