DISCLAIMER: The story, and characters and anything and everything else concerning SG: SG1 belong to MGM, Gekko, Secret Productions etc, they are so not mine and no money is being made from this and no copyright infringement is intended, absolutely none what so ever.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: The painting on Sam's tank was purely inspired by Pink Rabbit's "Holding Amazons" by use of permission of the artist. You can see her beautiful illustration on her wonderful site Pink Rabbit Productions. All credit to painting goes to Barb aka Pink Rabbit, including the title of the painting. This story takes place sometime during second season. Also on the LOTS list a pic of Janet's bike can be seen in the photo's section.
SPOILERS: mild one for In the Line of Duty and Prisoners
ARCHIVE: Only with the permission of the author.

Leather
By Elizabeth Carter

Sam was going to be off world at P3X775 for the next few days while doing a reconnaissance mission. Janet was going to miss her terribly, but she had hoped it was enough time to do what she wanted for her lover. This year was extremely special because two months ago Sam had been taken over by Jolinar. For weeks after the incident of the forced blending the lanky blonde had shut herself off, retreating into herself. The general had been forced to give Sam two weeks down time because of the blending and because Janet wouldn't declare the young Captain fit for duty.

The trip to P3X775 was supposed to be an easy mission so Janet allowed the Captain to pass her pre-Jump physical, despite the fact that Janet had reservations. She had asked Teal'c to discreetly watch over Samantha. If any one could be the silent type about watching over a teammate it would be the Goliath form of the former Jaffa. Teal'c had vowed he would not allow harm to come to Captain Carter, and for that he had the tiny doctor's eternal gratitude. Of course Janet took the opportunity of Sam's absence to arrange something special for her lover for Valentines Day.

Janet had a good friend who was a fine artist, someone that she had known since Basic. Eowyn Tapping had served her four years in the USAF, then gone a different direction. Tapping was not career material and the petite woman would be the first to admit it. She was an artist and far too spontaneous, impetuous and carefree to stay in for life. Instead, the young artist had gained her doctorate and gone into teaching art appreciation and art history at the Air Force Academy as a civilian consultant.

"Would you stop?" the redhead said, looking up from the work bench she was currently hunched over, working on a Harley gas tank with an airbrush. "You're making me nervous." Eowyn was actually shorter than Janet by two inches. Her hair color was a bit more red, but even their build was similar, though Eowyn was a little less endowed in the chest region. They could have been sisters, but their relationship was not familiar in that respect. They had been lovers and remained friends after they split up. The break up was mutual, as the military had decided to post them in opposite areas of the world and for four years Eowyn had been stationed in England, then Kuwait.

"Does Sam put up with your hyperactivity, Energizer? Look, you gave me a week and I'm nearly finished, but not if you distract me," Eowyn teased, watching Janet pace the confines of the artist's studio. Eowyn was one of the first to call Janet 'Energizer Bunny' but she wouldn't be the last.

"A little better than you did, Fidget," the doctor grinned. Eowyn had gained her nickname because of her habit of picking something up, anything, and didgeting with it. It was a habit that didn't necessarily bother Janet since she could become 'busy' herself, and besides it was good tolerance training for putting up with another's little idiosyncrasies. Sam was just as much of a fidgeter as Janet's former girlfriend.

"So....She must be pretty special," Eowyn commented. "She is beautiful."

"She is very special," Janet grinned brightly. "Sam's an astrophysicist."

"And a flygirl?"

Janet grinned. "Yep, she's stationed at the same base as me."

"Up at that Mountain," Eowyn said. Of course, all she knew of Cheyenne Mountain Complex was that NORAD was located there. Having been in the Air Force Academy hospital a few times, the young artist knew that her former lover had an office there was well. "All hush hush."

"Sorry, Fidget.."

"No big," the artist shrugged her shoulders. "Good to see you happy. Been worried since that whole fiasco with Dick-head."

Janet rolled her eyes. "Don't remind me. It was the three longest years of my life. Did I ever thank you for being there for the divorce?"

The redhead winked. "Oh yeah. We got stone-drunk and it was the last time we had a tumble 'for old-times sake.' You wanted to get the feel of him off of you forever, so you asked me to help. Only too glad to oblige."

Janet blushed.

"I still can't believe you tolerated "Honey-buns." God, how degrading."

