At Lance’s words, the laughter and light died in her eyes, and she suddenly moved away from him with a sigh. Then after a long moment, she looked back up at him again and cupped his face in her hands, looking into his eyes with gray eyes darkened by sadness. "Lance, I… I can’t. I’m sorry if… if that disappoints you. But… I just… can’t. I have to… I have to go back to Merion."
He sighed heavily. "I was afraid you would say
that," he said sadly. "I’m two years too late – "
Her eyes glittered angrily. "Don’t be an idiot,
Hawke," she said testily, taking him by the shoulders and shaking him a
little. "For some strange reason I cannot begin to understand, I still
love you. I love you so much it almost makes me physically ill with happiness
to be with you."
"Then stay with me. Here, on Arus."
"I can’t do that, don’t you understand?" She glared at him, removing her hands from his shoulders and throwing them to the air in exasperation. "Would you go back to Merion with me tomorrow?" she challenged.
He raked a hand through his hair in frustration.
"You know I can’t do that – I have job here that I can’t possibly leave.
The team needs me."
"They same way that I’m still needed on Merion
," she said quietly. She moved closer to him and slowly caressed his cheek.
"If I had a choice, Lance, there’s nothing I want more than to be with
you, but that’s simply not possible right now."
"But Jael –"
She placed a finger on his lips to silence him. "Jael isn’t ready yet. I’m the only defense system they have on Merion – and with the weapons and communications system you’ve installed on the Falcon, I’m good enough a fighter to hold attackers off long enough for you to still have something to defend when you get there," she said, pleading with him with her eyes. "We were both trained as warriors. You know I’m right."
He was looking at her with a small grin, at the fire and the passion in her voice, the calm confidence she exuded. "To think I’d almost forgotten how arrogant you are," he murmured under his breath, earning a scorching glare from her. "And how hot-headed," he added with a chuckle. Then he sighed. "Why do you have to make so much damned sense?"
"As I said, Hawke, you’re always all mouth and no brain," she drawled, embracing him. All of sudden, she looked uncertainly up at him. "Will you… will you wait for me?" she asked softly.
"Are you kidding? I’ve been waiting for you most of my life - what's another year or two?" he said, kissing the top of her head tenderly. "Besides, Merion is only five hours away. We can always visit."
"I love you," she said, laying her head on his chest again.
"Now – what was that you were saying about being physically ill with happiness?"
Sam looked up at him indignantly, but her eyes
were twinkling. "Don’t hold me to that one, Hawke – I was just trying to
make you feel better," she denied crisply just before his lips were on
hers, and she could no longer speak. And they stood that way for a long
time, looking as one, silhouetted against a million stars.
The entire team, along with Nanny, stood at the docking bay where the repaired, refurbished Falcon Fighter was waiting for Samantha to board late the next morning.
"Thank you so much – for everything," Samantha said, turning to all of them with a grateful smile. "You’ve given us so much."
Nanny stepped forward and gave Samantha a hug. "Ah, dear girl, it was no problem," she said. "It was wonderful to have another girl in my care even for a while and I have hope that you will return to Arus someday soon."
Pidge shot Lance a mischievous look. "I’m sure Sam will be back often, Nanny, if one person here has anything to do with it," he said with a giggle. He approached Sam as soon as Nanny had released her, pointing to his cheek. "Gimme a goodbye kiss before you go?"
"Hey, hey!" Lance said with a laugh, standing apart from the group and watching the proceedings with amusement. "Go find someone of your own!"
"You’re not married yet," Pidge pointed out. Sam obliged him by planting a small kiss on his cheek, casting Lance a teasing sidelong glance. Hunk silently stepped forward with a hopeful smile on his face, and Sam gave him a kiss, too.
The Princess hugged her next. "Sam, do visit us again soon," she said, moving down to whisper in her ear. "And I’m glad that you and Lance have finally worked things out. Are you happy?"
Sam nodded, smiling gratefully into her eyes. "Beyond belief," she said softly. "Thank you for everything, Allura. And let me say you’re one of the best pilots I’ve ever flown with. Keith’s trained you well."
Allura moved away with a pleased surprised expression
on her face, blushing lightly at Samantha’s praise.
Keith had moved forward to clasp Samantha’s hand
in his. "It was good to see you again, Sam-sam," he said, eyes twinkling.
"Glad to hear my stubborn friend finally got the message this time around."
Sam looked at him in surprise. "You knew, didn’t you?" she said, with dawning knowledge.
He winked at her. "Fly well," he said. "You’re still one of the best."
"And so are you, Captain Montgomery," she said, then cast a sidelong glance at the Princess. "Make sure you don’t blow it this time, okay?" She was rewarded by a wide-eyed look of surprise from him, and it was her turn to wink. They both laughed.
"Come on guys, let’s leave the lovebirds some time alone," Hunk teased, using his bulk to herd everyone out, just the way Lance had instructed him to do when he took him aside before breakfast. They all laughed at Samantha’s blush and allowed Hunk to shoo them out of the docking bay. Hunk stuck his head back in the gates. "Remember, Lance, you owe me tonight’s dessert. Bye, Sam, see you soon!"
Lance sauntered over to her, looking at the ceiling and whistling innocently as he casually drew her into his arms. "The world would be a better place if all people limited their greed to food the way Hunk does," he said conversationally.
Sam looked up at him with a disbelieving grin. "They all know already?" she asked, the blush lingering becomingly on her cheeks.
He laughed. "Nothing escapes them – don’t you remember, it was part of our training at the Academy, Nosiness 101," he quipped, earning a laugh from her as he kissed the tip of her nose. He looked down at her eyes thoughtfully. "Sure you aren’t going to change your mind? I can get in my Lion in less than five minutes at your command."
Sam sobered. "I wish I could say yes, Lance, but –"
"I know, I know," he said sighing. "Can’t blame a guy for trying, though." He traced the line of her cheek with his finger, never taking his eyes off her face.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Memorizing the way you look at this moment," he said with a solemn smile, before holding her close to him. "I love you, Sam. Promise to spend the rest of your life with me?"
"When there’s peace," she promised. He kissed her then, tenderly, lingering for long, endless moments that ended for them all too soon. "I’ll miss you."
"I’ll miss you more," he said. Lance finally let
her go, and she nimbly jumped into the cockpit of the Falcon, levering
herself up for a long moment to look at him, then blew him a kiss and disappeared
into the ship. Lance stood at the docking bay long after her ship had blasted
off and was finally out of sight, leaving her promise with him to fill
his heart with hope.
A Second Chance -- A Moonlit Idyll: An Epilogue