Disclaimer: Crusade is owned by JMS and his companies, and by the big bad Warner Brothers Empire, not me.
Rating: G
Spoilers: "And Every Night I Dream of Home" and a tiny one for "The Rules of the Game."
Pairing: Gideon/Lochley
Summary: The missing dinner scene from AENIDOH.
* * * * *
"It's open," Matthew Gideon called.
The door to his quarters slid open to reveal Elizabeth Lochley, dressed in civilian clothing for the time being. She entered the room, allowing the door to close behind her. Matt stood up to greet her. "Hey."
"Hi." She started to limp over to him. Against her mild protestations, he took her arm and led her to a chair at the table near one wall of his quarters. She sat down and reluctantly emitted a sigh of relief at being off of her injured leg. She looked up at Gideon. "So, didja miss me?"
He smiled slightly. "Like hell." She laughed softly in response.
He walked away from the table. Talking over his shoulder as he pulled out plates, he said, "On tonight's menu we have lasagna and Italian bread." He turned back around and continued. "At the rate we're going, we should finish our culinary tour of the world in a few more months."
"I guess so," Lochley replied, a grin spreading across her face. Gideon set the plates down, and they served themselves.
"That was a pretty neat trick you pulled earlier," Elizabeth said after a few minutes of silence, punctuated by clinking silverware, had passed.
"Good thing you figured out what we were doing."
"I like to think I know your tactics pretty well by now." Another smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
"Oh, really?" He sounded flippant, with possibly the hint of a challenge present in his voice.
"Yeah," she replied in kind.
His eyes narrowed slightly. "We'll just have to see about that."
Her smile was enigmatic. "I suppose so."
The dinner passed uneventfully, the conversation concentrating on inconsequential topics or work. It didn't feel like a "date," no matter what Gideon had jokingly called it--those were much more uncomfortable. This, on the other hand... Both Gideon and Lochley felt that this was a supremely enjoyable way to spend an evening.
Eventually, it came time for Elizabeth to return to the temporary quarters she had been assigned. She stood up, thanking Gideon for the meal.
"No problem," he replied. She started to limp toward the door. Before she could get very far, he grabbed her wrist and stopped her. "You shouldn't be walking on that injury."
She raised an eyebrow. "I shouldn't?"
He moved a bit closer to her. "It's not medically sound."
"Really, now." She didn't move away, even though Gideon was well into her personal space.
"I remember Doctor Chambers saying something along those lines when she found out you lead the Starfury attack..." His sentence trailed off as he touched his lips to hers. She returned the kiss eagerly, her arms coming up to entwine around his neck as his went around her back.
It took them awhile before the need for air reasserted itself, and they reluctantly parted. Elizabeth rested her forehead against Matt's shoulder, sighing softly. After a moment, she said, almost in a whisper, "This can't happen again, you know."
"I know," he replied just as softly, his fingers gently weaving themselves among strands of her hair. "Not until we find a cure--"
"Not while I've still got everything going on at B5--"
"Not until we both find some time to have lives." He could feel her smile at that, and he felt his own lips turn up involuntarily.
"I wish it didn't have to be this way."
He swallowed. "Me, too."
She took a shaky breath, then lifted her head. It might have just been the light, but her eyes looked as if there was a sheen of...something on them. "I guess I'd better be going."
"Yeah." He didn't let go, and she didn't make any motion to leave for the long minutes they spent looking at each other.
Finally, she extricated herself from their embrace and began to walk to the door. She felt an arm wrap around her waist, and gratefully accepted the support. "I can at least walk you back to your quarters, can't I?" she heard him ask.
"I can't say as I'd mind," she answered, pleasantly surprised that their time together wasn't over quite yet.
"Glad to hear it." Together, they left the room.
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