The doctor shrugged. "It didn't last long."

"Sam call you anything?"

"Well, somehow she picked Energizer Bunny. And there's the regular, Hon, Babe, Love, Lover, Jan, Baby-girl."

"Baby-girl?" Eowyn rose an eyebrow. "That's just as bad as Honey-Buns. Worse. It comes from a woman who should know better."

"It's not why you think, Eowyn. In case you hadn't noticed, I'm not that tall."

"Talking to the choir, here, Babe," the artist said as she put the finishing touches on her painting.

Both snickered. "Then why."

"Because I'm a girl and I'm petite. She doesn't say it often and I don't mind it coming from her. Her voice is always so soft when she says it. Anyone else I'd hate it. But mostly its Babe or Love. And I have endearments for her too."

"Sam...let me guess...Sammy?"

"Well, not often, I can't believe she let me." Janet shrugged as if she hadn't understood why Sam would allow her name to be so sophomorically spoken.

"Looking from the pictures you gave me to go on, she appears to have a very strong will, and a sharp mind."

"Certified genius. I am not kidding you, she's more than brilliant."

"Don't count yourself out, Energizer, your one smart cookie yourself. I've seen your talents with all that medical stuff. Hell, I wouldn't get it if I spent sixteen years in school."

"You hold a doctorate," Janet pointed out.

"Ohhh yes, in art history, a Masters in fine art. Not your rocket scientist— brilliant physician type. But I have my moments," the redhead winked. "Science is fascinating but not my cup of tea. Now give me a paint brush, or an airbrush, and I am your woman. I am good."

Janet gazed at the portraits on the tank's sides. "Better than good, Fidget. You're a genius in your own realm. This is so beautiful! Thank you." Janet's dark eyes became glossy.

"Hey, none of that...you'll get all racoon eyes and this Sam will come hunting me for making you cry," Eowyn teased lightly, feeling a little embarrassed she had reduced her old friend to tears. Humor was always her defense mechanism against anything that made her uneasy.

Janet hugged her friend. "Oh, I can distract her. She'll be too busy to come hunting you."

"You can say that again. Why do you think I called you Energizer Bunny? Because you get hyped on too much coffee? Think again, Sherlock. You're eyes and those physician's fingers can make anyone ...what is it you said once...Libidinous? "

Now it was Janet's turn to blush. "So what do I owe you for this?" she desperately tried to change the subject.

"What! You think I am going to talk about the sordid topic of coin with you? Not bloody likely. Take me out for brunch one of these days and we call it even."

"Eowyn...."

"Janet, I am not the 'starving artist' you knew in Basic, okay? I make a good living teaching and I make a handsome amount traveling the Renaissance Festivals, selling my 'babes in leather with swords' on the leather canvases. I am fine, and besides, your money would be too weird to take. However, I can have lunch on you and not feel odd."

"A deal." Janet said. "Speaking of Babes on leather..."

"Yeah, I got it finished too," Eowyn said, walking past Janet to another corner of her studio. Taking down a leather biker jacket the young artist handed it to her taller woman. "Here you go."

Janet looked at the jacket and saw something that troubled her. What she had wanted was a painting of Sam with blonde wings poised in a unique manor, not...not herself with rainbow wings holding up a glowing Caduceus. Above it in scripted calligraphy was 'Goddess of Mercy' and below it was 'Analog'

"Eowyn what's this? It's beautiful but its not what I asked for."

"Oh. Fuck me." The redhead snatched the jacket back. "Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!"

"Eowyn?' Janet placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "What?"

"Your Sam found me through the yellow pages of 'The Source'."

"The Gay Community Directory, yeah I know it. I didn't know you had an ad in it."

"Yep, for a while now. Any way, she found me, knowing I did fantasy and exotic artwork and asked me to paint a portrait of her girlfriend on a jacket. She ...wants to give it to you for Valentines Day. I pretended I didn't know you, and said it wouldn't be a problem. God, Janet, just act surprised when you see it okay? She was so cute, all giddy when she planned this. She had this melt-your-heart-Cheshire grin on her face, you wouldn't believe to have seen it. God, I fell in love."

Janet smirked. "You and a thousand others, but she's mine."

"She's a keeper, Jan. But please..it would break her heart knowing I ruined the surprise for her."

"I think I can act a little..." The doctor traced her hand over the magnificent portrait of herself. "It's beautiful."

