November 6^th

After leaving Jack’s office Daniel found Calla with Colleen, Sandy, Lilly and Ares. “Well isn’t this a nice family portrait?” Daniel asked as he stood in the doorway.

“Hello, Beautiful.” Calla said with a smile and rose from her Daughter’s bed side. “Everything ready for them to come home tomorrow?”

“All set.” Daniel told her and then took her aside. “I was thinking that since they won’t come home until tomorrow and they should have some time alone before then…I thought…that…maybe you might like to go back Scotland for the night? We’ll come back tomorrow.”

Biting cautiously on her bottom lip she turned to look at Colleen over her shoulder. “I think they’ll be all right, don’t you?”

“I’m sure of it.”

“Let’s go.”

“Hey, Ares, can I see you for a minute?” Daniel asked with some hesitation. If he was going to do his best to make whatever amends necessary with his father in-law he might as well start now. Daniel and Ares walked outside while Calla told Colleen that they were leaving but that everything was ready for their homecoming tomorrow. She didn’t dare say they were going back to Scotland for just this one night, Sandy was still ignorant about the ancestry of his soon-to-be new family. She kissed Colleen and Lilly before leaving the room.

“Daniel says you want me to take you back to Scotland for the night.” Ares said. “Is that true?”

Calla thought about it for a moment. “I’d like to try. I think I can do it. I mean I don’t think we’ll end up in Afghanistan or anything like that.”

“You sure you feel up to this, Kitty?” Daniel asked with some hesitation. She nodded.

“I’ll follow,” Ares said and then quickly added, “just in case.”

“I can do this, Father.” Calla assured him. “You’ll come by…..”

“Sunday,” Daniel interjected. “We’re having a homecoming party on Sunday.”

“Well, thanks for the invitation.” Ares intoned. “I will be there.” He bent down and kissed Callas’ head. “You’ve done some excellent work lately.” Suddenly his nostrils flared and his onyx eyes rolled as he let out a heavy sigh. “Oh Callestah tell me that’s not…..”

“Duncan.” She said before he could finish. “He stopped by to see us yesterday.”

“Tell me he isn’t coming to the gathering.”

“Father, don’t be so rude, it’s been a long time since the two of you were in the same room.”

“Yes and I’d like to keep it that way.” Ares huffed.

“He might come for Christmas, do you think you can tolerate that?” Calla asked with a smile. “You have over a month to get used to the idea.”

“I’ll mull it over.” Ares told her, smiled and then faded from sight.

“Well, what do you say?” Calla said as she turned to Daniel. “Trust me?” She held out her hands.

“Always.” Daniel put his hands in hers and they too disappeared from the SGC only to reappear on the cobblestone path leading to the back door of their new home. “Good work.” Daniel complimented. “I see you’re feeling much better.”

“Oh, yes, much.” Calla cooed with a grin and opened the door.

“Ah, wait.” Daniel said and she turned back to him. He scooped her up in his arms.

“What are you doing?”

“Carrying the bride across the threshold.” Daniel told her and walked through the door.

“You’re silly, we’ve been married seven…”

“Eighteen.” He corrected. “I know we spent the last anniversary apart so what do you say we make up for that?” Daniel suggested.

“I like that idea.”

“Good.” Daniel settled her on her feet as they passed through the kitchen. “So then why don’t you go upstairs and have a long bath and I’ll find something for us to nibble on. We’re bound to get hungry.” He said in a coy voice.

“Oh, yes I’m sure.” Calla agreed. “But…you know…I have a few things you might like to nibble on.”

“Ah-huh, you do.” Daniel brushed her hair passed her shoulders and his lips over hers. “Go on, I’ll be up very soon.” He watched her walk up the stairs with an appreciative stare before wandering into the kitchen.

Calla drew a hot bath and looked through the suitcase while the tub filled. Judging by the clothing that had been packed for her no one expected a romantic interlude. There wasn’t a single pretty nightgown, pair of lacy panties or bra to be seen, nothing with which to entice him. Just a bunch of big T-shirts and some blue jeans. Not very alluring.

