THE PLAN

by Dawn Underwood (Thunderbird)-Nighthawk Commando

 Maggie stepped around the corner dressed only in a red, silk, one piece
 teddy that was daintily trimmed with black lace across the low cut top
 and high cut legs.  Covering that was a simple black lace robe.  She
 stopped just inside the door, pausing long enough for him to realize
 that she had returned.
         Hannibal heard her approach but finished pouring both glasses of wine
 before looking at her.  Placing the bottle back on the table and lifting
 the glasses, one in each hand, he finally allowed his eyes to fall on
 her.  It took all of his control to keep from dropping the glasses and
 keep his lower jaw off the floor.
         She seemed to glide across the room, quickly coming to stand before
 him, eyes locked on his beautiful pale blue ones.  She reached out,
 taking the glass in his right hand.
         "Well?  Aren't you going to say something?" she asked.
         His eyes never leaving hers, he quickly reached out with his now empty
 right hand and wrapped his arm tightly around her slender waist.
 Drawing her tenderly to his chest, he kissed her deeply and
 passionately, the world seeming to have dissolved around them.
         When the kiss ended, he pulled back enough to look into her dark brown
 eyes.  "No," he said softly, his voice low and throaty.
         He took both of their glasses and placed them back on the table where
 they had sat only moments before.
         Returning all of his attention to the beautiful woman standing before
 him, he again pulled her close for another passionate kiss.  His grip on
 her loosened slightly as she moved her arms from around his neck to
 between their bodies, where her fingers began nimbly unfastening the
 buttons on his dress shirt.
         She took a step back between wonderful kisses and pulled his
 shirt-tails from his blue jeans.  His shirt hung open, revealing his
 smooth, well muscled chest.  He shrugged out of the shirt, allowing it
 to fall, forgotten, to the floor behind him.
         She pressed herself against his chest, running one delicate hand
 lightly over his nipples.  His left arm circled her petite frame, his
 hand coming to rest gently on the small of her back.  He held her
 tighter to his body as he leaned forward and gently nibbled her left
 earlobe.  She leaned her head back, and he quickly began kissing her
 long neck.  He reached up and gently removed the lace robe from her
 shoulders.  A low moan escaped her throat as his hands loving caressed
 her almost bare back, removing the robe as they moved down her body.
         The skin on her bare arms formed tiny goosebumps as his fingers brushed
 against the sides of her body.  She began placing small kisses all over
 his smooth chest, hearing him moan softly in pleasure as she gently
 nipped one taught nipple.
         He cupped the side of her face in his left hand, and looked deeply into
 her dark brown eyes, then gently placed his lips over hers, his tounge
 probing into her mouth ever so gently.
         She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself to him tightly,
 becoming increasingly aware of his growing manhood.
         One hand slid up her body until it made contact with one soft breast,
 which he began to massage tenderly.  His other hand ran carefully
 through her short dark hair.
         They seperated slightly, each breath coming faster and harsher.  Maggie
 wrapped her arms around his waist, laying her cheek on his chest.  "Oh,
 Hannibal," she sighed as he stroked the back of her head, relishing the
 feel of the soft hair as it slid through his fingers.  "It's been so
 long.  So, so long.  I've missed you."
         He pulled away enough to kiss her again, his left arm sliding around
 her shoulders and down to the middle of her back.  In one swift move, he
 caught her in the bend of the knee with his right hand and lifted,
 suddenly sweeping her off her feet.
         He walked through the room, and into the next, heading toward her
 bedroom in the back of the house.  She reached out and turned off the
 lights as they moved through each room and into the hall.
         He entered the bedroom and shut the door with a single, smooth kick.
 After hearing it close softly behind them, he moved to the bed, where he
 carefully set her down.  Her arms were still wrapped around his neck,
 and she pulled him down to her for another, more passionate kiss.
         He pulled away, breaking their contact and knelt down beside the bed,
 taking her left hand in his right.  He looked into her eyes, thinking
 how beautiful she was, and how she never seemed to change between his
 visits.  How he wished he had been able to visit more often.
         "Hannibal?  What is it?  What's the matter?" she asked, suddenly
 worried at his abrupt change in demeanor.
         He looked at her, unable to keep the seriousness out of his face.
 "Maggie, honey, there's something you should know."
         She inhaled sharply, afraid of what she might be about to hear.  Had he
 found someone else?  Had the years of smoking cigars finally caught up
 with him?  Oh, God, could she live without him?
         "The doctors ran some tests and found that I'm being reinstated as a
 full colonel."
         "What?" she asked, not understanding what she had just heard.
         "The military notified us that they found a miss-filed copy of our
 orders.  We're being pardoned.  I'm being reinstated as a full colonel.
 If I choose to go back, that is."
         "Oh, Hannibal, that's wonderful!"  Relieved, she threw her arms around
 his neck, giving him a big hug and a kiss, glad it had just been her
 imagination that had gotten in the way.
         "Yeah, that's military intelligence for you.  Takes 'em fifteen years
 to go through their files," he joked.  Pulling out of her embrace, he
 grew serious again.  "I told them I'd go back, after the pardon comes
 through.  But," he straightened, reaching into his jeans pocket, "I
 don't want to go alone."  He reached out for her hand again, placing a
 small, black box in her palm.
         She looked at it, tears already beginning to form in the corners of her
 eyes.  She pushed the lid back, revealing the most beautiful diamond
 ring she had ever seen.  She looked at him, seeing an expression settle
 on his handsome features that she had never seen before.  He was
 nervous.
         "I...I know it's not much, but it's all I had.  I gave you my heart a
 long time ago.  I can offer you something now that I had never been able
 to before -- stability."  He took both of her tiny hands in his and
 looked into her tear filled eyes.  "Maggie Sullivan, will you marry me?"
         Unable to control her emotions any longer, she practically threw
 herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and began to cry.
 Between sobs she managed to whisper, "I thought you'd never ask!"
         Laying her down on the bed and covering her body with his, he again
 kissed her passionately.  When the kiss ended, he looked into her eyes.
 "Is that a 'yes'?" he asked.
         "Yes," she whispered, reaching to turn off the light on the small table
 next to the bed.
         As darkness settled over the room, Hannibal, grinning, said, "I love it
 when a plan comes together!"