Eowyn grinned. "She's right. You are a Goddess of Mercy. She is so in love with you, you know. You two are perfect for one another. She meshes with you more than I ever did. Granted, we had great sex and a pretty good relationship, but she's born for you, Janet."

The petite doctor gathered her friend into her arms and hugged her. "Thank you, Fidget. Love you."

"Back atcha, Doc." The artist kissed her friend on the cheek, then turned back to the easels and grabbed a second leather jacket. "Here, this is the one you want."

This one depicted the scene Janet had fantasized over, a winged Sam nearly nude straddling her Indian in an almost lazy manor looking at the 'camera' with a very coy expression. The t-shirt the painted Sam was wearing was pink with the word 'LOVE' printed upon it. It was just like the photo Janet had given Eowyn to base the painting on. 'Angelic Knight' had been scripted on the top, and a second scroll on the bottom reading 'Gravity Girl'

"She's going to love it," Janet said, lost in the painting. 'Fidget, you are a genius with a paintbrush."

The artist grinned. "We aim to please. Hey, you better get that cute arse of yours back home there 'Analog.' You can take it now, but wait to put in on tomorrow. It shouldn't take long to put the tank on if you know what you're doing, but hey, watch the paint-job." Another wide smile.

"Got it." Janet hugged her friend closely. "And thank you."

"Would you get out of here already?" Eowyn teased. "I got junk to do."

The two shared a warm laugh before saying their final goodbyes.


It had been a bad day, in fact it had been a bad week all around for a young blonde captain. She and her team had been taken captive on P3X775 and sent to Hadante, a penal world. They had zero tolerance for crime and a minor infraction like accidentally helping an escaped prisoner and trespassing had gained SG-1 the life sentence. SG-9, under Major Kovacek, and General Hammond had tried to talk with the tribunal to free SG-1 but the xenophobic aliens would not hear of a reprieve. SG-1 was condemned and would have to find a way to escape by themselves.

Of course the most powerful person on Hadante, was an elderly woman SG-1 befriended , but who turned out not to be as she seemed. Sam had been blinded by Linea's brilliance and the discovery of organic cold fusion. After making the gate work by manual dial up and utilizing the organic fusion they gated to P2A509 and met up with Makepeace and SG-3. Then they gated home.

Linea had made a deal. SG-1 was to take her with them and in return she would show then the secrets of the Organic Cold fusion. But nothing is ever that cut and dried in the worlds beyond the Stargate. Linea turned out to be none other than 'The Destroyer of Worlds'. She had escaped the SGC with a series of gate addresses, leaving only a cryptic message. 'All debts have now been paid."

Sam never felt so stupid, and so taken in, in all her adult life. It had been a crappy week on a very dirty planet and dust was everywhere. Even after a third shower, the tall blonde still felt grimy and dusty. No, she felt grimy for letting the Destroyer of Worlds escape. She wanted to go home, wanted to crawl into her bed and sleep a week, preferably cuddled up to a diminutive doctor.

Sargent Siler caught the captain in the hall, matching his strides with hers. "Captain, it's finished. While you were away, I took the liberty of fitting the knuckle-heads on, since that was the last thing left." 'Sly' Siler of course, was referring to the custom bike Sam was building, often with Sly's aid. The Bike had originally belonged to Sly but he had sold it to Sam, or rather traded it to her for her restored Electra-Glide. The Black beast was one of Harley's larger bikes. Once Sam had seen the bike that was called Smooth Mama Dragon, she fell in love. The bike was completely custom built from the frame up. And it was a beauty with its streamline frame looking as if it was from the forties rather than the 90's, but it was what Sam wanted.

"Thanks, Sargent., It's ready."

"Yep, the artist you hired had the paint job done while you were ...er offworld. Purple with green flames....not your typical style, Captain."

"Nope." The blonde smiled

"Does the paint job have anything to do with the lowering kit we put on two weeks a go."

"Yep."

"Yep?" Sly rose his brown eyebrows.

"Yep." Sam smirked.

"You're not telling me, but I get the feeling you're not keeping 'Smooth Mama.'

"Nope."

"You put a lot into it...."

"Sly.... It's a gift."