The bath ready she stripped her clothes off, brushed her teeth and then climbed in. Enveloped in the warm water she felt some of her cares and apprehensions slip away. Calla was completely unsure of the strength of Colleens’ magick and wondered whether or not the night would end ‘successfully’—as Dr. Munsch might put it. All she could do was hope for the best.

Downstairs in the kitchen Daniel was nervously putting together a tray of finger foods for them to snack on; crackers, cheese, grapes and a few other goodies. Some times, Kitty liked to have a cup of ice cream after they made love, he opened the freezer to be sure there was some there. Yep, fudge ripple a favorite of hers and Nicholas. He’d come down and get it later if she wanted it and he was sincerely hoping she would because that was always a good sign.

Last night, Duncan had fresh flowers on the dining room table and several bouquets in the living room. Daniel took the flowers from their vases, put them into one big vase and then put them on the tray.

Upstairs he put the tray down by the bed, stoked the fire and lit the candles in the bedroom. Looking around it all seemed romantic and warm, almost perfect. All that was needed was the two of them. It’s been so long, I hope I remember how this goes. Daniel took the coverlet from the bed and laid it out by the fire with some of the bed pillows. Turning to the flowers he brought with him he took two red roses and snapped the heads off, Daniel scattered the rose petals on the blanket. Feeling like a teenager on the night of Senior Prom Daniel walked into the bathroom where Calla had candles glowing around the tub, which was set into a big bay window over looking the gardens and the cliffs beyond. Outside the window, thick tendrils of ivy grew in the stone giving it a secret garden feel.

Calla, her hair wet, and her little body glowing in the steam and candle light, was staring out the window gazing at the sun setting over the sea. Daniel wished he could freeze this moment so that he could always keep it close to his heart.

“You didn’t give me time to finish.” She protested as she turned around to look at him.

“I thought I might join you. Do you mind?” He asked quietly as he sprinkled the other handful of rose petals over her hair and into the warm water with a sly smile.

Calla blushed at the small romantic gesture. “No. The tub is very big.” She moved her hands around in the air to show him the space available to them. “Come in with me.”

Daniel was so hoping she was going to say that, he undressed and climbed in with her. “It’s been a while since we did this.” The tub was very large indeed, he stretched out all the way and still had room.

“Too long.” Calla moved her body between his legs, held her arms out to him and took him in her embrace. “Far too long.”

“Yeah,” Daniel said. “Pretty exciting day, huh?”

“Isn’t Lilly beautiful?” Calla asked and reached for the soap. “She’s really quite something.”

“Like her Mother and her Grandmother.” Daniel snickered. “Grandma.”

“Grandpa.” She returned with a smile.

“Ya know,” Daniel said as he took the soap from her hand and motioned for her to turn around, “I don’t think my grandma looked anything like you. You’re too young to be someone’s grandmother? I don’t believe it.” He slid the bar of scented soap across her alabaster skin.

“Oh why thank you.”

Daniel waited a moment but she didn’t say anything more. “You’re supposed to tell me that I don’t look old enough to be someone’s grandfather.”

“I know.” She quipped turning to look at him from over her shoulder. “But...I don’t like to lie.”

Kitty was feeling much better. “Oh, I see, we’re gonna play that way, huh? OK, ok, I’ll remember that.” He threatened playfully.

Calla turned around in his arms. “No matter how long you live, you’ll never be old in my eyes. You will always be young and handsome.” She nuzzled with him a moment, cheek to cheek and then pulled away. “Besides, you certainly don’t look like my grandfather.”

Daniel smiled. “Yeah, well, I’m not that old.” Calla turned around again and lay against him with the back of her head on his chest. “I’ve still got a few tricks up my sleeve, you know?”

She giggled. “I hope so, forever is a long time and you promised we wouldn’t get bored.”

“No chance.”

