It was one of those wonderful late summer, early autumn days. The sun was shinig down from a light-ash-blue sky, framed by a few huge, fluffy cloudes. Her light was of a cold yellow, yet her power was still strong. She warmed the faces of the people and played with the late flowers.
If some trees hadn't already lost their leaves and stood naked among the green ones, it could have been a perfect summer day. Still the air smelled of sweet flowers and birds were singing in the trees. A light breeze played cheerfully with the grass and the rustled leaves of the trees. They landed with clicking sounds on car-tops and the concrete floor of the paths. Altogether it created an athmosphere of peacefulness. The stifling heat of the summer was past and gone and the biting coldness of winter hadn't arrived, yet.
It was a special time of year, which remembered the blonde woman strolling through the park of joyful days she had spent in the almost gone summer. She watched children play and running with the wind. Dogs chased each other and loving couples passed by, unable to see anything but themselves.
She smiled at them and their obliviousness, remembering she once certainly had felt the same. Unconsciously she hugged herself, closing her cardigan with one bottun over her tight t-shirt.
The wind whirled through a pile of dried leaves right of her, letting them dance with him before he went on to stroke through the woman's short hair.
She looked up and realized she had reached her destination. In front of her the little lake of the park stretched itself out, calm, sunspots glittering all over it like stars. Only when the wind got fierce, little waves ruffled the dark surface. Ducks and swans were swimming near the shore, waiting for the breadcrumps an elderly woman was throwing them.
Slowly sunken in her thoughts the blonde woman passed the scene, taking on her favourite walk around the lake. She sighed, wondering how one day could be so peaceful, when the one before was hell.
Her arms folded in front of her body as if to protect her and she slowly walked on. She knew she had to accept what had happened to her and her life, yesterday.
People passing her asked themselves why the beautiful young woman looked so sad.
"Because one of my best friends died."
She passed old, huge trees growing on her right. On her left, the lake lay silent, only sometimes disturbed by a landing duck. She felt she was crying, but now it was okay. She was not working, she could grieve.
"Nothing will be the way it was."
Memories of a happy and too often painful past appeared before her eyes, making her laugh and cry at one time. She sat down on a bench, looking over the lake.
"I should have been there for him a lot more. We alienated from each other. I don't know why this happened."
She closed her eyes.
"Sam?"
The blonde woman gave a little jump. She hadn't expected anybody she knew to be here. This was her favourite place. Her secret hiding place.
"Colonel?"
She looked up at his face. The face she had learned to read so easily in the last five years. It showed sorrow, grieve and maybe regret. The sparkle in the deep brown eys was gone.
"Have a seat?" she invited him, although she came here to be alone. Silent, he accepted.
The couple who one the one side knew each other more than they knew themselves and yet on the other side hadn't even began to get each other to know, sat in silence , staring over the lake, hanging in their own thoughts. They tried to understand, to deal.
"I miss him already," she finally whispered.
The elder man's shoulders sank and he lowered his eyes. Slowly he nodded, admitting "Yeah, me too."
She didn't know what to say to him. Yet she spoke. "Do you think he'll come back ? One day?" She turned her face around and found him looking at her.
"I don't know." And after a pause he added. "So didn't he."
Suddenly she smiled. "I'm sure he will. Remember as we had travelled back to 1969 and then to the future? Cassie told us she barly recognized him with hair."
He looked up at her again, this time hope shining in his eyes. A little smile hushed over his face. "He always come back, remember?"
The couple smiled at each other. Then, the woman slowly looked away, undoing the button of her cardigan and pulling it off. The sun shone down from the sky and she grew warm.
"Maybe he's watching us right now?"
The man nodded towards the lake. "Yeah." He turned to face her, telling her in a low voice. "I'm sure that's what he wanted. But." he searched for words. ".I was an asshole sometimes." He lowered his head and investigated the little twig his hands were playing with.
"He knew you didn't mean it that way, sir."
"I learned a lot from him."
She nodded. This was unlike for him. For them. Usually, they didn't talk about private things. But then she remembered as they thought they'd lost their friend in a fire, four years ago. He was there for her back then.
"Would you like to walk a little?" she suggested.
He nodded and they got up. They slowly passed other couples and mothers with their children. Once in a while they stooped and he bent down to pet a dog. After a while walking side by side in silence he stopped again. They stood in a little wood, sheltered from the eyes of other people.
"Sam," he started, paused and after taking a supportive breath continued. "One thing I learned from Daniel was that you should risk everything for the person you..love. And that you shouldn't waste any time because you never know what's going to happen to you the following day."
They stood side by side. He, left of her, stared at the grass, his hands buried in his pockets. She looked at him.
"Sir." He looked up, raising one hand. "Carter, I'm just saying." His guesture showing apology and retreat. His eyes, however, speaking the truth.
".and I'm just saying that I know what you mean. That's what I realised, too."
The hand of his signalling retreat seconds ago, now slowly reached out to take hold of hers.
The wind tenderly stroked the couple that awkwardly stood in front of each other. They dreaded to do the next step but knew they couldn't go back. Because their life had changed yesterday with the death of their friend. They grieved, they wourned and they would do so the following weeks and months. But a this moment they silently agreed to life their lives like their friend did. Not wasting any moment with regrets when they could love instead.
He slowly tokk one step closer, his right hand holding her left, his thump tenderly stroking. He raised his left hand and cupped her cheek. His eyes searched hers for a 'no' but he saw her wetting her lips nervously instead
The wind seemed to hold his breathe as they slowly crossed the distance between them. The hestitated for one second, their lips almost touching, the need for contact burning inside their bodies. Finally their lips met for the first sweet and shy kiss. She moved her hand up his body and rested it on his chest. They broke apart and he looked at her. His lips forming a sheepish grin and his eyes challenging her for more. But also making sure she was okay. She smiled back and mover her hand further up his body to his neck to draw him near. This time they kissed, losing each other and the world. Not breaking the kiss, he let go of her hand and embraced her instead, holding her firm yet tender, enjoying the so needed feel of closeness. Of taste and the softness of their mouths.
Two teenage boys came jogging by, whistling and howling in encouragement. The couple broke apart, smiling she asked. "What are you doing here anyway?"
He smiled down at her. "Daniel once told me you came here when you need to think."
She nodded. And then hugged him tighter, placing her head at his neck. She could hear him moan lightly and she heard hersleve sigh in relief.
A ray of sunlight fell through the forest, the wind blew through the trees. The new season had begun. The season of fall.
*Fin*
Story Notes: Aaand another story I've written after Meridian.Uhm. Short one, sappy probably but I needed some ship. (Watched Buffy-the Musical yesterday. they kissed they kissed..Yay!) Anyways, hope you like it.
To Sam. And Sandra and all the wonderful people I met at the Gatedays! *big hug*
FEEDBACK: Begging! Imploring! Pleeeeaaaasssseeee!
© Jennifer Renner 2002
To Sam. And Sandra and all the wonderful people I met at the Gatedays! *big hug*
FEEDBACK: Begging! Imploring! Pleeeeaaaasssseeee!
© Jennifer Renner 2002
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc, are the property of their respective owners. Any original characters and plots are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. ... [ read more ]