"That's one hell of a gift, Carter." Siler slipped into the normal garage banter he had with the blonde. They had become good friends over the fact they loved their bikes and helped each other out putting them back together, tweaking them and whatever other mechanical maintenance was necessary. When the Captain used 'Sly,' he knew it was okay to simply call the superior officer by her sir-name.

"It's for a very good friend of mine. And if this individual has one of their own, they might not go into a tirade about the dangers of riding."

To this, Siler laughed. 'So the doc is riding Carter's case is she?' "I'll ride 'Smooth Mama Dragon' to your house and pick up the Electra Glide."

"Sounds good, mind the paint job,"

"Don't worry, Captain, I'll baby her.'


Janet had enlisted a friend by the name of Stacey who was a Harley mechanic to help her with the tank-swap. They had finished and Janet was cleaning up in the house, when Stacey's cell pone rang.

"It's your quarter, my minutes you're waisting, so speak up," the young mechanic said in greeting.

"Stace, it's Sam. I need you to do me a favor."

"Name it."

"You know the bike I was building?"

Stacey looked over her shoulder to make sure that Janet was no where in the vicinity. Seeing that the coast was clear she turned her attention back the phone. "Yeah, Blondie, the one you asked at flyby for help rather than me."

"Look, Stacey, you know why all that time with an old-flame ....."

"Yeah, yeah," the all brunette amazon chuckled, "not a cozy scene, I get it. So what, it's finished?"

"Yeah, Siler is going to drop it off soon at my house. Can you met him? I gave him the keys to my garage and to the Electra-Glide....He's taking it in trade."

Stacey paled as she looked at the beautifully painted tank on the bike. "Sam....hon ...us, we gotta talk."

"What?" Sam's voice now had an edged concern to it.

"You can't do that!"

"Stace, it's a fair trade. 'Smooth Mama' was fully custom made, the Harley is..."

"No, no. You don't get it....Your girl, she did something for you, something so sweet."

"What?"

"She did a little custom job on her own. I'm here at your place now, helping her with the tank-swap. I recognize the work. She went to Tapping."

"That artist?" Sam was surprised.

"Yeah, the same one you hired for her jacket and that bike....Sam, God, you won't believe it. It should be hanging in the Louver. You can't give this Siler the bike."

There was a long pause.

"Sam...Come on, Fly-girl, Doc Holiday I think wanted something for you for Valentine's day. She had no idea you were selling the bike. Don't be mad..."

"I'm not mad." There was a hitch in the blonde's voice.

"You're crying."

"No I'm not."

"Flygirl, we were together for a little over a year, I know you. You're swooning," the brunette smiled.

"Give the keys to the Indian to him."

"SAM!"

"Just do it," the other woman insisted. "I owe him for getting 'Smooth Mama Dragon' and helping build her. I could pay him in cash but the deal was a bike for a bike. The Indian needs a little work but he can take her in trade."

"God, Flygirl you have it bad for her."

"You have no idea."


Sam made one more stop before she returned home. She had to stop by Tapping's Studio to collect Janet's new leather jacket. She was thrilled to have something just as beautiful to give Janet as she suspected she had waiting for her back home. Sam loved the fidgety artist's work. The flame job on the bike was nothing in comparison to the masterpieces the blonde had seen in the studio a few weeks ago, when she had hunted down the artist from the Gay Community Directory of Colorado Springs.

Eowyn greeted her tall blonde client, inviting her into her home with a large smile. "Hey Samantha, I think I know why you're here. The janet is in the back."

"The what?" Sam didn't think she heard the artist right. Did she just make a Freudian slip?

"Jacket. The jacket is in the back," Eowyn nervously responded. She knew she had said her old girlfriend's name. Of course the brunette had been in the studio just yesterday afternoon. But to slip like that was embarrassing and awkward to say the least.

"Right," the blonde smiled with a knowing expression. "Siler said the work on the bike was a great job. He didn't get the green flames on purple, but I thought it looked good from the sample you showed me."

"Well, the lime green is very close to yellow which is purple's complementary color, so it blends well. Specially with metallic purple," Eowyn said matter-of-factly. "I have to say, I get a lot of bikes rolling in here. That's a sweet number you had me do up. Custom job?'

"Frame up," Sam grinned, the pride evident in her face.