“Do you really think so?” The playfulness was gone from her voice now but she didn’t turn around to look at him. “Do you think we can spend that much time together and still be in love?”

Zeus couldn’t. Ares couldn’t. Aphrodite couldn’t. Neither could Kanan or Eros. Duncan didn’t have a wife. So as far Calla knew, eventually, everyone left everyone else. Daniel took her left hand up in his and gazed at her shorter fingernails. They weren’t the only things different about that hand. “I’d be the ranch on it.”

“Daniel?”

“Yes.”

“Are we still married? Legally I mean.” She asked.

“We are,” Daniel told her. “I know I served you with a divorce suit but I didn’t go through with it, Kitty.” He was still looking down at that left hand. Something was definitely missing. “Stay here.”

“Where are you going?” She protested as he climbed out of the tub.

“I’ll be right back.” In a few moments he was, Daniel was climbing back into the bath behind her. He’d never taken his ring off but, no doubt, Hartley insisted she remove hers. It was good that Colleen found it and brought it back along with the emerald and diamond ring he’d given her one long ago Christmas. “I think this is yours.” Daniel took her hand up again and held out the gold wedding band. “Mind if I put it back where it belongs?”

“No.” She turned her head to look up at him. “Are you sure?”

“Positive.” Daniel said. “Let’s see…I, Daniel, take thee Callestah to be my lawfully wedded wife,” he began to slide the ring onto her finger. “To have and to hold, to love and to cherish, for richer or poorer, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, to death do us part.” The slender gold band slid home. He held his left hand next to hers to gaze at the bands. “A perfect match just like us.”

“You put up with an awful lot from me, Daniel.”

Though he couldn’t see her face he heard the tears in her voice. “No sweat.” Somehow, in the end, that’s exactly how he felt about it. Maybe that was how so many women bore more than one child. They forgot about the agony of labor and all those months of preparation once that little bundle of joy was laid in their arms and it was all worthwhile and more. Hartley and all of it, it was over, all in the past and they had a bright future ahead of them one filled with grandchildren and great-grandchildren, which would delight her to no end. Him too for that matter. They’d come through another storm and while they did get lost from each other for a little while when they sun broke they were standing side by side. Nothing was sweeter than that. Daniel slid the emerald and diamond ring on her finger. There, now everything was where it should be.

“You’re supposed to kiss the bride.” She coaxed with a grin as she turned around to face him, her bare breasts pressed against his bare chest in the warm water.

“Ah, I am? I knew I was forgetting something.” Daniel bent his head to kiss his wife. The only thing sweeter than having her back was the taste of her lips on his, sweeter than the finest Nectar the Gods could make. It made his mouth water and his cock tingle. Callas’ pert little breasts heaved against as she pulled herself closer. It was as though the Connection between was never severed, no now it was burning bright as a beacon cutting through a dark cold night.

“I’m so lost without you.” She admitted.

“Me too. So let’s not do that ever again, ok? I don’t think my heart can take it.”

“There’s nothing wrong with your heart.” Calla cooed and laid her head on his chest to listen to the sound of his heartbeat. Daniels’ arms wrapped around her. Home. Finally. Home. Such a long rocky road but I’m Home now. “But yes let’s never do that again…just to be safe.”

Daniel didn’t want to broach the subject and ruin the moment but it had been a while. “How are you?” He asked. “Any…cravings?”

“Other than for you, no.”

“You can tell me if you do, you know, its ok.” Looking down at her, Callas’ eyes were clear and bright.

“Not a one.” She assured him. “I will tell you I promise.”

“Good ‘cause it’s one of the things that I’m here for.” Daniel told her.

“Just one?” She purred. “What might some of the others be?”

Daniel laughed. “Ready to get out of this tub?” Calla bit down on her lower lip and nodded. “C’mon.” Daniel stood up and retrieved a towel for her it was chilly in here. “We’ll warm up by the fire.”

End of Chapter One
Tarnished Heroes: Keep the Fire Burning
Continue to
Chapter Two