"Taking after Jessie James?" The artist referred to the motorcycle enthusiast who made several bikes a year, some for the movies. His designs always has a very distinct look to them, as they were all extremely arostreamed. The 'Smooth Mama Dragon' designed by an Air Force officer had its own arodymatic sleekness to it from the teardrop tank to the fairings, fenders and frame. The mag wheels also added to its streamline appearance, as did all the chrome. It was a gorgeous bike. Perfectly sized for someone a little over five feet tall and weighing a buck ten.

"Not looking for a new career," Sam said, "but thanks." The blonde decided not to put the young artist in an uncomfortable position by admitting she knew about the job she did for Janet. It was no wonder the smaller woman had slipped and said Janet's name. Having two clients that are lovers and asking the same person to do separate and secret work for them had to make one nervous. Sam had noticed that Eowyn was fighting with a paper-clip bending it and unbending it.

Definitely a fidgeter,' the blonde thought and chuckled knowing she could be just as bad.

At seeing the jacket, Sam's face lit up. "It's gorgeous, perfect." She hugged the diminutive artist, flashing her patent Cheshire grin. "Thank you."

"Aim to please. She's a lucky woman to be so loved."

Sam could have sworn that she heard almost a distinct approval of her relationship with Janet in the tiny artist's voice. More than a fellow lesbian cheering on another for finding love, it was like Stacey was giving her approval of Janet, in the beginning. Shaking the feeling off, Sam reached for her wallet so that she could settle the bill.


When Sam pulled up to her house she saw that Janet's '67 baby blue convertible mustang was parked on the street a space up form Sam's typical spot which meant her girl was home. Opening the backseat, Sam picked up the gift bag that held the box wrapped in red-foil containing the leather jacket. She also took up the bottle of wine and the single rose. It was white with tips of red, meaning eternity and love.

With a wide smile, the blonde opened the door to her house and was nearly blind sided by an excitable redhead. "He-ey sweetheart," Janet greeted her lover.

"He-ey Baby." Sam let go of the package she was carrying so that she could wrap her arms around her tiny beloved.

The kiss was passionate, consuming, deep. They didn't know how long it lasted, both hoping it would never end, but needing to for the sake of oxygen.

"God, I love you," both said at the same time.

Shared giggle and an Eskimo kiss later, they managed to negotiate their way into the living room, where a Sarah McLachlan CD was playing.

"You started a fire," Sam said, looking at the rock fireplace.

"I thought it might be romantic," Janet whispered, softly straddling her lover's legs. Her finely boned fingers stroked through the short locks of blonde hair, enjoying the silky thickness. "And the music, too."

"Hummm," Sam murmured, content for the moment to simply feel her beloved's hands touch her in a way that would be forbidden at the SGC. Fingers that touched her during physicals were now caressing her, and Sam basked in the sensation. "They are."

"Happy Valentine's day, Lover," Sam said, her blue eyes still closed.

Under her fingertips, Janet could feel the pulse quicken under the pale skin, and she could feel the heartbeat increasing. The breath was deepening and the heat in the skin was rising. The physician and lover were in agreement, Sam was becoming aroused.

"Happy Valentines Day, Hon." Janet leaned in and kissed Sam's neck just below her ear. Pointing to another area on her neck, Janet cheerfully obliged. And another, and another, and another until until both were giggling.

"I have something for you," Sam managed through a voice thick with desire. She had to show her love what she had gotten her for the Day of Lovers, least she become too distracted by Janet's soft kisses.

For her part, Janet almost forgot she had a gift for her Sam, as she wanted to drown the tall lanky blonde in her desire. "Me too,"

"It's not the rose," Sam muttered meekly.

"I figured that out for myself, Sammy." Janet kissed the bridge of the blonde's nose, which of course caused the taller woman to blink.

"I...I....left it in the hall."

Janet deliberately leaned foreword, pressing her beasts against Sam's own as she peeked in the hall way to look at the gift bag. She smiled when she saw the cute teddy bear wearing a biker jacket and carrying a heart in his hands. Some playful part of the doctor's mind thought of the Biker guy from the Village People, as the teddy-bear was sporting mirror sunglasses and a leather cap, trying to look all tough.

"Looks big."

Sam smiled. "Well, what is in the hall is the dressing. The real present is .....somewhere else."

"Oh?" Janet's voice became playful. "And just where is this someplace else?" Her hand slipped between their joined hips to stroke Sam's jean clad mound. "In the bedroom?"

"Um..." Hiccuped. "Er...."

"Where?" Janet teased. Now her lips worked magic on Sam's neck, knowing just the right about of pressure at the pulse point would have the blonde climbing the walls. "Ve have vay's of mak'ing you talk." Janet adapted a mocking Russian accent.

Sam moaned in the pleasures rippling through her, and she tried so hard not to laugh at her lovers' silliness. But when Janet's fingers stopped their sensual stokes and turned to tickling, Sam yelped at the touch, nearly dislodging Janet from her perch.

"Come on, Blondie, were is it?" The tickling became more fierce.

"Garage!" Sam said frantically, her body wiggling under the assault of knowing fingers. "It's in the garage."

Janet stopped short. When had Sam had the time to hide a gift in the garage? She had been a prisoner on Hadante, had found a way out of the penal world, and escaped to P2A509 and then to SGC. So was it before she left? Perhaps she had enlisted Stacey to help? Sargent Siler had been over earlier but he wouldn't be in the loop. Of course, Janet hadn't been in the garage since Stacey had met up with Sly and the man left on a motorcycle that looked a lot like Sam's true baby, the Indian.

Well, now would be the time to show her lover her own gift as well. Janet stood up, grabbed Sam's long fingered hand, and pulled her up off the couch. "I have something for you too, Babe."

Sam, having been informed that Janet had taken the tank of the Electra-Glide to Eowyn, she knew what she was getting, but not what it looked like. It touched Sam so deeply that her lover had done something so thoughtful, so caring, as to participate in one of Sam's passions. That in itself meant more to the blonde than anything she had ever experienced. More so because Janet was a little iffy on the whole subject of motorcycles, simply because as a doctor she had had to treat several riders for accidents. Some had been fatalities. But Janet wasn't a pushover either, and Sam knew that the diminutive physician thrilled to ride behind her. That was what had encouraged the astrophysicist to custom build the 'Smooth Mama Dragon'.

Hand in hand the women moved to the garage to discover the gifts they had gone to such lengths to make happen. For her part, Janet was all too giddy, excited to show Sam the gift she had arranged for her. True, Sam's true baby was the Indian, but the blonde enjoyed riding the Harley nearly was much, and she often took it, not the Indian, to places like Pride, Graystokes and what not. The Indian was extremely identifiable and the Electra-Glide gave her some anonymity. With the painting of course, those that knew Sam as Gravity-girl would recognize the Harley as Sam's, but she could still lead her double life safely.

Janet had ridden the Electra-glide herself a few times, but she was too nervous for the experience. Not because of laying the bike down, simply because the black beast was a little too much bike for Janet. She never felt comfortable upon it since it was so large, she never felt she had the control. The brunette had told Sam once that she wouldn't mind riding with her if the bike was three sizes smaller. But you can't throw a Harley Davidson in the dryer.

On a whim, the two had gone to Stacey's shop and test ridden both a Harley Sportster and a Buell Blast. Both were considerably smaller bikes and Janet liked the sleek design of the Buell. That had been the catalyst for the 'Smooth Mama Dragon'. Like the Buell, it had the streamline frame and it also had the look that an Air Force officer had a hand in its design. Sam prayed that her girl would love it as much as she loved building it.

The door to the garage opened and both women gasped.

"Oh, my God!"

"Holly Hannah!"

"It's beautiful," both said simultaneously. Their arms circled one another, pulling the other into a bone-crushing, breath stealing embrace. Clear cerulean and velvet chocolate eyes met with unshed tears.

"When did you....."

".....find the time?"

"It is beyond...."

"......words."

The women could not have told you who said what as they had finished each other's sentences.

"Oh Sam! Sam!" Janet clutched the blonde to her. "It's gorgeous."

"It's all yours, Hon. Three sizes smaller than the black beast. I designed 'Smooth Mama' to your proportions."

"What? You? You designed it?" Janet did a double take on the purple bike, her doe eyes widening even further in her astonishment. "You're telling me you made this."

"With Siler. He was going to start on a project and he had most of the materials. I talked him into making it into a bike rather than a glider."

"Chrome...." Janet said as she stroked the shiny mettle

"And airplane aluminum. It's lighter than most Harleys and it has the sturdiness of the Buell you liked so much. And it's water-cooled rather than air-cooled."

"Like a car," Janet concluded. "Sam, that's pretty cool." The normally articulate physician had utilized words that not only her 12 year old adopted daughter but her lover had used more often than not. "It's gorgeous, Sammy. I even love the color. Purple and green flames. I didn't think they would go together, but it's so beautiful. I adore it!" Janet was practically jumping up and down. "I have MY own bike!"

Sam knew at that moment that she did good.

The blonde knew she did great when she was taken almost forcefully by a very energized, petite woman claiming her lips.

"You're welcome, Baby. Happy Valentines Day," Sam uttered into Janet's mouth.

"What about you're gift?"

"Someone's been kissing me to distraction so I couldn't appreciate it," the younger woman said.

Janet pulled away, just enough to pull the blonde to the Electra-glide. "So?"

Sam knelt by the tanks so she could truly appreciate the work of art. Stacey was right, the portrait painted on the tank should have been on display at the Louver. Boris Vallejo and Julie Bell or Elmore could not have done better.

It was a painting depicting both Sam and Janet in an ancient Roman setting. Sam was standing behind Janet holding the smaller woman to her body tightly, the expression of adoration plainly depicted in both faces

Sam herself was garbed with a studded, black-leather, pleated kilt, and her chest was covered by a feminine version of the cuirass. The Roman's tended to create very elaborate, very buff-superhero-esk breastplates. On Sam it looked as if she was Rogue from X-Men. The painted Sam had brasiers and shin-guards, both shimmering gold. And in her right hand was a two handed, bastard sword. Not exactly Roman, but a gladius just would not have worked well with the scene. On the marble floor near Sam's right foot was a warrior's helmet complete with the red horse hair plume the centurions were known to wear, and beyond that a golden shield.

Both figures of Janet and Sam wore knee length senna brown sandals. While Sam was dressed as a Centurion, Janet was, perhaps, a captured, or rather rescued, "slave," for she was wearing a blue peasant's tunic, belted at the waist by a link of gold chain.

Sam's eyes were drawn to both the painted figure and her live lover. The woman in her painted self's arms looked exactly like Janet. And the scrolled title under the painting, 'Holding Amazons,' was so true for them. It was perfection.

"Janet, I adore it." Sam grasped Janet by the waist, incidentally mirroring the painting on the tank. "Thank you, Baby." She kissed the redhead tenderly, softly, a whisper of the deep love that flooded her own being.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Hon." Janet nuzzled into the arms that held her. "I was so nervous in having the tank painted, but I wanted to risk it, hoping you'd love it."

"Sweetheart, I do, more than I can tell you." Sam clutched Janet to her body, just holding her tightly, just enjoying the feel of the other woman's body against her own. Loving the scent of the jasmine shampoo in the redhead's hair, just to simply be with Janet, breathing the same air as her. And for a long moment both were content to simply hold each other.

Neither knew how or when it started, but they had started to dance. The music drifting in from the open door to the kitchen was Sarah McLachlan's 'In The Arms Of An Angel.' They danced like this for the rest of the CD and when it was over, the lovers looked deeply into each other's soul and smiled.

"I have another gift," they said in choir. Then giggled.

"Yours is in the saddlebags," Janet informed.

"I'll retrieve yours from the hallway," Sam replied.

"You're not moving," the smaller woman pointed out

"Yeah, I kinda noticed that." The blonde flashed a Cheshire grin. Placing a kiss on Janet's lips, she backed away slowly until her heels caught the stoop of the kitchen, nearly sending Sam to her backside. Catching herself, Sam blushed and quickly ducked back into the house proper.

When they exchanged the last gift, they laughed heartily. "You know we really are matched for each other," Janet said.

"Yeah, we are. Science, military brats, career Air Force, women in the military, fun loving ....and apparently a knack to pick the same artist and have similar ideas in gift-giving. I'd say we were perfect for one another."

Valentine's day was not spent dancing at a club, or curled up on a sofa watching a lesbian chick-flick or even 'Singing in the Rain,' nor was it spent eating an overly priced meal in an upscale spendy restaurant or in the Gay-quarter of Colorado Springs. Valentine's Day was spent wearing brand new leather jackets while riding newly gifted bikes, until the cold drove the lovers indoors. They warmed themselves by making love in front of the fireplace until the wee hours of the morning.

A perfect way to spend and end the Day of Lovers.

The End

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